Mint Year: 1916 Reference: Menzel-4870.5 (50 DM). Denomination: 2 Mark P.O.W. Token (Kriegsgefangenen-Lagergeld) Condition: Struck with broken dies, corroded surfaces and minor deposits, otherwise a decent VF. Diameter: 33mm Weight: 9.28gm Material: Iron
During World War I, a prisoner of war (POW) camp was established in Gladbeck, Germany, in 1915 by the Mining Inspectorate at Shaft 5. Internees were forced to work as miners to support the German coal and steel industry, with the prisoner population growing from 397 to over 900 by 1918.