Although its headquarters were located near Bad Sulza, between Erfurt and Leipzig in Thuringia, its sub-camps – Arbeitskommando – were spread over a wide area, particularly those holding prisoners working in the potassium mines, south of Mühlhausen.

The camp was opened in February 1940 to hold Polish soldiers from the German invasion of Poland which started World War II in 1939.

In September and October 1944 British and Canadian airborne troops, taken prisoner during "Operation Market Garden" at Arnhem, arrived.

Its staff was considerably augmented in October 1944 with the arrival of an entire ambulance team of the British 1st Airborne Division, captured at Arnhem.

In March 1942, two British privates, Macfarlane and Goldie, escaped wearing their blue work detail overalls over their battledress.