As World War II drew to a close in the spring of 1945, the resources of the Wehrmacht were exhausted in many respects. A very large number of German soldiers were captured and taken to primitive collection camps along the Rhine and Nahe, hastily constructed by the victorious powers on farmland and surrounded by barbed wire. Faced with the overwhelming number of prisoners of war, the Allies were completely overwhelmed – a functioning camp organization was initially lacking. The result was catastrophic conditions regarding food, shelter, and hygiene. Thousands died from malnutrition, exhaustion, and disease. The history of the so-called Rhine meadow camps between Remagen and Ludwigshafen is presented here for the first time in a comprehensive manner. A shocking documentation on a topic that has been largely silenced for decades.