Stalag 344

Camp Representatives of men from the Dominions and of various nationalities other than from U.K.

Gaullists of French nationality Captain Lucien PEREZ No. 32166
Greeks Captain MPRATSOLIAS No. 33304 VIII B

Strength

30668 British of whom:-

English

N.Zealanders

Australians

Canadians

S. Africans
Irish

Indians

Cyriots

Arabs

Yugoslavs

Poles

Dutch

Lithuanians

Gaullists of Spanish nationality

Gaullists of French nationality

Americans

Greeks

Total

Stalag

23489

1962

1593

1534

1212

382

270

163

103

153

31,052

Camp

8504

265

516

1285

756

270

103

12,050

Lazaret

339

474

Other Lazarets

122

All the groups of prisoners, having fought on the side of the British, are considered as British, with the exception of the Americans and the Greeks.

The men's quarters have also remained unaltered, but the strength of the Camp having doubled since February 1943 the Camp is - as a result - overcrowded.

2000 new prisoners arrived a week ago, they are housed in huts intended for use for other purposes (theatre, washplaces, where Cypriots are housed). They sleep there either on the ground or on palliasses and they have to eat their meals sitting on their palliasses.

For the past two years, all broken windows have been repaired only with wooden boards. This in no way tends to improve the lighting, which is already not good.

In the other huts where the installations have been completed the prisoners are also overcrowded. The cubic area space amounts to 7 cu. mrs. and the ground area to 2.52 square metres per man.

800 prisoners have, for the last week, possessed no blankets, 6,200 have only one blanket and the other 5,000 have two each. Up to now the German authorities have furnished practically no blankets or only some in very bad condition. The authorities have assured the delegate that 8000 blankets will arrive very soon. If this assurance is fulfilled and if they are distributed among the present prisoners and not retained for the use of the 20,000 prisoners still expected, the blanket situation in this camp will be noticeably improved.

The second main defect of the camp, in addition to the overcrowding, is the lack of running water close to the buildings.

The prisoners have to fetch water in large jam containers from a distance of 200 metres from the Camp. This is on account of the defective water pressure. During the latter months this has become considerably weaker still.

Fifty British prisoners are engaged in preparing the food. The rations can be checked, they correspond to the menu posted up but the rations of which this menu is composed are less than those prescribed by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Security Command).

The Camp authorities explain that up to now it "has only been a question of grammes" and that the measures adopted followed the reception by the prisoners of too many collective parcels. They refused, for instance, to eat oatmeal groats as well as cheese.

It is only possible for members of the R.A.F. and (about 1000 men) and Indians (about 270 men) to get hold of Red Cross parcel contents individually. Food parcels sent by the Red Cross for all other prisoners are cooked collectively in the communal kitchen.

A special fatigue party is detailed to fetch wood from the surrounding woods. The delegate asked that the coal ration issued to the Indians should be increased, since - for them - the cooking of special dishes is absolutely indispensable. This has been more or less accorded.

There is a canteen, managed by the Germans, where the prisoners can buy a few articles which are not of much interest to them, such as bath salts etc.. The profits from the canteen have - up to the present - eluded the control of the prisoners. The Commandant promised that the Camp Leader should have control of the canteen accounts as from the morning after the delegates visit.

The clothing of those prisoners who have been at the Camp for a long time is not in good condition. The later arrivals from Italy, have, moreover, only tropical outfits.

The Camp Leader who is in charge of Red Cross parcels, (R.S.M. LOWE) complains that the personal clothing of the prisoners is also marked on the clothing card of each prisoner and that they have to pay a certain sum for lost articles (even those which are the personal property of an individual man), which sum goes into the canteen funds (see annexed statement, a letter from the Senior Pay and Quartermaster).

LOWE reports that the wear and tear on shoes could easily be reduced if there were any material and equipment for the repair of such things (machines, hammers, knives and thread).

Requests for clothing have been forwarded to Geneva when they will be satisfied as far as possible.

It is the totally inadequate supply of water to the Camp which is most injurious to hygiene. The installation of showerbaths, however, which work all the time makes it just possible for each prisoner to take one showerbath a month.

Each building has a washroom but without running water. The water has to be fetched continually by men carrying it in large stone jam jars.

The latrines have to be continually emptied with pumps to prevent them overflowing.

There are but few bugs in the camp. The general overcrowding of the camp however, creates conditions which are not conducive to the maintenance or hygienic living conditions, and it is not difficult to imagine what might happen should any epidemic break out.

Owing to lack of time, the delegate was unable to visit either the Infirmary or the Lazaret. He had to content himself with a brief interview - without witnesses - with the head doctors.

The head doctor says that at the present time the Infirmary contains 326 patients. The two major defects of the Camp - lack of running water and lack of sufficient space - are also much to be regretted in the Infirmary.

The medical orderlies have to sleep in the wards for patients, there are no other, special, rooms for them.

There seems to be inadequate space for the accommodation of patients. Hot water has to be supplied by cauldrons; the doctor would like to have a "boiler" but the German authorities have refused him this.

The doctors appeals for laughing-gas and oxygen (Gaz hilarène et de L'oxygène) for narcosis (up to now he has had to use narcotics known as "Evipan".)

The delegate was able to ascertain that the Labour Detachments in the neighbourhood have never been visited by a British doctor. He insisted to the authorities of the Camp that these detachments should receive visits from the doctors: this was agreed to.

At the present time the lazaret contains 474 patients and yet it possesses but 450 beds.

Since there is a lack of instruments and sterilising apparatus, for some time past no operations save those of an extremely urgent nature have been performed.

The ration of coal allotted to the lazaret is inadequate. 100 kg. of coal-bricks per week are issued for a Block containing 100 patients. This has to suffice for all purposes (Sterilisations etc..)

The doctor states that the medical supplies sent by the Red Cross for the use of the lazaret are not sufficient in quantity.

German kitchen prepares no special diets for patients (The authorities maintain that it is generally possible to make up three different diets, but the doctors state that the maximum possible special diet is one only.)

The Camp dentist has to do all the dental work for the 32,000 prisoners of the Stalag. For this reason even the most urgent cases have to wait for several months for attention. He makes about 150 artificial dentures a month.

A second dentist in the camp has not dental surgery. In response to a demand made by the delegate, a second dental surgery is - in time - to be installed.

Protected personnel receive pay and are allowed the regulation number of cuttings.

Between the 1st January and 29th October 1943, 21[8? unclear] prisoners have died at the Camp/

There are 130 men of Category "II B" at the camp, that is to say prisoners who ought to be transferred to a neutral country.

6 chaplains exercise their ministerial duties at the Camp. (1 Catholic, 1 Church of England 1 Free Church pastor, 1 Protestant and 1 Nonconformist).

The detachments in the neighbhourhood of the camp have practically never been visited by chaplains; the delegate requested that a chaplain should be sent to these detachments.

The theatre, the school and various other rooms are now being used as living accommodation.

The Cypriots complain that books sent to them, which were submitted to the Censor five months ago, have never been returned to the Camp.

Each prisoner may write two letters and 4 cards a month. A great deal of the mail is returned to the prisoners on account of its illegibility or because the Censor will not pass its contents.

The Camp Leader in charge of Red Cross parcels, R.S.M. LOWE, states as follows:-

1. The Red Cross parcels are divided among 20 Stores in the district. Each district is under the control of a Camp Leader and these Camp Leaders distribute the parcels among the various detachments.

LOWE asks if the British Red Cross could supply a 5 ton truck (of the "Utility Engine type - the motive power being gas produced by burning wood), for transporting the parcels.

Under LOWE's supervision an organisation of 100 prisoners works. LOWE asks if he could have a second typewriter.

A new British Camp, Stalag VIII A has just been formed (up to now this was a French camp) According to LOWE this Stalag is under French control (?) LOWE has supplied direct to this Stalag 47,000 parcels but he cannot continue to supply it and he has asked Geneva to stock this Camp.

LOWE would like to send one of this Camp Leaders (R.S.M. CHAPMAN No.15112) to this new Stalag VIII A to organise the distribution of Red Cross food parcels. The delegate has laid this request before the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (High Security Command).

LOWE would like to train the Camp Leaders charged with the distribution of Red Cross Food parcels and to send them out to all new camps for British prisoners in Germany. This seems to be an excellent idea but - for Security reasons - it will probably not be able to be put into execution.

The prisoners in this Camp do not receive any pay. In the Labour detachments the average rate of pay is 30.- RM.

During September, 13 attempts were made at escape, 3 of the escapees were re-taken.

The prisoners taken at Dieppe are still subject to the special measures already mentioned in our previous reports.

All the above-mentioned points were discussed without the presence of any witnesses. Also:-

b) at the time of the transfer from Italy to Germany, 9,000 parcels (standard parcels) had to be left at Camp 51 in Italy.

c) 90% of the individual parcels of cigarettes sent by the South-African Red Cross have not arrived.

d) during the 12 months captivity in Italy each South-African prisoner lost about 20 kg of weight.

2. The Camp Leader of the Greeks reports that his compatriots were captured by Italian forces in 1941. They were transferred to Germany 3 weeks ago.

Ought they not to be set at liberty? The delegate will pass this request on to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht.

3. The Camp Leader of the Gaullists states that 103 Gaullists of Spanish nationality and 19 of French nationality are at the Camp. They are all housed together in the same building, under conditions which are no better than those of the rest of the prisoners.

These men who were formerly Spanish Republican fighters refugees in France, where they were forced to join the Foreign Legion if they did not wish to be sent back to Spain or despatched to Mexico. Following the Anglo-American debarkation, they served under de Gaulle. Captured in Tunisia by the Italians, they were taken to a Camp in Italy. From there, they were transferred to Stalag VIII B three weeks ago.

a) Red Cross parcels of clothing for the R.A.F. are always of sized which are too small (trousers, tunics and caps alike).

a) Sergeant REILLY No. 21877 (and some other prisoners) have been sentence to penal measures by Court-martial. They complain of being unable to appeal against this sentence.

b) The Camp Leader complains that the British Red Cross has published details about the life in Stalag VIII B which have no correspondence to the real facts.

In comparison with the usual average standard of Camps for British prisoners, this Stalag must be classed as a bad one.

Half the prisoners in this Detachment have come from Italy where they were in captivity. The others were captured in France and in Greece. The prisoners work in a Sugar Factory where, at the present time, work is in full swing. In fact, the camp is overcrowded and some improvements requested by the delegate will be effected at the end of the busy season now in progress (in about January) when some of the prisoners will be sent once more back to the camp from which they originate.

The camp is situate 5 minutes walking distance from the town Railway Station. It consists of 4 wooden huts divided into 5 rooms each containing 22 beds. These beds are wooden two-tier bunks and are provided with German blankets. The prisoners sleep on them on palliasses and have their personal belongings in wooden boxes in their rooms (There is one box between every two prisoners). Some more boxes have been asked for as extras and thirty have been promised.

The prisoners get "heavy workers" rations. The food is prepared by British cooks and the quantities agree with the regulations. There is no canteen. During the summer the prisoners were able to get beer.

At the present time there are enough Red Cross food parcels in reserve to last two months.

One hundred of the prisoners have two uniforms each. 169 have but one, which is in bad condition. (Particularly those prisoners who have come from Italy). 100 prisoners have working outfits; outfits for those who are without them have been asked for. The footgear of the prisoners who have come from Italy is in a bad state. The Red Cross store contains:

There are no complaints of vermin. There is no disinfectant plant, but this has not been found necessary. There are enough wash-places. The prisoners can take hot showerbaths every day if they wish. There are enough latrines.

The Infirmary contains 25 slightly ill patients. Serious cases are sent to the Lazarets of either Lamsdorf or Cosel. The doctor who looks after all the British labour detachments of this district goes to the German Infirmary twice a week, where all prisoners in the district can attend to consult him. He works under the orders of the German Staff doctor. The co-operation between the two medical men is excellent. Drugs are supplied by the German Infirmary. The railway or other transport of serious cases to Cosel sometimes causes a certain amount of difficulty.

The British dentist can be consulted once a week. In urgent cases the prisoners can go to the German dentist in the town.

The chaplain of B.A.B. 20 has only visited this Detachment once in 1943. The delegate has obtained the necessary permission for him - in future - to visit it once a month.

The prisoners can benefit from the Stalag Circulating Library. In the summer they can play football. They have no reading-room on account of the seasonal overcrowding of the accommodation available but a room will be available for this purpose in January.

The censorship which is done at Stalag VIII B works but irregularly; this has been reported to the Company Officer.

The detachment is stocked regularly from the Stalag. The detachment has a sufficient reserve of Food parcels for two months.

The prisoners receive 1. -- RM per day. They all work in the Sugar Factory. Their work is very arduous. They are divided into two shifts who work 12 hours, both by day and by night, and 18 hours once a week, and this very often without a moment's rest or any possibility of stopping for a meal. The prisoners have to work in the same way on Sundays as on weekdays and this goes on throughout the season which lasts from October to the end of December.

Interrogated on this point, the Company Leader (Kompagniefuehrer) says that the prisoners will be able to make up their lost resting-times at the end of the season and he intends to rely upon a special order of the Security Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht") for the achievement of this (in any case confirmation of all orders comes from the Security Command). The Company Leader makes, in other ways, a good impression, but the director of the Factory does not appear to be animated with much goodwill towards or consideration for the prisoners.

All the above mentioned points were discussed with the Camp Leader and the doctor.

Stalag X11 A visited 30th October. Camp Leader Sergeant Major Singh Gurnam 9412 Strength 2131 Indian prisoners out of 21160 prisoners. About 350 per hut. Temporary overcrowding. Possibility preparation individual dishes. Special kitchen and stoves. Rations adequate. Half a hut reserved various religious observances. 15 officers separated - same treatment. Camp Leader administers all parcels. 5000 parcels received lately. Possible distribute one parcel per man. Clothing parcels not yet received. Clothing fairly good. Sanitary installations suitable. Infirmary 80 Indian patients. Dental attention satisfactory. Indians ask for Sports articles books musical instruments. Grounds available. Correspondence and pay regular. Discipline and general impression good.

Detachment No.283 VIII B visited 26th October. Camp Leader Sergeant Major Herbert Hewett 269. Doctor, Stanley Barber 987. Strength 269 British 3 medical orderlies. Half have come from Italy. Camp at moment overcrowded but rations good. Food regulation. Reserve food parcels for 2 months. Clothing suitable except for prisoners coming from Italy. Requests sent to Geneva. Hygiene satisfactory. Daily showerbaths. 24 slightly ill patients in Infirmary. No deaths in 1943. Chaplain from BAB 20 nearby visits each month. Library circulates from Stalag. Football Arduous work in Refinery one RM per day. Good general impression.

N.B. Cable for Dutch minister only re Stalag X11 D and paragraph re American in Reservelazarett Maria Laach (for USA officials only) follows after this.

COLLECTIVE REPORT ON SEVERAL LABOUR DETACHMENTS depending on STALAG VIII B (British)

The prisoners constituting this detachment live on the third floor of a stone building which is a cement factory. They have the use of two rooms where 24 men are lodged in one room and 41 in the other. They sleep on wooden two-tier bunks. Each prisoner has a pillow and two blankets which are supplied by the Cement manufacturing Company. Some of them have a third one which comes from Red Cross sources.

The anti-air-raid shelter is a cellar which is covered with a thick layer of dust; for this reason it is not very satisfactory.

The food is prepared by British cooks; the rations are checked and correspond with the listed amounts. The prisoners complain of the monotony of the German food. The Red Cross food parcels now in hand are sufficient for the period to the 15th of December. Individual dishes can be prepared on a small stove; the delegate asked that this stove should be enlarged, which it was promised him should be done.

Each prisoner received - two years ago - a working outfit; at present nearly all these are worn out. All the men possess two uniforms but one of these is no longer in decent condition. There is no reserve stock of clothing and footgear, in particular, is notably lacking. The prisoners have no canteen, but they can buy beer at will.

They can take one hot showerbath each per day. The washplaces are adequate; there is no vermin to be seen in this detachment. The latrines being on the third floor of the building, the water pressure is not strong enough to keep them in a proper flushed condition: the prisoners have to carry up buckets of water.

A German doctor looks after the sick men. He is regarded as behaving quite suitably, but the prisoners very much wish that they may receive at some time a visit from a British doctor. In order to have attention to their teeth, they can visit a civilian dentist, for whose services they have to pay. There have been no deaths this year.

By way of sporting exercise the prisoners can indulge in swimming; on Sundays they can play football. The delegate managed to get a piano made available for them so that they may make use of it in their leisure hours.

They enjoy the benefit of the Stalag Circulating Library. Each man is allowed to write two letters and 4 postcards a month.

The working day is of 10 or 11 hours duration and the pay therefore is 70 pfennigs.

The discipline of this detachment can be considered good. It must, however, be mentioned, that the prisoners and the Camp Leader find it difficult to contact the director of the Works who seems very little interested in their welfare.

The men are housed in huts in the ratio of 15 men to a hut. Each man has received two blankets from a Steamship Company, for whom the Detachment works.

Drinking water for the whole detachment comes from a pump, and has to be boiled before use.

The food can be regarded as adequate. The rations are those of a "heavy worker". The facilities for preparing the contents of Red Cross food parcels are adequate.

The prisoners have no working outfits. They spend the whole day carrying bags of cement about, which causes much wear and tear of their clothing. They have, however, two uniforms each, one of which is in good condition.

There is a reserve of Red Cross parcels which will suffice up to the 15th of December.

The German doctor who takes care of the men's health is regarded as being very strict; the presence of a British doctor is earnestly desired by this, as by all other Detachments in the district (this matter could be arranged by the Stalag itself).

The men work on an average - 10 hours a day, but the work frequently goes on for as much as 14 hours, a point which has long been the subject of discussion with the employing Company. The doors of the hut are closed at 8.0 p.m. until 5 a.m. on the following morning and buckets have to serve as night-latrines.

To sump up, this detachment can be considered a satisfactory one, apart from the question of the water supply.

This detachment is - on the whole - a very good one. There is but one incident in connection therewith which merits mention: the prisoners tore down a propaganda photograph showing the havoc wrought by aerial bombardment, which made it necessary for the Leader of the Kommando "Kommanofuehrer" to apply collective punishments as a reprisal.

This Detachment can be considered - on the whole - to be a good one. Points which are not altogether satisfactory should be able to be settled on the spot with the director of the Works (This detachment works for a concrete and artificial-stone Factory).

For washing purposes, the prisoners have only the use of a single pump, from which the water issues only more or less clean. All other points have been able to be settled with the Director of the Works. This can be regarded as a satisfactory Detachment.

The detachments in this district which were visited gave a good impression. Working conditions are - in general - rather arduous. After each visit the delegate had a searching discussion with one of the Directors responsible for the management of the detachment in question (all the prisoners are employed in Factories or Works) and did his best to get conditions improved as much as possible without delay.

Stalag VIII B visited 30th October Camp Leaders Sherriff 10775 Goodey 15150. Roy Forey 92750 Australian Garswood 26621 Canadian Stevens 29456 South African Chetwin 7579/183 New Zealander Strength British 30668 of whom 1962 New Zealanders 1593 Australians 1534 Canadians 1212 South Africans 382 Irish 270 Indians 163 Cyriots 63 Arabs 23 Yugoslavs 4 Poles 4 Netherlanders 103 de Gaullists of Spanish nationality and 19 de Gaullists of French nationality 153 Americans 76 Greeks. Installations unchanged Camp overcrowded by new arrivals Lack of running water Shortage of blankets Rations checked but below prescribed issue. Possibilities addition of collective parcels inadequate. Canteen deficient Clothing suitable for original inmates camp but newcomers from Italy have only tropical outfits. Geneva will do all that is possible to solve clothing situation. Conditions not at all hygienic following overcrowding One showerbath monthly Washing places without running water Latrines inadequate Infirmary overcrowded and lacking in water Have obtained permission to get neighbouring Labour detachments visited by a British doctor. Lazaret without a sterilizing plant, instruments and drugs lacking Possibilities of supplying diets desired and more coal. 21 deaths from January to 29th October. 130 prisoners are eligible for repatriation to neutral countries 6 Chaplains at Camp but detachments without religious services. Theatre study-rooms at present being used as living accommodation Correspondence often refused by censor. Division of Red Cross parcels at present time being reorganised Discipline satisfactory on the whole. Prisoners captured at Dieppe still subject to measures mentioned in our Cable No.6568 (should be 6558 Trans) "2300 prisoners of whom 800 are R.A.F. N.C.O's of the French Canadian R.A.F". +

Camp Leaders report prisoners arriving from Italy have been without mail since 2 months ago ninety per cent South African Red Cross cigarette parcels missing Camp Leader R.A.F. reports Red Cross clothing sent for R.A.F. sizes too small Shoes lacking. Making proposals to obtain necessary improvements.

Detachment E. 196 Camp Leader Sergeant John Hilton 18009 Strength 65 British Food monotonous Clothing footgear shabby Hygiene discipline all right.

Detachment E. 165 Camp Leader Spencer 5301 Strength 76 Accommodation food all right.

Detachment E. 203 Camp Leader Walsh 25868 Strength 77 Satisfactory but without washing places.

BAB 20 Camp Leader Sergeant John Lunn 17811 Doctors Lt. Col. Crawford Capt. Knowles 806 Total strength 1145 of whom 4 are Australians 3 are New Zealanders 5 are Canadians. 1105 at Camp 14 at Infirmary 26 at Lazarets. 2 doctors 22 orderlies of R.A.M.C. 1 chaplain. Accommodation heating adequate. Workers' rations completed by parcels Clothing medical attention leisure occupations normal Plentiful stock parcels. Discipline good. Camp excellent.

B.A.B. 21 visited 31st October Camp Leader Sergeant Davies 6460 Doctors Capt. Luke 1614 Capt. Davidson 1113 Capt. Green 02601 Strength 1155 British of whom 8 are Australians 1 is a New Zealander 3 are Canadians 4 are South Africans and 1 is an American 41 in Infirmary 9 at Lazarets Accommodation food clothing hygiene normal. Plentiful stock parcels Discipline good. None of superfluous medical orderlies yet repatriated. Excellent camp.

Ilag VIII/Z visited 28 October Camp Leader William W Duncan 17459 Vice Camp Leader Newman 99143 Doctor Capt. Solomon 5550 Strength 453 British of whom 21 are Palestinians 20 are Canadians 4 are South Africans 1 is an Egyptian 1 is a New Zealander 6 are Australians 1 is a Netherlander 1 is a stateless man 1 is a Dane and 1 a Belgian. Accommodation heating hygiene satisfactory. Rations checked Some extras vegetables cultivated and parcels but never received Bulk Food. Reserves of parcels adequate Canadian cheese sometimes arrives pulverised Footgear underwear lacking but a consignment expected from Geneva Infirmary suitable but appeals for drugs. Deaths: P Steer 570 of apoplexy W Porrel 1276 of hearth failure J.W. Palmer 30 of cancer of the oesophagus Twelve unfit for service awaiting repatriation Religious services Leisure occupations Correspondence work normal Discipline excellent Camp excellent.