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No.
RBI-164
The
American Ambassador presents his compliments to His
Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
and, with reference to Mr. Kennedy's note of 59 of March
20, 1940, and of previous communications transmitting
reports of prisoners of war camps in Germany, has the
honor to transmit herewith a copy of a note from the
American Embassy at Berlin dated May 23, 1940, enclosing
a report on a visit to Stalag XXA and XXIB. Copies of
this report have also been furnished to the Prisoners
of War Information Bureau.
London,
June 11, 1940.
Report
of Visit of Representative of American Embassy Berlin
to Stalag XXA. May 15, 1940.
1)
General Description
The camp is located in 2 (with the addition of a military
hospital 3) forts of a ring of fortifications surrounding
a town considered of military value before 1914.
The forts are extensively built of brick, covered by
sod, and are of an extremely substantial construction
affording excellent air raid shelters. The mean
are housed in caserates, i.e. barrel-vaulted rooms opening
on a corridor at one end with windows at the other.
The rooms, while recipients of little or no sunlight,
are sufficiently lighted and ventilated. One fort,
housing the men, contains two large courts one of which
is being arranged as football-field. Exercise
is possible in these courts which are sunny, and also
on a terrace connecting them from which a view may be
obtained and the sense of confinement somewhat dissipated.
The other has an adjacent large exercise ground already
fenced.
2)
Capacity and Present Personnel
The total capacity of the seven forts which are available
for housing prisoners, is estimated by the comandant
of being about 10,000 men. At present, however,
there are 240 British combatants; a number of Polish
prisoners of war, some of whom are sailors taken at
Hela, are housed in one of the forts, but in a section
apart from the British. The two groups of prisoners,
however, share the two courtyards. The British
personnel were all taken in Central Norway (Lillehammer
and Tretten), and were mostly territorials with some
older reservists. Their ages are understood to
run from 17 to 38. The regiments are: Leicestershire
Regiment, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and Eighth
Sherwood Foresters. The present personnel is expected
to be augmented by May 20 by some 6000 additional British
prisoners. At the time of the visit on May 16
the commandant of the camp was unaware of the place
of capture of these troops which, however, was presumably
on the western front. Arrangements were being
made to utilise vacant space in the two forts at present
occupied as well as to renovate another fort of similar
category whcih, however, had sheds suitable for summer
accommodation. Any overflow may be accomodated
in tents provisionally.
3)
Interior Arrangements (Quarters, Heat, Bedding, Light.)
The men are well housed in barrel-vaulted rooms opening
on a dark corridor, but lit from windows at the other
extremity. They sleep on straw-sacks on a wooden
floor. The commandant stated that the floor was
not damp and that bunks did not seem necessary at the
present time. Where concrete or stone floor exist,
wooden bunks will be built in triple tiers. Each
man was supplied 2 blankets, and the non-commissioned
officers had three. Heat was by porcelain stove
(Kachelofen), warmed by coal. Heat was on at the
time of the visit and the rooms were comfortable although
windows were open for ventilation.
4)
Bathing and Washing Facilities
Bath troughs with cold running water were provided in
the basement. 4 showers and one tub have been
provided in the basement with constant hot water.
The men were alloted hours for bathing so that one or
possibly two bathes were given each week. A delousing
plant had been built adjoining the showers providing
disinfection in one hour. No vermin had recently
been detected in the camp although the Poles had brought
some at the time of their arrival.
5)
Toilet Facilities
There were eight latrines of six holes each of somewhat
primitive construction; cleanliness was obtained through
the use of Lime. These facilities seem to have
remained unchanged since before 1914 when the forts
were occupied by German troops.
6)
Food and Cooking
Cooking was likewise done in the basement in large kettles
by Polish cooks supervised by German non-commissioned
officers. The food corresponded to that which
is more or les standardised in all the camps and which
has been sufficiently described in other reports.
Rising hour is at 5:30, after whcih morning coffee with
the accompaniment of bread and margarine is provided.
One loaf of bread is served to suffice for three men
for one day. Complaint was made as to the insufficiency
of this ration. At 12 o'clock the principal meal
of the day is served consisting usually of a meat, potato
and cabbage or carrot stew. At 6 o'clock evening
meal is given, consisting of bread, coffee, unrelieved
by sugar, but with the accompaniment of margarine for
the bread. The food seemed well cooked, but is
undoutedly uninteresting. As yet no Red Cross
packages had relieved it, since the men had been in
the camp for hardly over one week.
7)
Medical Attention and Sickness
Each fort contains a small dispensary with some 10 cots,
but cases of any seriousness are sent to the hospital
in the above mentioned fort situated between the two
forts occupied as living quarters. This lanaret
has 170 beds, but was occupied by 43 patients of whom
3 only were Britshers; two were surgical cases and one
man was suffering from pneumonia. These men were
being looked after by a British sanitary corps man (Sydney
Freakley) who had, however, complained to the commandant
of his detention and expressed a belief that he was
entitled to repatriation. He was being detained,
it appears, to look after his sick compatriots.
The surgical cases were minor ones, one suffering from
a cyst while the other had an injury to his knee.
They were able to walk out of doors. Lee Chell,
the pneumonia patient, was improved, his temperature
chart showing a marked decline. One man had been
taken the night before to a nearby town for appendicitis
operation.The
medical personnel of the hospital consisted of two Polish
doctors who, at least according to the German commandant,
had expressed willingness to remain in the hospital
rather than be released.The
lasaret was clean and well kept; its 15 closets which
were provided with newspapers for use and had been recently
installed, provided a welcome contrast to the unattractive
closets of the forts.
8)
Clothing
The prisoners were clothed in their uniforms and wore
boots; their leather jerkins and overcoats had been
recently stored (or so it was said) by the camp officers,
since owing to the advent of milder weather, they were
supposed to be no longer necessary. The Embassy's
representative was assured, however, that this equipment
was being retained in the camp and would, if rendered
necesary by adverse weather conditions, be returned
to the men. The men expressed a desire for changes
of shirts, underclothing, and stated in particular that
their socks were worn out. The camp commandant
stated that each man would be given three shirts, underclothes
and either socks or "Fasslappen", probably
the latter. Also see note below.
9)
Laundry
The camp had a laundry and the men had already had access
to it. It was planned to have a laundry detail
take care of laundering shirts, underclothing etc.
10)
Money and Pay
The men had but little money on them at the time of
their capture; thus in one fort they had about 60 Pounds
and in hte other about 15 Pounds altogether. Pending
the determination of a rate of exchange the commandant
had advanced 3 Marks to each man which would be deducted
either from the amount placed to his credit on the camp
books, or from his pay when he was put out to work.
11)
Canteen
A decidedly dismal canteen, lit only by electricity
and by no means well equipped, was in fort No.1.
this, the commandant explained, was a Polish canteen
and stated that the Briishers would get one of their
own. Teh second camp, where only Britishers were
stationed, had a modest stock of articles such as cigarettes,
tooth-brushes, rasor blades and bread and beer for sale.
12)
Religious Activity
A Roman-Catholic religious service had been held but
no Protestant service had as yet been given. teh
commandant stated that the Roman Catholics presented
no difficulty, since their services were mostly in Latin,
but no English speaking German pastor resided in the
neighborhood of the camp. He expressed the hope
that an English speaking clergyman might hold services.
(It should be possible to arrnage for such services
through the intervention of the pastor of the American
Church in Berlin or the pastor of the [?plecopal] Church
at [???aden].Note:
The cooks wore drill working clothes, and working clothes
will also be handed to men who will have to do rough
work.
13)
Recreation and Exercise
Walking and gymnastics were possible in the two courts
which, as stated, were sunny and open to fresh air.
The men having expressed a desire for a football, the
Embassy representative ordered one from a near-by town,
together with some games, playing cards, etc.
Books will be sent from Berlin. The Y.M.C.A. representative
in Berlin who has initiated the start of a larged fenced
recreation ground near camp 2. [unreadable sentence
overtyped]
14)
Mail
Mail and parcels are delivered daily, but the British
prisoners had not yet received any although they had
been authorised to send 2 letters and 4 postcards monthly,
in addition to the card announcing their arrival at
the camp.
15)
Welfare Work
None as yet.
16)
Complaints
No serious complaints were heard, although the men expressed
an urgent desire to receive cigarettes and smoking tobacco.
The German cigarettes available in the canteen were
not to their taste and also insufficient. They
also expressed a desire to receive books and magazines
and wished tooth-brushes, paste, and a shaving kit (although
a barber-shop had been set up and razor provided for
each room). This last arrangement, however, may
not be considered sanitary. Towels and soap had
been provided and, as stated above, the commandant assured
the men that shirts, underclothing and socks would be
made available. The food did not come in for particular
complaint although the stew was described as thin and
more bread was required.
17)
General Impressions
The camp, while the prison-like character of hte old
fortifications did not give it an airy and cheerful
appearance, seemed suitable for occupancy and, indeed,
had been regularly used by German soliders up to the
time of abandonment of the fort which is understood
to have taken place before the last war. The commandant
impresed the Embassy's representative as being vigourous
and energetic and capable of meeting emergencies such
as the sudden announcement of the arrival of 6000 additional
"guests". The commandant (and it is
the commandant who gives the tone to each camp) was
an officer who had lived in England and spoke very good
English. He was assisted by other officers who
gave a good impression, and a non-commissioned staff
some of whom had been in prison camps during the war
of 1914/18. One of these last, who had been in
Great Britain, stated that the quarters now provided
were much better than any he had enjoyed, but it was
suggested that a general ameloration in the condition
of prisoner of war camps had been a consequence of the
adoption of the Convention Concerning Treatment of Prisoners
of War of July 27, 1929. |
