Fred H. Taeger papers

Fred H. Taeger was born on December 18, 1920, in Magdeburg, Germany. He emigrated to the United States through Canada in 1924. Taeger entered active service on March 10, 1943, as a German interpreter for POWs at Camp Forrest in Tennessee. Camp Forrest became a prisoner of war camp on May 12, 1942, and at the time of Taeger entering active service, Camp Forrest housed about 24,000 prisoners of war, most of which were German and Japanese. Over three years, Taeger collected 65 drawings and paintings from German POWs, though it is unknown if they were gifted or confiscated. The 65 drawings and paintings are of POWs, landscapes, interior and exterior shots of buildings, and drawings of signpost designs and food and drink logos. in 1945, the government installed an Intellectual Diversion Program into Camp Forrest to teach POWs about American life, with several of drawings represent. Taeger was honorably discharged on April 13, 1946, in McPherson, GA, the same year that Camp Forrest was declared surplus property due to the end of the war.

Taeger continued to live in Georgia, having children and grandchildren. He began to work in the 1950s and eventually retired in the 1970s. Taeger passed away on May 21, 1996, in Tallahassee, FL.