Glassboro German Prison Labor Camp

Summit City Farms 1944

The DeEugenio family owned an orchard on Summit Street in Glassboro called Summit City Farms where the family employed ten German’s. I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Esther DeEugenio who had some memories from her mother who explained that Esther’s uncle, Lewis experienced with the German’s who worked on the family’s farm. On the DeEugenio’s farm the German’s were all treated like family and were given better food and accommodations that they needed. For example, one of the German labors was given paint and small canvases which he used to water paint several paintings for Mr. Lewis DeEugnio. One painting was a winter scene that depicted a snow-covered cottage and mountain, one was a tree lined street in the autumn and the last was of a farm field in the summer. Fortunately, a picture survived that shows the ten German’s smiling while standing on the DeEugnio’s farm. Interestingly, most of the German labors were able to speak English and could have small conversations with the DeEugnio’s. Esther explained that their ten German’s always were polite, followed instructions and worked hard. Overall the German’s were happy working on the DeEugenio’s farm but they were concerned about their families and homes back in Germany. After the war ended the ten Germans traveled back to their own home towns back in Germany and a few are thought to have come back to New Jersey to visit with the DeEugenio’s.
 

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