TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE

(Germany)

TEILLAZRETT of RESERVELAZARETT III B

Wehrkreis XVIII

visited on the 28th June 1944 by Mr. E Mayer.

British Camp Leader  Private Soldier Leonard Smith No.5365 (acting also on behalf of the Americans)

Strength  66 patients of whom 15 are British and

                                                6   "   Americans.

        This is the Surgical section of a German Reserve-lazarett.

        The patients are hospitalised in a large, very well constructed stone building. On the upper floor of this lazaret a ward has been reserved for the accommodation of prisoners of war. These patients have good beds, most of them with spring mattresses, which are furnished with palliasses stuffed with wood shavings. The beds are individual bedsteads and are set up leaving an adequate amount of space between them. The dormitory is well ventilated and lighted.

        Among other things the doctor has a dressings room and a consultation room, but he has no table. At the final interview which the delegate had with the German authorities the German head-doctor promised to procure a table for the French doctor.

        The meals are prepared by the communal kitchen of the lazaret. An average of 15 special diets for patients is supplied the main items supplied are white bread and some kind of light dish every day. Certain patients can have milk, if this is prescribed. Besides this these patients have no difficulty in preparing the contents of Red Cross or individual parcels.

        The doctor and the medical orderlies wear white overalls for their work. On arrival, the patients receive a hospital outfit.

        The understanding between the German doctor and the prisoner doctor is excellent. The German doctor operates on most of the cases with the prisoner doctor as his assistant. The instruments available comprise all that is necessary. The drugs supplied by the Germans are completed from the contents of Red Cross parcels. The only thing the doctor needs is dressing material, such as bandages, gauze etc...

        All the American patients are airmen. The delegate discovered that, on the day before his visit to this lazaret, 6 Americans recently shot down in the district were taken to the hospital, which brings the present total strength up to 12. The average number of prisoners of different nationalities remains, however, that indicated at the beginning of this report.

        At the present time 4 Americans and 2 British are eligible for examination by the Mixed Medical Commission.

        Among 9 men who have died in a year are included 1 British, and 3 Americans.

        The British chaplain of Stalag XVIII A visits the lazaret at fairly frequent intervals. The lazaret has 500 books and numerous packs of playing cards.

        Collective parcels arrive with regularity and two medical orderlies act as Camp Leaders. They check all the parcels. The parcels addressed to British prisoners come direct from Geneva. These prisoners have a reserve stock of food parcels sufficient for 7 months' consumption.

Conclusion

        This is a very good lazaret.