Where to start

[Shoemaker123]

Hi guys n girls,

I just joined and have to say it's a lovely, well moderated forum. My dad just sent me an email with some puzzle pieces about my granddad's history and I want to get to the bottom of it.

I hope you guys can help me a little bit and tell me more what the situation was like in the places where he was at the time.

All I know is that he joined the volunteers army in Holland in 41, went to Wahnsee in march 42, then in June 1942 to Kiev and was sentenced by kriegsgericht in September '42 for what he claims, giving shoes and passing letters to a Russian POW. He got caught and then went to several prisons, and in May 1943 he was sent to the penal camp in Chlum. He got sick and was sent to Bobrauks of all places, and worked there as shoemaker until June '44. He got sent back to Chlum to become a soldier but he refused so ate soap, got sick and went to a hospital in Prague. He was then returned to Chlum as shoemaker.

Now, what was the penal camp in Chlum like?
Also, what was in Bobrauk?
Was being sentenced to 5 years in penal camp a lot for the kriegsgericht? Was that a heavy penalty in that time?

Thank you very much and apologies if this is the wrong place to ask these questions, please tell me where to go if not.

Kind regards