They were all located on the old Nazi party rally grounds in Langwasser, Nuremberg, in northern Bavaria.

They were adjacent to Stalag XIII-D. Oflag XIII-A was opened in August 1940 to accommodate mainly French officers captured during the Battle of France.

[1] In May 1941 Oflag XIII-B was created in a separate compound for Serbian officers captured during the Balkans Campaign.

[1] In June 1941 a new compound Oflag 62 was opened for high-ranking Soviet officers captured during Operation Barbarossa.

From December 1944 to March 1945 XIII-D was designated Oflag 73 and used to accommodate officers of various nationalities evacuated hastily from camps in the east that were threatened by the rapid advance of the Red Army.