In the final episode of Masters of the Air, we witness Rosie’s arrival at Poland’s Zabikowo concentration camp during the last stages of the war. Here is everything you should know about this significant event.
As Band of Brothers neared its conclusion, it delivered its most impactful moment: Easy Company came across a concentration camp in Nazi Germany, filled with hundreds of emaciated individuals who had been left to die among the bodies of their loved ones, without access to food or water.
In Episode 9, Masters of the Air makes a clear attempt to capture the same sequence. When Rosie is shot down over Berlin, he is quickly rescued by Russian forces and brought to the nearest airport with the goal of getting him home. During the journey, their progress is interrupted by a wagon that needs to fix its wheel, giving Rosie the chance to stretch his legs.
Within seconds, he comes to the realization that he has entered the archway of Zabikowo’s camp, where he is soon faced with unimaginable horrors.
Masters of the Air: Zabikowo Camp Explained
It is uncertain whether Robert Rosenthal encountered the Zabikowo camp while returning home, but it did indeed exist. Originally serving as an extension to the Fort V11 camp in Posen, it later became the new location for 750 prisoners from the closed Fort V11 camp in April 1944.
The group consisted of men, women, and children, predominantly Poles, Russians, and Jews, as the Soviet guard informs Rosie during the final moments.
According to the Holocaust Historical Society, prisoners were kept in wooden barracks, some of which were left over from the liquidation of the Reichsautobahnlager Poggenburg forced labor camp for Jews. This camp was established in 1940 for the construction of a motorway and primarily held Polish citizens, along with Soviet Prisoners of War, deserters from the German Wehrmacht, and civilians from various other countries.
According to belief, the number of prisoners held at Zabikowo was at least 21,624. However, the majority of its records were destroyed by the Germans before the war ended, making this number unreliable.
The evacuation of the camp commenced on January 20, 1945, when over 600 prisoners were transferred to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Additionally, some prisoners were executed and their bodies burned. Women were also forced to march to the Ravensbruck camp, and those who could not keep up were killed. Ultimately, the camp was liberated on January 26, 1945, by the 2nd Byelorussian Front of the Russian troops.
You can find all nine episodes of Masters of the Air currently available for streaming on Apple TV+.
Leave a Reply