HB0045

Did You Know?

The Arbeidershuis (Workers' House) in Excelsior, Free State, was constructed between 1941 and 1943 by Italian prisoners of war captured during World War II. During this period, the South African government utilized Italian POWs for labor on public works and agricultural projects, particularly in the Free State and other rural areas. The building served as accommodation for farm laborers and is a rare surviving example of POW-built infrastructure in the region. Excelsior, a small farming town established in the late 19th century, was part of the broader wartime effort where Italian internees contributed to local development projects.

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