Sculpture

Prisoner of War statue group - Kormis

Erection date: 11/5/1969

Inscription

{On the plaque facing west:}
To the memory of prisoners of war and victims of concentration camps, 1914 - 1945.

{On the plaque facing south:}
This memorial, erected by the London Borough of Brent with figures modelled and presented by the sculptor Fred I. Kormis was unveiled on the 11th May 1969.

West Hampstead Live has a quote from Kormis explaining that each of the first 4 seated figures illustrates an aspect of his war experiences as a prisoner of war. The last standing figure expresses hope for the future.

Bridgeman has a photo captioned: "Maquettes for the Prisoner of War Memorial in Gladstone Park, London, 1969 (plaster)".

Site: Prisoner of War statue group - Kormis (1 memorial)

NW2, Dollis Hill Lane, Gladstone Park

This sculpture group is behind railings in a locked garden. In our photo the white plaque is facing forwards, the other, is directly below the white one, on the low white wall, facing to the right, south.

West Hampstead Live tells how Kormis was creating the work long before a site was found. Eventually his friend Freeson arranged for it to be placed here in Gladstone Park.

Announcing a 2024 exhibition of Kormis's work the Jewish Telegraphic Agency describes this sculptural group as "Britain’s first memorial to victims of Nazi persecution".

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Prisoner of War statue group - Kormis

Subjects commemorated i

Holocaust / Holocaust Memorial Day

Events for this day (27 January every year) are organised by The Holocaust Me...

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Prisoners of War

During WW2 the Germans treated their British prisoners of war (POWs) quite we...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Prisoner of War statue group - Kormis

Created by i

Brent Council

London Borough. Formed from the Municipal Boroughs of Wembley and Willesden o...

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Reg Freeson

Born in St Pancras as Reginald Yarnitz Freeson. Served in the army in WW2. La...

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Fred (Fritz) Kormis

Sculptor and medallist. Born Frankfurt, Germany. From the very informative W...

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