Man of Confidence: Kenneth J. Kurtenbach: WWII’s Longest-Serving American POW camp leader

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Shot down at twenty-one, tortured by the Gestapo, and sent to the notorious Stalag 17B, Kenneth “Kurt” J. Kurtenbach refused to be just another prisoner of war—he became a “prisoner at war.” He led more than 4,000 fellow airmen behind barbed wire, fighting daily for their rights, survival, and dignity under the Geneva Convention. Many credited him with saving their lives; all remembered him as the leader who gave them hope and helped them return home with honor.

In December 1942, after evading capture for thirteen days in Nazi-occupied France, Kurt was caught by the Gestapo, interrogated under the infamous Klaus Barbie, and transferred through a series of POW camps before reaching Stalag 17B. There, for eighteen months until liberation, he bore the heavy responsibility of being the prisoners’ only official representative to German and Swiss authorities, working tirelessly to improve the lives of his fellow POWs.

Awarded the Legion of Merit and recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor, Kurt has been featured in books, documentaries, and interviews with the Holocaust Museum and the History Channel; yet his complete story has never been told. Drawing on extensive archival research and first-hand accounts, this is the powerful story of Kurt Kurtenbach, from his childhood in Iowa and Montana to his final days. It demonstrates how courage, determination, and grit can endure even during humanity’s darkest moments.

AUTHOR:
Maureen Buick is the award-winning author of Finding Bomb Boogie: A Daughter’s Search to Rediscover Her Father-the World War II Bomber Boy, Prisoner of War, and American Veteran. After retiring as a Director of Nursing in San Francisco, Maureen finally found time to research her father’s World War II story. She is a member of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society and the 91st Bomb Group Memorial Association, serving on their board as the editor of their quarterly newsletter. Her blog, “Finding Your Veteran,” shares tips for anyone searching for their veteran’s history. Maureen lives with her husband in San Francisco. They have two adult children and two grandsons, for whom Maureen shares stories about World War II—lest they be forgotten.

25-28 photos

ISBN: 9781636246734
Author: BUICK, MAUREEN
Format: Hardcover
Publication date: 01/10/2026
RRP: $85.00
Pages: 256
Dimension: 229mm X 152mm
Imprint: Casemate