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50 Pfennig Holzminden; PoW camp
| Issuer | Prisoner of War Camp Holzminden |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
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| In circulation to | Yes |
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| Obverse description | Plain paper voucher with show-through of the obverse letterpress text visible as a mirror impression. A faint horizontal text band runs across the centre, with ruled border lines framing the note. No distinct vignette or decorative underprint is present. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Unprinted reverse of plain paper stock, showing bleed-through of the obverse letterpress impression. A faint central text band and ruled border framework are visible as ghost printing from the face; the reverse itself carries no intentional design or lettering. |
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| Comments |
Holzminden was one of Imperial Germany's larger officer prisoner-of-war camps, and the internal scrip issued there in 1916 reflects a deliberately closed economy — Allied officers were permitted canteen privileges but could not be allowed access to Reichsmark currency that might fund escape attempts. The scrip had no value outside the wire.
The camp later became notorious for the tunnel escape of July 1918, when 29 British officers broke out — the largest successful PoW escape of the First World War. This note predates that event by two years, but the same claustrophobic conditions that drove the escape were already present when it circulated.