Ukrainian POW Chapel, Scotland
While traveling in Scotland I carry my trusty Rough Guide, Scotland the Best and Nothing to see here books. The latter led me to this Ukrainian Prisoner of War Chapel in Hallmuir near Lockerbie. The Chapel is off the beaten track but worth seeking out. A POW camp was built here in 1942 to house 450 German and Italian prisoners. The Chapel was built by Ukrainians who arrived in 1947. They had fought alongside German units against Soviet forces believing independence was more likely under the Nazis than under the USSR, staying in the UK after the war as returning home they would have faced almost certain death and seen as traitors.
The unassuming and temporary looking exterior holds a decorative and visual delight inside. The bright and colourful interior was a brilliant surprise. Many of the items including the alter piece is handmade by the prisoners, a labor of love. It is still cared for and used today holding regular services and the odd wedding. It feels like a place of celebration. Next door is a mini museum and library, the walls are covered with photos and information and binders of more documents cover the tables.
A descendent of one of the POWs looks after the chapel and we chat for a while. He offers us a parking spot for our campervan for the night and I am sad that we had to get home, it would be great to stick around for a little while longer.
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