Kapuskasing Internment Camp 1914-1920
Text from the plaque
When the First World War began, Canada established internment camps to detain persons viewed as security risks. Prejudice and wartime paranoia led to the needless internment of several thousand recent immigrants. The majority were Ukrainians whose homeland was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. One of the largest camps was built across the river from here at a remote railway siding. Despite harsh conditions, some 1,300 internees constructed buildings and cleared hundreds of hectares of spruce forest for a government experimental farm. In 1917 most were paroled to help relieve wartime labour shortages. Thereafter the camp held prisoners of war and political radicals, including leaders of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The District of Cochrane
The Town of Kapuskasing
At the Ron Morel Memorial Museum, on McPherson Avenue
just south of the Trans-Canada Highway
Note: The plaque was at another location when the first photo was taken in 2006.
N 49 24.752 W 82 25.461
Recorded July 2006. Check current access before visiting.
More information
Where it stands
Visitors' notes
February 12, 2015
I believe my grand uncle was interred here at one point. His name was Friedrich Gerull. I have a post card addressed to the prison camp in Kingston by a brother Heinz. I also found online a record of a Fred Gerull on a list being repatriated on the ship Pretorian in 1919. I was wondering if anyone has more information on him. I am also descended from the original settlers of Quebec but that is another story. Thank you for any information. I know these camps were something most wanted to forget but being my grand uncle was German and most likely captured by the English and interred in Canada at their request, I was hoping maybe more information was available. Janice Reynolds
November 24, 2009
The Internment Camp Cemetery, just opposite the Kap cemetery on Highway 11 West of Kap, is a related site that we've visited also. A statue and plaque remind us of the history related to the town's internment camp. Such a small site for a memorial, you'd miss it if you blink on the way past! We only know about it from geocaching in the area (there's one on this site). We're glad to have come to the site and read of the war's impact on such an inland area. Denis Gionet