The Schwartz Ballroom POW Camp: A Forgotten Chapter

During World War II, the Schwartz Ballroom on Jefferson Street was transformed into a prisoner‑of‑war camp for 600 German soldiers. From October 1944 to January 1946, these men lived under guard, working on local farms, in canneries, and at the West Bend Aluminum factory.

The camp was part of a nationwide system that used POW labor to ease wartime shortages. Local residents recall seeing the prisoners in their distinctive uniforms, and some even formed friendships that lasted after the war.

After the war, the ballroom was returned to its original use and is now known as the Chandelier Ballroom, hosting weddings and events. The building still stands, a silent witness to a unique moment in Hartford’s history.