Stalag IVA

TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)

Meeting with the British Camp Leaders of various British Labour Detachments, held on the 14th April 1944

The Delegates were able to interview, at Labour Detachment No. 1185 (Stalag IV A) half a dozen British Camp Leaders, and spoke particularly with the Main Camp Leader for the district, who described to them in detail the living conditions in the various Camps. The Camp Leaders expressed certain grievances which were later made the subject of a discussion with the German authorities for the district. During this discussion most of the debatable points, although all of them were serious matters, were able to be settled.

On the whole, the men's living quarters are satisfactory. The prisoners occupy large clean rooms established in the most usual type of wooden hut in use in Germany, at the rate of from 4 to 6 men per room. The prisoners at Detachments 112 and 855 are, however, much cramped for space. Both the Camp Leaders and the German authorities are agreed as to this. Plans for the erection of new huts in order to improve the accommodation of the prisoners have already been drawn up and their practical execution will be put under way without delay. No vermin are reported anywhere. There were no complaints about heating. The sanitary installations are everywhere hygienic and adequate, although that are of a rather primitive kind. The closing of the huts by night makes it impossible for the prisoners to use the latrines at this time and they have therefore to make do with a pail which has not even a lid. The beds are of metal and are furnished with three blankets each. Each prisoner has the use of half a locker in which to keep his personal belongings.

In most of the Industrial Labour Detachments German women prepare the prisoner's food in a huge kitchen installed for cooking the food of the workmen employed by the same Company. The Camp Leaders can, in all cases, check the menus with the weekly rations. There are some stoves for the preparation of individual dishes but fuel to burn in these is distributed in ever decreasing amounts.

The clothing situation is, on the whole, satisfactory, as it can be said to be in regard to all British prisoners. Not all the men have two uniforms, as the reserves at the Stalag do not suffice to reequip all prisoners coming from Italy according to the regulations. Distributions of items of uniform clothing are made at regular intervals; After being here several months each prisoner thus has his complete double set of clothing. There are enough socks and items of underclothing. All the prisoners, however, want the attention of a barber.

Barely 5% of the prisoners have been given working outfits. Special clothing has only been issued to those whose work is of the dirtiest kind.

There is nothing special to report in regard to these. The Camp Leaders have unrestricted control of them and distribute them once a week.

None of these Detachments has a canteen. The prisoners can only buy beer (at will) and occasionally razor blades (about 1 per man per year).

Prisoners have no difficult in going to consult a competent civilian doctor. One or two recognised medical orderlies work in each detachment, but the medical equipment is everywhere exceptionally poor. This, of course, refers to drugs and dressings furnished by the Detaining Power. Thanks to the regular issues of pharmaceutical products made by the lazarets of Stalag IV A the prisoners get on pretty well. The weekly allowance of "Medical Units", which is calculated at the rate of one unit for 1000 men, is, however, inadequate. The prisoners who need special care are sent to the local Infirmary where a New Zealand doctor works. Serious cases are sent to hospital either at Schmorkau lazaret or at Konigswartha.

The work which British prisoners do consists of ground levelling, laying railway lines, or sorting mail in German post-offices.

The men do an average of from 8 to 10 hours' work per day. In many places they complain that the time occupied in getting to and from their place of work (which is sometimes as much as a whole hour) is not deducted from their working time.

As a general rule, the men have two Sundays a month free. At Detachment No. 1169 the prisoners have to put in longer house than the workmen employed by the Company, while the prisoners at Detachment No. 1180 have to work through Air-Raid Warnings. These two matters about which complaints were made will form the subject of an enquiry to be made by the officer in charge, who assured the Delegates that he would have matters put right if the statements of the Camp Leaders proved to be true. The average pay received by prisoners is about 30 RM.

Nothing to report in regard to this. The treatment of prisoners appears to be what it should be.

One chaplain who looks after 60 Labour Detachments does his best to see that religious services are celebrated for the Detachments in the district.

The prisoners can only play occasionally on the football grounds in the suburbs of the town. No Detachment has enough open space near its quarters to use for Sports, which is a pity, especially for British prisoners.

There is nothing special to report in regard to this, save that the Camp Leaders of certain Detachments who have no interpreters, find it difficult to correspond with the Main Camp Leader at the Stalag as a translation of anything they write has to be submitted to the Officer in Charge.

The Interview (without witnesses) which the delegates had with the Camp Leaders was followed by an interview with the German authorities, who received the requests of the delegates on behalf of the prisoners with much sympathetic understanding. The German authorities assured the delegates that complaints and requests made should be studied from a benevolent angle and that all necessary steps to remedy defects should be taken.

Moreover, the members of the medical staff shall shortly be furnished with passes allowing them to go out, at regular intervals, without an escort. Up to now, such walks as they have taken have been possibly only in an haphazard manner on account of a lack of sufficient sentries to accompany them who are equipped with a rifle or bayonet.

These are good Labour Detachments. This is largely due to the personality of the Camp-Leader W. Adams, and to the good-will shown by the German authorities.

TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)

Strength 408 patients, among whom are 365 tuberculars and 43 suffering from other complaints.

Since the lazaret was last visited, the arrangement of it has not altered. Five huts are reserved for patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis while a sixth hut houses men suffering from other maladies, more particularly Officer patients of non-British nationality from the neighbouring Oflag. The various patients' wards are spacious, clean and light. The beds are furnished with sheets, which are changed at regular intervals. On the whole the lazaret comes up to the standards expected of such an establishment.

The sanitary installations are what they should be and all work well. Some of the showerbaths are at present under repair, but until the repairs are completed the patients are able to take baths instead of showers, though this necessitates the use of a great deal of fuel.

The medical staff and the patients get the normal rations, and, in addition, the extras prescribed for tubercular cases. Such cases receive every day a kind of porridge made of various cereals, 1/4 of a litre of skimmed milk, 1/4 of a litre of full milk and some white bread. The doctors are surprised that eggs are never issued for tuberculars although this is done in many other lazarets for prisoners, and the French officers in Hut No.6, who are not tuberculars get them.

The Head German doctor assured the delegates that he has made up his mind to do his best to see that in the future prisoners are given fresh vegetables twice a week. The few vegetables which are raised in the small kitchen garden cultivated inside the barbed wire surround of the lazaret, are reserved for the consumption of the German staff.

Cooking utensils for the preparation of food-stuffs coming from collective and individual parcels are lacking in all the kitchens for this purpose of all huts. Moreover, a large cooking-pot (capacity about 15 litres) is badly needed by the main kitchen. The delegates were assured by the Head doctor that in so far as it is possible such utensils shall be provided.

The doctors wear white working overalls, but the medical orderlies have no working outfits. All the patients have pyjamas.

The British are suitably clad, but the clothing of the prisoners of other nationalities leaves a good deal to be desired.

In accordance with a request by prisoner doctors the delegates asked the German authorities to install a small clothing repair shop in the lazaret, and also a cobblers shop. This will be done.

Thanks to the numerous doctors at the lazaret, among whom are several specialists, and also thanks to the good installations at the lazaret and the supply of Red Cross parcels, the patients (most of the tuberculars) get all the treatments they need. The doctors, who are unrestricted in the pursuit of their professional activities, are glad to state that they have all the necessary instruments and drugs for the treatment of their patients.

There is no difficulty in getting patients who are gravely ill examined by the Mixed Medical Commission; a whole group of patients (British prisoners) were awaiting an imminent visit by this body on the day of the visit.

Collective parcels arrive at the lazaret at regular intervals, but the reserve supplies in hand are insufficient to maintain the nourishment of patients should great delays in transport arise. For instance, on the 25th of March last, there were no standard parcels in stock, but, fortunately a fresh lot of parcels from Geneva arrived at the critical moment to save the situation.

Tubercular patients of all nationalities benefit from the plentiful supply of parcels received by the British prisoners; and they are extremely grateful for this.

At the time of the last visit, the reserves of standard food parcels was enough to cover 5 weeks' consumption that supply of invalid parcels was sufficient for 14 weeks, while there was a stock of Indian parcels sufficient for a period of 4 months. It is estimated that there is room in the store-room for 10,000 parcels. It is to be hoped that the Red Cross will be able to constitute a food reserve sufficient to cover a period of from 2 to 3 months, as they have done in numerous other camps in Germany.

This is maintained without recourse to any severe measures. The patients and the medical staff feel quite at home in this lazaret.

The German head doctor, whose behaviour is irreproachable, is liked by the prisoner-doctors. Since the departure, a few months ago, of one German Sergeant, the relations between the prisoners and the German authorities have improved.

The members of the medical staff can play various games, and walks without escort take place at regular intervals and are employed by all prisoners without any discrimination between various categories.

Patients and medical staff receive the regulation number of correspondence forms.

The interview with the Camp Leaders and the principal doctors was followed by discussion with the German authorities of the lazaret of the various requests brought forward. The Germans showed much sympathetic understanding. They assured the delegates that most of the requests expressed will very soon be acceded to. The interview, the various subjects of which are reported in brief in this report, was a brief one, as the requests of the prisoners were few and not of a serious nature. Below are given a few more points raised:

1) Tuberculars arriving from Stalag Luft III mostly evince strongly developed bacillary symptoms, no radioscopic examinations of the thorax having yet been made in that camp.

2) The hut inhabited by the medical staff, as well as the kitchens of the various huts all need re-painting. The German authorities have promised shortly to provide the necessary materials, and have the work attended to.

The Elsterhorst lazaret produced an excellent impression, both from the point of view of installations and facilities for various treatments and from the point of view of the general atmosphere and the quality of the supervision. This is largely due to the work of the Head German doctor and to that of Colonel Le Souef; the latter is a man of remarkable personality.

TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)

Note + This man's name is really John Hunter Annan - His name appears in the report twice, as above, apparently doubling rôles of Camp Leader and Head doctor. This seems quite likely as the camp is a lazaret.

Since the arrival on the 29th of February of a Hospital train containing 182 British prisoners, the British have a clear majority in the lazaret. These patients, for the most part seriously wounded men, were formerly hospitalised in the lazaret of a town in Mantua. Their transfer for [from] Italy to Germany was performed under good conditions.

Neither the patients' nor the medical staff's quarters have undergone any change since the delegates' last visit. The British occupy rooms in the central building, as well as two wooden huts. Except in the surgical ward, the patients are grouped, as far as possible, by nationality. Each bed is furnished with sheets which are changed at regular intervals, (this applies only to seriously wounded men however). The heating in all the wards was satisfactory last winter.

The ventilation throughout the lazaret is defective at night as the prisoners are no longer allowed to have the windows open after nightfall. This step was insisted upon by the Head doctor because the prisoners did not observe the black-out regulations. Unfortunately the doctors cannot maintain sufficiently good discipline to ensure that the rule is observed without imposing the aforesaid prohibition.

The rations issued by the authorities are the regulation ones and can be checked, but they represent only a bare third of the prisoners' nourishment. The man's meals are prepared by German women who cook for all the patients except the British, who have their own cooks. The Head German doctor lets it be understood that this state of things will very soon be altered on account of lack of space, which is due to the arrival of British patients. Their kitchen will be suppressed and the prisoners will be given facilities for preparing their food in the one central kitchen. The British will be separated from prisoners of other nationalities who also cook in the central kitchen, by a partition.

For some months past potatoes have become scarcer and they now only appear at irregular intervals on the menu. Quite recently there have been none for 2 weeks. They are replaced by a equivalent quantity of swedes which are far from possessing the same nutritive qualities or the same calorific value.

Special diets could not really be prepared except with the help of the contents of Red Cross parcels specially for British prisoners. The only diet provided by the Detaining Power only differs from the normal ration in that it includes some white bread, a glass of skimmed milk (less than 1/2 a litre), three times a week, and in that swedes are served mashed and without salt. No special food is available for men who are seriously ill - they get no extras such as milk, eggs etc. Moreover there is no strengthening diet available.

Lately, the margarine, which, itself, is a substitute for butter, has been replaced by a very poor synthetic product, which is lacking in fats and which the prisoners prefer not to eat.

All the patients are dressed in pyjamas. There is enough hospital linen. The doctors wear white overalls which are washed once a fortnight. The medical orderlies have nothing but their uniforms in which to do their work as nurses. Only the British are suitably dressed.

From a hygienic point of view the lazaret is suitably equipped and the sanitary installations suffice for the needs of the medical staff and their patients.

Surgery The two operating theatres (one septic and one aseptic) are only a makeshift installation. Their sets of instruments are incomplete but the Senior Staff doctor assured the delegates that a large consignment of instruments which have been ordered are already on their way to the lazaret and have already been authorised by the Health Store. All orthopoedic surgery is impossible, there is a complete lack of the necessary material, which is prejudicial to the health of the seriously wounded British who have recently arrived from Italy. The necessary instruments for treating these men, can, however, be borrowed in case of need at the request of the British surgeon. The lazaret is also rather poorly stocked with dressings. The facilities for sterilising instruments etc. only make it possible to do 4 operations a day at the most and these only 4 times a week.

Medicine In this section the doctors have complete liberty to care for their patients as they think best.

No epidemics have occurred for a long time, and, on the day of the delegates' visit the isolation wards were empty. All the members of the lazaret medical staff have been inoculated against exanthematic typhus. There is but a small reserve of anti-exanthematic vaccine in stock.

Two days before the delegates' visit the ear-nose-and-throat-specialist, who was of non-British nationality, was evacuated to Muhlberg Lazaret on account of tuberculosis. He also used to treat cases of eye-trouble. No one to replace him has yet been nominated.

Drugs The prisoner doctors are aware that the German authorities do all they can in order to keep the lazaret stocked with drugs; nevertheless certain products of an essential kind are almost completely lacking, or at any rate there are often none of them during long periods. The ones most noticeably absent are glucose, anaesthetics and digitalis, all of which the doctors would be immensely grateful to receive from the Red Cross. Drugs received, up to now from Geneva were transmitted by Stalag IV A which retarded their delivery considerably since the stocks are administered by the Head-doctor of the Stalag. This is one more reason in favour of stocking this lazaret direct from Geneva. It should be mentioned that this method of procedure was adopted in respect of the last consignments of drugs, but only in respect of those for British prisoners. The British head doctor has to provide drugs and dressings not only for the lazaret itself, but also for 14 British Labour Detachments.

There is still no dental surgery at this lazaret and the German authorities do not intend to install one. The prisoners continue to get dental attention from a civilian dentist the Konigswartha, who does not do his work satisfactorily. He demands very high prices for his work, as well as gifts in kind by way of renumeration. For instance, 6 artificial teeth cost 130 RM. An enquiry held by the German authorities of the lazaret after appeals by the prisoners, revealed that the prices demanded by this dentist are the same as those normal for German civilians at the present time. Some of the prisoners get their teeth attended to by a French dentist at Bautzen but he is rather badly equipped.

The Mixed Medical Commission's latest visit to the lazaret occurred only a few days before the exchange of seriously sick and wounded man was effected in October 1943. Fifty-two British prisoners, mostly tuberculars, were included in this exchange; 12 patients also scheduled for repatriation remained at the lazaret. 73 sick and wounded British prisoners are at present waiting to be examined by the Mixed Medical Commission the next time it visits the lazaret.

A chaplain of the High Church of Scotland comes once every three months to visit the Elsterhorst lazaret. The British hope that he will be able to come at more frequent intervals. The German authorities state that they are agreeable to this.

The lazaret medical staff can indulge in sports 3 times a week on a neighbouring playing-field. The British medical staff can go out for walks three times a week, under escort.

The delays in the transportation of mail have considerably increased during the past few months, particularly does this apply to mail leaving the camp (Delays of from 5 to 6 weeks must be anticipated and allowed for).

A new order, which is, however, not signed, was sent a fortnight ago to the British Camp Leader's interpreter, which stipulates that in future Indian prisoners will not be allowed to write letters or cards in any language but English and that - for censorship requirements - mail coming from India will be subject to greater delays than before.

Collective parcels come from Stalag IV A: the Camp Leaders have complete control of them and distribute them without restriction. The delegates have, however, asked that collective parcels shall be sent direct from Geneva to the lazaret without having to pass through the hands of the Camp Leader at Stalag IV A. All that would be necessary in order to effect this would be to label the consignments very distinctly so that the station staff who send all the collective parcels for Stalag IV A should send them direct to the lazaret instead. The Camp Leaders of the lazaret, who are all officers and doctors are not satisfied with the way the Camp Leader at Stalag IV A divides up the collective parcels. They would much prefer to deal direct with Geneva than to have to conduct matters through the Stalag IV A Camp Leader, from whom they receive orders although they are his military superiors.

Patients of various nationalities receive their parcels regularly, but these are but few in comparison with the reserve stocks held by their British comrades, who have enough stocks in hand to cover 8 weeks' consumption. The British Camp Leader would like to know if he may allow the prisoners of non-British nationality to share in the enjoyment of the British parcels.

There are not enough medical orderlies in proportion to the number of orderlies (British). Medical orderlies who are on night duty or other fatigues cannot get the necessary number of hours rest in between their hours of duty. Reply 21 extra orderlies have been applied for.

The British Camp Leader has, for 6 months, been asking for an interpreter. Reply This request, which has already been put forward, shall be submitted anew.

The doctors would like to receive their tinned goods before they have been turned out of the tins; they would of course undertake to return the empty tins once the contents have been consumed. This request was refused.

[Note: The following table is printed on the reverse of the above table and each gap between the foods represents the above days of the week, from Monday to Sunday.]

TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)

English

Irish

Australians

New Zealanders

Canadians

Indians

Cypriots

Egyptian

Palestinians

West African

Arabs

3354

301

103 N.C.O's and soldiers who are members of the R.A.M.C. (British) - out of a total of 315.

The camp is installed in a castle, the rooms of which are bright and spacious; the prisoners congratulate themselves on not being in huts; they have two-tier wooden bunks the heating is adequate, and the electric lighting sufficient. Each prisoner has two blankets; it is possible to do individual cookery on the stoves in the men's quarters. The prisoners complain, however, that they receive but little fuel for the kitchen range.

The rations, which are the regulation ones - are posted up in the kitchen and the Camp Leaders can check them every day.

The British prisoners' clothing condition is satisfactory; 1000 prisoners have two uniforms each; it is however, urgently necessary to send 4000 uniforms ready to act as replacements for worn clothing, the deterioration of which will soon be seriously felt.

Caps are particularly needed; none have arrived for 2 years and many British prisoners are wearing caps of Armies of other nations than their own.

The Camp Leader would like to receive as soon as possible 1,000 pairs of boots sizes 6, 7 and 8.

The canteen is poor. Some tooth powder, some combs and some pencils can be bought there, but there is no beer. Paying attention to the appeals of the delegates on this score, the Commandant of the Stalag will in future permit the sale of beer at the canteen.

The washplaces are well installed; the shower-baths function normally, but the prisoners complain of having to take their shower-baths at the same time as prisoners of a nationality other than their own. They ask that shower-bathing periods may be at fixed times, on a different day from the said other prisoners; after intervention by the delegates, this proposed arrangement was agreed to.

The latrines, however, are not satisfactory; the trenches become full every two months, and at the present moment, the prisoners will have to wait from 8 to 10 days beyond this time before they are emptied, which causes serious discomfort and inconvenience.

The Infirmary has a ward containing 25 beds, a consultation room, and a new dental surgery, which is very well installed. The Head doctor states that the general state of health of the prisoners is satisfactory; the number of patients remains rather high, but no serious cases have been recorded.

The chaplain's activities progress satisfactorily. The Circulating Library has been suppressed; each Detachment now has its own individual Library and exchanges of books are effected between the libraries of the various detachment.

Sports are freely indulged in; football is very popular, but the prisoners complain of lacking football clothing and footgear; neither have they any ping-pong balls.

Collective parcels arrive satisfactorily; the store-space is, however, cramped, so that no reserve can be built up in the camp since there is only space for, at the most, 1000 parcels.

The parcels, as soon as they arrive, are distributed among the various Labour Detachments. This is not easily carried out.

The Camp Leaders are unanimous in their request that larger store-rooms should be made available; the delegates passed on this request to the Camp Commandant who agrees to consider the matter.

As a general rule, the Camp Leaders complain that railway trucks arriving at Prossen, and which were still sealed when they left Vallorbe, contain cases where often one, two or three parcels of tobacco, and sometimes even more, are missing. On many occasions standard parcels are missing from cases packed in the centre of the trucks.

The amount of correspondence allowed is normal and mail travels without undue delay.

This tends to become stricter; it is however administered with justice and without excessive harshness.

These, which are situated in the crypts of the castle are excellent and give absolute protection against serial attack.