One of the things I did while researching my local history book Greenpoint Brooklyn’s Forgotten Past was talking to as many Greenpoint seniors as I could. They have repeatedly told me a story I cannot document, but must be true—Greenpoint hosted an Italian prisoner of war camp during the second World War.
Other Greenpoint amateur historians doubt the existence of the camp and say simply, “Prove it.” I can’t, although I have searched extensively. If, on the one hand I cannot document the existence of the camp, then, on the other hand we cannot dismiss the memories of a dozen older Greenpointers either.
The camp was at Dupont Street and Franklin where the Greenpoint Playground is today. Old timers recall guards, a wire fence and barges where the hundreds of Italians lived. One of the seniors commented to me, “They may have been prisoners, but they had a million dollar view of the New York skyline.”
Greenpoint in the 1940’s had many Italian speaking residents who felt sorry for the bored Italian boys cooped up in the camp. Many had no intention of fighting for the dictator Mussolini and willingly surrendered to American forces in North Africa. They were shipped to Greenpoint far away from their friends, family and culture.
Italian-American Greenpointers used to come to the wire fence and give them small gifts newspapers, smokes and food. Edith, who lived just down from the camp on Dupont Street and at ninety-three has a strong memory, not only confirmed the existence of the camp, but told me a much more romantic version of the story. One of her friends was a young Italian-American woman who could not help but notice that there were several handsome Italians languishing behind the wire. She struck up a conversation with one good looking soldier and began to visit him bringing him presents each day. Soon love blossomed, even though he was an enemy soldier. She not only fell in love with him, but ended up marrying him and eventually securing his release. In 1945 the camp was closed and the Italians, save at least one, were sent back to their homeland.
I remember my grandparents telling me about that POW camp. They lived on Huron St. The camp was several blocks away on Dupont St. My grandfather saw combat in Europe and Africa while serving in the US Army. It was ironic that he was with his unit fighting in Italy while all these POW’s were here in Greenpoint.
I grew up in the pernt and as a child I remember the pow camp . It was real.
The prisoner compound did exist there. My mother told me of how she and her two older sisters would bring food gifts for some of the prisoners. I cannot tell you the exact location since I never asked. However; when next I write to my Aunt who is now 102 years young, I will ask her about it with more detail.
As soon as I read about the Italian prisoners in Greenpoint, I knew she told me the truth. They and I were born there. We were all Irish.
My father..me..my friend and his father visited the camp on many sundays bringing them cigarettes ….gum…cookies etc….. IT Did Exist !!!
There were also ltalian pows housed in an area somewhere between the little league field and where the tanks were