These stories can also be heard on Sunday mornings around 10 am on WILD 102’s “Look Back in Time” program. Each week’s radio story will be posted here on our website.
Weekly radio stories are researched, compiled, and read by Sheila Winstead, RCHS Board Member.
April 28, 2024
A recent donation to the Roseau County Museum by relatives of Alma Marie Lee of Ross,
Minnesota, made me want to read more about her. The donation included her own personal story
of life in German concentration camps, as well as a typewriter she used with keys for the
additional Norwegian alphabet characters, and a Bible storytelling device for teaching children in
Sunday School, both in carrying cases. Her story is in the family files in the Museum’s research
area.
As a young girl, Alma loved to read her Bible. So, while visiting her grandmother in Roseau, at
age 14, she and her grandmother attended a Sunday morning worship meeting with a friend
and her mother. By age 17, Alma had heard the Gospel and made her choice to serve God.
After high school, Alma went to work for Dr. J. L. and Mrs. Delmore in Roseau. She also worked
at the Budd Hospital for some time.
In 1929, Alma answered the call to go into the Ministry. She spent three years in Minnesota
studying prior to going to Norway in 1932. While in Norway, World War II broke out. On October
14, 1942, Alma and her co-workers were taken into custody as Prisoners of War, because they
were American citizens. Alma was taken to a Concentration Camp called Grini Prison, located
north of Oslo, Norway.
Life was not pleasant there. The first evening's meal consisted of four thin slices of sour bread,
made from non-ripened grain, mixed with paper and an acid to hold it together. They were given
one tablespoon of a very thin plum jam and a small piece of margarine. Breakfast consisted of
four pieces of the same type of sour bread, and a cup of water from the faucet. Four times a
week they were given what was called “Storm Soup.” This was made from dirty, unwashed
potatoes and rutabagas. This was all they had to eat.
On December 10, 1942, they were taken to a concentration camp named Liebenau in Germany.
Living conditions were somewhat better there. They had rooms with good beds, a pillow, and
warm blankets. They had better food also, and they had access to a library. Alma and some of
the other ladies would spend time doing handwork and knitting for the Jewish children and other
prisoners.
Alma was allowed to mail four letters, or three post cards, per month, but were limited to twenty-
four lines on each letter. She could receive mail and packages from her family, through the Red
Cross. All her mail was censored by the Germans.
One day, Alma and her friends were quietly having a gathering in their room, talking about the
Bible. The guard came and unlocked their door and walked in. He asked them if they were
having a meeting. Alma replied that they indeed were. He asked if they were reading the Bible,
and again, Alma replied “yes.” The guard left and they were later given permission to have
religious services, much to their surprise.
After being interned at Liebenau for twenty-four and a half months, she was allowed to be
released on a prisoner exchange. On January 24, 1945, Alma was given permission to leave
Germany by way of boat and train to return to the United States. She arrived in New York City
on February 23, 1945, and was greeted by the beautiful Statue of Liberty. A month later she was
able to go to Ross, Minnesota, to be with family and friends.
After recovering her health from 27 months in the concentration camp, Alma returned to Norway
in 1947 to continue her missionary work. She stayed there until 1986. She returned to Ross,
Minnesota, at the age of 80, due to health issues. Alma had a great respect for the American
flag and kept it in her bedroom at home, and in her suitcase when she traveled, so she could
display it everywhere she went.
A few years after returning to Ross, Minnesota, Alma wrote a much more detailed story of her
time as a Prisoner of War. That booklet is available to read in the Roseau County Museum.
Alma died in 1998 at age 91, and she’s buried at Concordia Cemetery in Ross.
Thank you to 
(www.roseauonline.com) for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.