BRITISH

CONFIDENTIAL

Date of visit: September 19th, 1944

BAU- und ARBEITSBATAILLON No. 21, BLECHHAMMER O/S.

Camp Commander: Major Busse

Second in Command: Hauptmann Langholz

Accompanying Officer from OKW: Hauptmann Jaske

British Man of Confidence: Sgt. Davies

British Medical Officers: Capt. Parker, RAMC

                                      Capt. Goodall, ADC.

        On the day of the visit there were altogether 1294 British prisoners of war in this camp, of whom 18 are in the revier. There has been no change in the camp since our last visit with the exception of the issue of Red Cross parcels, which is as follows:

        According to an order from the International Red Cross in Geneva, only half of one Red Cross parcel is to be issued to each POW per week beginning September 15th, 1944. On September 17th, 1944 the following order from the OKW reached this camp:

                "For reasons of state security all Red Cross food tins have to be opened immediately and the contents given to the prisoners of war for their use"

        Upon receipt of this order, each POW received 2 Red Cross parcels besides the half parcel, which they had already drawn. The tins were opened and meat, fish, margarine, cocoa and jam had to be delivered to the kitchen, while the rest of the parcels were issued to the men. All German food with the exception of potatoes and bread stopped and is said to be credited to the POW's and will again be issued after the Red Cross parcels in stock had been consumed.

        When taking this question up with the German authorities, the Second in Command - the camp Commander being ill - informed the Delegate of the Protecting Power, that since the stock is rather low, the German rations will start again on September 23rd, 1944 and from that day on only half a parcel will be issued to the men per week, which would be in agreement with the order from the International Red Cross. The German rations will be doubled for such times, as they had not been issued to the POWs. Since this is an order by the OKW, little could be done here and the case will be taken up at proper quarters.

        The man of confidence complained that by order from the Commanding General of Wehrkreis VIII in Breslau, all theatrical performances in POW camps and working detachments in this Wehrkreis have been forbidden on the ground that all theatres have been closed in Germany due to total war efforts. Concerts and variety shows, however, are to be continued. The matter is being taken up with the OKW at once.

        The main complaint of all the POWs in this camp is with regard to the situation of the compound. The camp itself is close to the enormous factory area of I.G. Farben, and since the bombardments of this area started, the Germans have made a smoke screen some distance around it, including this camp as well as various other working detachments, in which British prisoners of war are accommodated. In spite of the slit-trenches in the camps, there is no protection for the POWs. So far, this camp has had no direct hit. A request from the Delegate to permit the POWs in the woods outside the smoke screen during an alarm has been refused by the German authorities, since an order from the OKW does not allow POWs to leave their camps during an air-raid. After the first big raid on the factory, the Germans decided to have the POWs brought back from the factory to their camp, since it is felt that the slit trenches in the compound are safer than the factory shelters. This proved insufficient room in the trenches for the men, additional slit-trenches are being made in great haste and should be finished within the next few days.

        A strong protest has already been made to the OKW with regard to the situation of this camp as well as Bau- und Arbeitsbataillon 20, Working Detachments No E 3, E 711, E 711a, and E 769, and E1[remainder unreadable] which are all situated within the smoke screen of this area. This protest will be followed up until the POWs of these camps have been withdrawn and safer accommodation can be found for them.

        Several minor complaints and requests could be settled on the spot by the Delegate of the Protecting Power.

        The spirit and morale of the POWs in this camp is still very high, though the men feel somewhat nervous on account of the air-raids and the dangerous area they are living in.

Albert A. Kadler.