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Johann Kasten, 1945

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Unit of Service: 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division
  • Location of Service: Normandy, France; Stalag IX-B, Germany; Berga ad Elster, Germany; Buchenwald, Germany; European Theater
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/12002

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"Without any hesitation, I pushed the loaf of bread to the center of the table and stated, 'We are all Americans, we don't differentiate by religion.'" (Personal Narrative)

The story of how a second-generation German American, born in Hawaii, wound up in one of the worst POW camps in the second world war is just as amazing as that short description sounds. "Hans" Kasten grew up in paradise, met Adolf Hitler while visiting Germany as a teenager, was in Hawaii until eight days before December 7, got kicked out of Samoa by the U.S. Navy, and volunteered for the Army infantry so he could land on Normandy on D Day. He displayed incredible bravery while in the hands of the Germans, who despised him for "betraying" the fatherland.

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[ Photo Album ]

More Resources

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[ Letter to the International Red Cross concerning the fates of men interned in M-Stammlager IX B, Bad Orb, Germany [January 16, 1945] ]
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[ Miscellaneous papers relating to Kasten's internment at M-Stalag IX B, Bad Orb, Germany ]
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[ Pages from Kasten's journal detailing the fates of men interned at Stalag IX B, Bad Orb, Germany ]
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[ Detailed report on an assault on a guard by American POWs at Stalag IX B ]
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[ Roster of interpreters, MPs, and leaders among the men of Stalag IX B ]
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[ Roster of names (in German) of Stalag IX B ]

About this Item

Title

  • Johann Carl Friedrich Kasten Collection

Names

  • Kasten, Johann Carl Friedrich

Headings

  • -  Kasten, Johann Carl Friedrich
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army.
  • -  Prisoner of War -- United States

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army
    • Unit of Service: 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division
    • Location of Service: Normandy, France; Stalag IX-B, Germany; Berga ad Elster, Germany; Buchenwald, Germany; European Theater
    • Highest Rank: Private First Class
    • Dates of Service: 1943-1945
    • Prisoner of War: Yes
    • Entrance into Service: Enlisted
    • Military Status: veteran
    • Service History Note: The veteran was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and then sent to Stalag IX-B and Berga ad Elster. He served as chief man of confidence (leader) of his building at Berga.

Materials

  • Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [8 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1945)
  • Manuscript: Memoirs [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
  • Manuscript: Diaries and journals [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected 1945)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [4 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1945)
  • Photograph: Original photographic print [1 item] -- Portrait (collected 2004)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/12002

Cite as

  • Johann Carl Friedrich Kasten Collection (AFC/2001/001/12002), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Kasten, Johann Carl Friedrich. Johann Carl Friedrich Kasten Collection. 1943. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.12002/.

APA citation style:

Kasten, J. C. F. (1943) Johann Carl Friedrich Kasten Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.12002/.

MLA citation style:

Kasten, Johann Carl Friedrich. Johann Carl Friedrich Kasten Collection. 1943. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.12002/>.