‘Barka’ was the barracks camp of Marine Flak Abteilung 246, a German Anti-aircraft Artillery unit. For most of the war, gunners of this unit ran the anti-aircraft artillery batteries on the islands here, and the Headquarters was here in Harlingen. 

Barka was located on the Ried Canal, on the other side of which, at the time of liberation, there were plant nurseries and orchards. The bridge over the Ried near Midumerlaan street had been destroyed by the German forces, and so the first infantrymen liberators had to wade through the canal via the Hoogland family’s orchard to a residential area called Rode Dorp (the Red Village). Shortly afterwards, they built an emergency bridge and the neighbourhood was cleared of German troops street by street. 

Immediately after liberation, the barracks camp was reallocated and work began on transforming it into an internment camp. It retained the name Barka and was used as an internment camp for traitors and collaborators: people suspected of working with the occupying forces. These included petty traitors, members of the Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (National Socialist Movement, NSB), Nederlandse Volksdienst (Dutch People's Service) and Nationaal Socialistische Vrouwen Organisaties (National Socialist Women's Organisations), and women who had or had previously had a relationship with a German soldier. 

The Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (Internal Armed Forces, BS) were initially responsible for surveillance, but on 7 May 1945 authority was formally transferred to the Militair Gezag (Military Authority), with the BS remaining to help guard the camp. 

After liberation, initially only 'bad' Harlingers were housed in Barka. Later, this was expanded to include prisoners who lived or had lived in the jurisdiction of Harlingen. Similarly, NSB mayor Dekker, who had fled to the nearby island of Terschelling, was transferred to Harlingen on 8 June 1945 and placed in Barka on 13 July. Seven other NSB mayors were already there at that time. 

Eventually, prisoners from other provinces were also interned in Barka. Among them were German Prisoners of War and Nederlandse SS (Dutch Secret Service) members. They were deployed to clear minefields and ammunition near Harlingen and the Afsluitdijk causeway. 

A total of 500, and later up to 800 people were initially interned at Barka. The Barka camp operated until 26 November 1946.