Frontstalag 121

Lazaret for Prisoners E.P.S. (Ecole Primaire Superieure). Visited on the 1st of December 1943 by Drs. Schirmer and de Morsier.

These Indians were transferred, on the 11th of December 1942 to Stalag IV D where they were at the old Frontstalag 133. On the 3rd of June 1943 all but forty of them were transferred to Stalag V C where they still are to-day. All the Indians, with the exception of the five medical orderlies, who remain at Frontstalag 221 were seriously ill and consequently could not at that time be moved. All of them were suffering from tuberculosis in a greater or less degree - some had the disease in the dormant and some in the active stage. About 20 of them are now sufficiently recovered to be able to be transferred from here, shortly, to Stalag V C. According to the Camp Leader, all the Indians in this lazaret feel rather forsaken as they have, up to now, received only a few collective parcels.

This lazaret, which is established in the town of Rennes itself, is in the old Senior Secondary School, which was a boarding school. The original dormitories have been turned into wards for the patients, the old school rooms have been made into isolation wards for infectious patients, quarters for the medical staff, laboratories, dispensaries etc.

The British prisoners are in two isolation wards each of which contains 10 beds, and in a large ward where there are 40 beds. In the first isolation ward, which is on the first floor and which contains 10 beds, four of these are occupied. In the second ward, 9 of the ten beds are occupied by men who are seriously ill - all suffering from active tuberculosis. The patients have metal bedsteads with wire spring-mattresses, each bedstead has also a hair mattress, two sheets, a pillow with a pillow case and two or three blankets. The rooms are very light as they have large windows which are not screened with barbed wire. The wooden floor is washed with hot water and disinfectant every morning. Each room has cast-iron stove. On the day of the delegates' visit the isolation wards were very hot. Each prisoner has a night table beside his bed on which is his own basin ("cuvette"). The prisoners have enough lockers in which to keep their personal belongings. In the centre of each of the two wards is a large table surrounded by an adequate number of chairs. At night each ward is lighted by three electric light bulbs.

In a wing of the building on the first floor is a ward for patients comprising 40 beds, in which 22 patients and five medical orderlies are housed. This ward, which was an old scholars' dormitory, is very large light and airy, 6 large windows on either of the longer sides let in a great deal of light. A wooden partition 2 metres in height placed down on the centre of the room divides it for all practical purposes into two rooms (or half-rooms). The beds are placed to right and left of this partition, at right-angles to it, and other beds are placed along the walls. Small wooden frameworks separate the beds from one another forming small cubicles. 26 beds stand in the centre of the room as well as 7 beds to the right and 7 to the left along the outer walls. These beds are furnished with the same bedding as those previously described. The sheets are changed once a week. The floor which is covered with linoleum can be kept very clean. Two iron stoves provide the necessary heating, but there is a shortage of fuel for them. On the day of the delegates' visit, this room was very cold. According to the German authorities some coal should shortly arrive, and when it does the stoves will once more be able to be kept burning. The International Red Cross delegates made strongly critical representations about the heating, as the men in question are not only sick, but Indian men also. Four electric light bulbs supply the artificial lighting, and two blue dimmed lights burn all night. The ventilation in this ward is good and everything is kept in good order. The sanitary installations which are next door to this ward, comprise washplaces supplied with running water. These wash-places which are about 40 men in number, are perfectly adequate. The latrines all have water-flushes and are very hygienic. These are installed in the same room as the wash-places, but are separated from them by wooden partitions. Beside the washroom is a smaller room in which is a gas stove on which the patients can prepare individual dishes for themselves.

In the centre of the room in which the wash-places are installed is a place where the Mahometans can pray. A kind of podium (sic) has been made by placing tables side by side and covering the whole construction with a carpet. It is here that the Mahometans pray.

The accommodation described can be regarded as very good with the exception of the defect in regard to the heating of the large ward.

These Indian prisoners receive exactly the same food as the French colonial troops. French cooks prepare it and according to the British Camp Leader it is good. The French Red Cross does not send the prisoners any extras. The serious cases receive from 12 to 15 litres of milk a day. The tubercular patients do not get any extra food; and it is for this reason that it is desirable that they should get their Red Cross parcels regularly. Up to now these have only been sent to them from the Camp, at very irregular intervals.

The Indian Camp Leader of Stalag V C has probably not thought it necessary to send on to his companion, from Rennes, the parcels for them which he has received.

The following quantities of food are issued for the consumption of the patients daily:

Morning

Midday

Evening

"German" tea

sugar

marmalade

meat

Potatoes

cooking fat

salt

Nourishing pastes

fat

potatoes

2 gr.

25 "

35 "

300 "

8 "

20 "

75 "

5 "

150 "

As can be seen by consulting this ration table, the food allowance issued by the German authorities is not altogether adequate, particularly for prisoners who need a strengthening diet in order to aid their recovery. They have the necessary facilities for preparing individual dishes.

The British Camp Leader shares out the parcels himself in the proportion of one parcel per man per week for as long as there remain any reserves in store.

Each prisoner possesses one battle-dress. The men also have enough underclothes and pull-overs and overcoats. Each prisoner also has a paid of leather shoes. They wash their underclothing in the same place where the patients wash themselves. When it is necessary to do more extensive washing, for instance, when whole uniforms have to be cleaned, this can be done in the kitchen where there is plenty of hot water available. It must be noted that all the British prisoners wear their underclothing, their scarves, their pull-overs, etc even when they are in bed on account of the lack of heating in the large ward. As a result the prisoners dirty more underclothing in this lazaret than in others. They have no clothing reserves and have not asked for any.

The prisoners use the one installed for the French soldiers. They can buy beer, meat, butter and cheese there which articles of food a civilian employee of the canteen buys in the town. If they want other things one of the German guard troopers buys them in the town.

The patients can take one hot showerbath a week if the state of their health permit this. The wash-places are very well installed. They possess the great advantage of being situated alongside the large ward. The prisoners have about 40 wash places at their disposal, all supplied with running water. The latrines are hygienic and are all on the water-flush system.

Patients who are suffering from active tuberculosis each have an individual sputum cup containing some liquid disinfectant. These sputum cups are emptied many times a day in a special place. The tubercular ward and especially its floor are disinfected several times a week, so that, in this respect also, the demands of hygiene are very thoroughly satisfied.

This lazaret includes all branches: medicine, surgery, oto-rhino-laryngology and dermatology. An oculist fro the town comes twice a week to treat eye-complaints. A dentist also is available. When artificial dentures have to be made they are done by a civilian dentist in the town. Mental cases are sent to the Val de Grace Hospital at Paris.

For the further treatment of patients there are also well-equipped dressing stations, consultation rooms, laboratories, a dispensary, a radiological laboratory etc.

As this report mentioned at its commencement, nearly all the British patients hospitalised in this lazaret suffer from either dormant or active tuberculosis. Of the 35 patients, 9 are suffering from active tuberculosis and 20 from the dormant variety, [some?] are cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis, the other are convalescents who will soon be able to return to Stalag V C. Among the 9 cases of active tuberculosis five are in a very bad state, with haemorrhages and extreme exhaustion. They might die at any moment.

A radiograph of each Indian has been taken and their condition is continually checked by radioscopy. If the doctor thinks it necessary, and if the pace of sedimentation accelerates, or if the patients' expectorations give a positive result on analysis, they are radiographed month by month.

Cases of pulmonary tuberculosis are treated with calcium injections, cobion injections etc., and pneurothorax is practised (on 2 patients). As cough remedies preparations of codeine and morphine are used.

A French doctor attends the patients with the assistance of one Italian medical orderly.

Since the 11th of December 1942, there have been 5 deaths in this lazaret: 4 were from pulmonary tuberculosis and one from tubercular meningitis.

The prisoners have about 60 English books. They have no card games, or other parlour games and no musical instruments. They would like to receive some of these things from Geneva, as well as some books in Indian.

As previously stated the prisoner have a rather primitive praying-centre installed alongside the large ward, of which they make use every day.

Since the 3rd of June 1943 4 Sikhs have been cremated. This was done in the following way:

The body, covered with a winding-sheet is carried on a horse drawn hearse to the burial place, which is at the furthest corner of the large Camp Football Ground, near to a stream. The turban of the dead man is decorated with flowers. When the body arrives at the place where the ceremony is to be held, it is placed on a block of wood 50 centimetres high. The face of the dead man is then uncovered. The whole winding sheet is smeared with several kilos of vegetable fat and wood is heaped upon the body. This wood is then smeared with more fat and more wood is afterwards added, so that the whole pile resembles a hut about 50 metres tall. To right and to left, as well as on the summit of the wood pyre itself, brushwood is heaped and on top of the heap straw is finally laid, so that the whole pyre can be lighted with one torch. The Sikhs collect round the fire and remain there until everything had been consumed by the flames (about 2½ hours). During this time they pray and chant songs. On the next day they return to the place of burning and scatter the ashes to the four winds; also scattering some of them into the stream.

Most of these Indians have not yet received any home news although they have the right to write 2 letters and 4 cards a month.

The Camp Leader receives and distributes these. He expresses a desire to receive special parcels for the Hindus.

According to the German authorities, the discipline of the Indians cannot be classified as really good. The members of various creeds and sects do not get on well with one another and live in a state of continual strife. The Indian medical orderly who has charge of the serious tubercular cases, refuses to attend to his comrades for fear of becoming infected himself. According to the British Camp Leader, the prisoners (to judge by reports he receives) are very well treated by the Germans.

The Camp Leader complains of the inadequacy of the heating, especially in the large ward. But a big improvement is regard to this may be expected since the delegates' visit. He would like to have some parlour games and some card games as well as some musical instruments for the patients. In other respects he is satisfied with the lazaret and with the medical treatment given to his compatriots who are patients.

When the heating question has been regulated, this lazaret will be able to be classified as a good one.