CONFIDENTIAL

STALAG III E

BRITISH

CANADIAN

AUSTRALIAN

NEW ZEALAND

November 12, 1941.

Camp Commander: Hauptmann Hick.

Adjutant: Korvettenkapitän Dost.

German doctors: Studzinski and Bodenstein.

Man of Confidence: Flight Serg. Bingham.

I.) GENERAL DESCRIPTION

        No changes since the last inspection, although it now appears that the German military authorities have decided to continue to use this prisoner of war camp.

II.) CAPACITY AND PRESENT PERSONNEL

        This camp contains about the same number of prisoners as at the time of the last visit about 5 weeks ago. There are now 189 captives, all non-commissioned officers in the R.A.F. Three of them are being treated in the Reserve Lazaret Spremberg nearby, all the others are all in the camp. The 189 prisoners have the following nationalities: 160 British, 15 Canadians, 5 Australian, 4 New Zealand, 3 Polish, and 2 Americans.

        The camp is still regarded as slightly too full. Although the barracks are not too crowded, there is no available space for a common assembly and recreation room, and the camp is also handicapped by the lack of space available for the storage of parcels and certain other purposes.

        One of the more serious complaints at the time of the last visit was the lack of satisfactory arrest quarters. This question now seems to have been settled, as the camp has obtained for its use arrest quarters in the court-house and Rathaus of the small town where it is located. As no British are at present in arrest, these quarters were not inspected, but it was stated that they are typical of German civilian jail arrest cells and quite adequate for their purpose.

III.) INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT

        Each man now has two blankets, though more may soon be needed, in view of the coming winter. The blankets now being used are of the usual German type, many of them rather thin, and it is believed that the men would greatly appreciate any supplementary and better quality blankets which the Red Cross or British government might be able to send them.

        Heat seems fairly adequate, and should be adequate in this camp, as it is located quite near important coal mines.

        There are at present full-size lockers for each 3 or 4 men, and the Commander promised to try and obtain some more.

        The dormitory next to the kitchen, referred to in the last report, has now been put into use again, and with the use of this additional sleeping room, the barracks do not seem to be overcrowded.

        One of the 3 pavillion-barracks has a stone floor, and the Commander was requested to bear in mind the desirability of obtaining if possible some sort of wooden cover for it. He replied that this would probably be impossible but he would do his best. It is not believed that this defect is a serious one.

IV.) BATHING AND WASHING FACILITIES

        Although the wash room is still without a stove, this does not appear to be particularly necessary, as enough heat comes through the wall from the next room. The Camp Commander promised to try and arrange a small door for this wash room, instead of the present large one, so that less cold air will come in when it is opened. On the whole, it appears that this wash room is quite adequate. Wooden boards have just been laid down on its cement floor.

        After having been without regular bathing facilities since its opening, this camp has just obtained a combination bath tub and shower, which is being installed in a small room in one of the Pavillions, together with a boiler for heating the water. It should be possible to work out a schedule for bathing with this single tub and shower so that all prisoners get regular baths. The Commander stated that he hopes to have this bath going in a few days. All prisoners at the camp were sent a few days ago to Stalag III A, where they were sent through the bathing and deleousing establishment.

V.) TOILET FACILITIES

        The outside toilets still appear rather drafty and cold, but wooden shields have been built in front of them, to help shelter them from the wind. They seem to be fairly clean.

        The Camp Commander stated that he ordered some time ago 2 special night toilets for each barrack, and hopes that they will soon arrive. Meanwhile, the men must still knock on the door and wait for a German guard to let them out, but Bingham stated that the waiting time has been reduced since the last visit.

VI.) FOOD AND COOKING

        The kitchen still appears to be well run and clean and neat. The weekly menu was about the same as at the time of the last visit, and seems quite typical of prisoners of war fare. Some fresh vegetables are still being served. This time there was no trouble about inspecting the menu.

VII.) MEDICAL ATTENTION AND SICKNESS

        This phase of camp life has been improved since the last visit. A small but adequate examination and treatment room has been arranged in a corner of one of the 3 Pavillion barracks. There are now two German army doctors available for the camp, and they are assisted by 2 British sanitary men: Private Kenneth Stalder, No. 7365589; and Corp. Harry Cole, No. 7260241. Both are recognized as sanitary personnel at this camp, but as Stalder has no certificate at all, and Cole only a pay-book entry, it might be well for the British government to send certificates for them of the type provided for by Article 21 of the Geneva Convention.

        Of the 3 British from the camp undergoing treatment at Reserve Lazaret Spremberg, it was stated that one is having heart trouble, and the other 2 are being treated for wounds received when their planes were shot down. Apart from these cases, health conditions in the camp seem good, though there was a certain amount of diarrhea in the camp a short time ago, apparently due to the change in diet following capture.

        Bingham stated that dental facilities have improved somewhat, i.e. that prisoners with dental troubles seem to be having less difficulty in obtaining treatment at the hands of the town dentist.

VIII.) CLOTHING

        This situation has improved since the last visit, although clothing conditions at this camp are not yet regarded as satisfactory, as noted below. At present every man has a uniform, overcoat, and two sets of underwear. Most of them, however, have only one pair of socks or foot cloths (Fusslappen). This matter was called to the attention of the Camp Commander, who promised to obtain and issue a second pair for each.

        Shoes are the least satisfactory side of the picture. Although each prisoner has now both a pair of wooden clogs or slippers in addition to the usual type of German "leather shoes", which consist of leather uppers and completely wooden soles, complaints were registered that: (a) those who arrived in the camp with British leather shoes have had them taken away from the camp authorities, and (b) those who have received leather shoes in personal parcels from home have also had these taken away. As has been noted before, the German government regards British RAF flying boots as "war booty", and they are usually confiscated when flyers are captured. It does not appear, however, correct for camp authorities to prevent prisoners from continuing to wear ordinary leather shoes of the type that British flyers wear in warm weather operations, or to prevent them from receiving in parcels from home such leather shoes. The Embassy representatives, therefore, made strong representations to the Camp Commander on this subject, pointing out that the German government is obliged by the Geneva Convention to provide prisoners of war with shoes, and that when prisoners arrive in captivity in the possession of first class leather shoes or receive such shoes from their homes after captivity, they should be permitted to enjoy the use of such shoes, which in fact help to relieve the burden on the German government of providing prisoners with shoes, and which are both much more comfortable and healthy than the leather shoes with wooden soles now issued by the German authorities to their prisoners. The Camp Commander replied that the leather shoes taken away or held back are not "confiscated" but will be returned to the prisoners when they are released, but promised to take this question up with the Wehrkreis Headquarters. The Embassy inspector gained the impression that this policy had been adopted to render more difficult escapes by the British, as the shoes with full wooden soles are very difficult to walk far in, and German camp authorities are, as has been noted before, particularly anxious to prevent flying personnel from escaping. The Embassy will take this matter up with the German High Command, and based upon previous experience with such cases in other camps, anticipates that the shoes in question will be returned without delay, and the matter satisfactorily settled. When the camp is next visited, this will of course be checked again.

        The British at this camp have not yet received any clothing or shoes from the Red Cross (British or other), and Bingham was advised to consider camp needs, particularly for shoes, based upon the assumption that the shoes referred to above will be returned to their owners, and let either the Embassy know, or write directly to the Red Cross in Geneva, indicating sizes and numbers, in order to provide each prisoner with one pair of all-leather shoes. It is also believed that warm socks, gloves and helmets would be appreciated.

IX.)  LAUNDRY

        No change.

X.) MONEY AND PAY

        As noted before, none of the British at this camp receive any money from the German authorities, as they are all non-working non-commissioned officers. The Camp Commander stated that it will probably not be possible to find outside remunerative employment for any of them, as the camp is not organized to have any dependent work details. He also said that the question of exchanging the foreign currencies which many of them possessed when captured into German Lagergeld has not yet been settled by the German High Command.

        Bingham also stated, in this connection, that few, if any, of the British in this camp, really desire outside work, particularly as they have only the one uniform and poor facilities for drying their clothes if they get them wet.

XI.) CANTEEN

        No canteen has been started yet, and the Commander pointed out that none would be started unless the prisoners have or obtain money to spend in it. As a result, certain articles are urgently needed, in particular toilet articles, such as toothbrushes and tooth paste. (The British Red Cross should endeavor to send these). In reply to a complaint that razor blades are being taken away from the prisoners, the Camp Commander stated that a recent German High Command regulation calls for such action presumably, as razor blades may be used to facilitate escapes, and the recent regulation in question calls for the establishment in every camp of a barber shop where all shaving will be done. The Embassy will take up this question with the German High Command, as this seems to be a new question, an inquiry will be made as to whether or not the men might receive from home electric razors.

XII.) RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

        This question seems to be satisfactorily settled at present. The Camp Commander still permits Catholic prisoners to attend the Catholic church in the town (despite the fact that this is apparently not permitted by German High Command regulations). The camp now contains a Protestant divinity student flyer, who holds a service every Sunday in the camp, which appears to be quite acceptable to the Protestant prisoners.

XIII.) RECREATION AND EXERCISE

        Recreation facilities are still comparatively lacking. Inside the camp enclosure there is space about 100 yards by 75 yards for walking and football, and the Camp Commander stated that he will try to get permission for the prisoners to use a nearby football field belonging to an industrial concern. There are now about 160 English books in the camp, as well as 6 cases of Pelican books, which may be issued to the prisoners as soon as the British government gives the German government assurances about removing particular advertisements in this and other books of the Penguin Series which are regarded as distasteful to the German government. The Man of Confidence, Bingham, is corresponding with the Y.M.C.A. about sending games and musical instruments to the camp.

XIV.) MAIL

        Parcels have begun to reach the camp in a good stream, and there are now being issued at the rate of one per week per man. Bingham has on hand a reserve of 2 to 3 parcels per man, which reserve he will try and build up, though there is little space to store parcels. The Camp Commander promised to try and provide such space. Regarding food parcels, is also noted that there is no space in this small camp  to store unused tin cans containing food, so as soon as a parcel is issued and opened, all cans in it must be opened and given out to the prisoner concerned. Bingham said, however, that this practice works out reasonably satisfactorily, and he had no complaints to make. Likewise, the only facilities for cooking the contents of such food parcels are the heating stoves in each barracks, as well as one other stove in the bath room. The Camp Commander stated that he would like to let the prisoners use the camp kitchen for this purpose, but could not at present, as it is used not only to prepare the prisoners' food, but also for the German camp personnel, and is therefore always in use.

        Mail seems to be functioning pretty well, with transit time between the camp and Great Britain about 3 to 4 weeks. This period seems good, when it is considered that all mail has to go through the post office at Dulag Luft, where all flyers mail is censored.

        It appears, however, that the 2 censors at this camp have too much to do, in addition to their other transplanting duties in the camp, as is indicated by the fact that the prisoners have not yet been given any of the toilet paper which has arrived in parcels. The Camp Commander stated that this must be carefully "censored" for possible messages, and the two censors naturally concentrate their efforts in the first instance upon more important more. (Meanwhile the men are given old newspaper for toilet purposes).

XV.) WELFARE WORK

        The Y.M.C.A. representative in Berlin expects to visit this new camp shortly, and is meanwhile in touch with it by mail about sending games, musical instruments etc., as indicated above.

XVI.) COMPLAINTS

        Apart from the questions raised above, there were no real complaints. Bingham stated that since the last visit, there have been no more collective penalties, and knives and forks have now been issued, though they are of a poor quality. He has not yet received the English copy of the Geneva Convention sent him by the Embassy after the last visit, but the Camp Commander promised to hand this over at once.

XVII.) GENERAL IMPRESSION

        General impressions of this camp are decidedly better than at the time of the last visit. The Commander was on hand this time, and makes a pleasant impression, and seems most willing to listen to complaints and to discuss them. Although Bingham stated that conditions in the camp were improved considerably just a few days before this visit, it is not known whether this action was taken on account of the coming inspection, or in view of the Embassy's representations after the last one.

        As noted before, the camp is small and may well develop into a very good little one, if further prisoners are not sent to it, and the remaining questions are settled. Real progress has been made since the last visit.

        The morale of the prisoners is still somewhat unsatisfactory, largely because they came to this new and somewhat unsatisfactory camp from Dulag Luft, the best camp by far in Germany, and one which for reasons of political propaganda is kept by the German authorities to give incoming flyers a good impression. The wisdom of such policy is open to question if prisoners are to be sent later from such a "luxury" camp to one of the more normal ones, such as Stalag III E.

Sam E. Woods

Brewster H. Morris