Stalag IVA

Camp Leader Corporal Frederick EUSTACHE (or - as given in present case "Ewsters") No.95613

The Camp, which is made of huts is situated in Saxony in a district with a healthy climate, but exposed to air attacks. This Camp was built specially for prisoners and the living conditions are satisfactory. The lighting is good: electricity is everywhere installed. The ventilation and the heating are also satisfactory. The huts are furnished with fire protective apparatus.

The prisoners sleep in bunks and have enough blankets. The interior arrangements are the usual ones. The Convention of Geneva of 1929 relating to the treatment of prisoners of war is not posted up. Orders are given in English.

The food is provided in its raw state by a company in the neighbouring village; the prisoners get three meals a day. The food is good and the rations are the regulation ones. The prisoners receive the supplementary ration accorded to heavy workers. The menu is posted up, on the day of our visit it was as follows:-

The prisoners have received permission to make a cooking stove for themselves on which to prepare individual dishes. No collective punishment affecting food supplies has ever been imposed.

The Camp possesses an Infirmary to which is attached a recognised member of the British medical corps. The interior arrangement of the Infirmary are satisfactory. There is a disinfecting chamber. The company's doctor cares for the prisoners; he is much appreciated. Three men can go in rotation each week to visit a civilian dentist in the neighbouring village where dental attention is given - up to the value of 7 RM - per man, free. On the day of our visit 4 prisoners were being treated in the Infirmary. They were suffering from slight contusions and from furunculosis. No epidemics or infectious diseases have occurred, nor any deficiency disease. No serious accidents are reported. No deaths have occurred.

The prisoners have one uniform each, but they have received neither underclothing nor shoes. They can wash their clothes and have enough soap for the purpose given to them.

All the prisoners work in the yards of the mines at Brigitta. They are employed on piece-work and begin their day's work at 6.0. a.m., they work till noon or 3.0. p.m. when they return to the Camp. There are two roll calls each day. Men working at the mines receive a salary of 70 pfgs. per day.

There is no canteen. The prisoners do not receive any cigarettes except those contained in collective parcels.

There is no chaplain in the Camp. The Anglican chaplain of the Reservelazarett of Elsterhorst visits the prisoners once every three weeks. The prisoners receive books by means of the circulating library, of the Base Camp as well as in their individual parcels. They have enough playing cards and indoor games. From time to time Cinematograph performances are organised for their entertainment in the Common Room of the Mines staff. Two loud-speakers, installed in the compound broadcast German propaganda. The prisoners can indulge in various sports on the little ground situated within the barbed wire which surrounds the Camp or, three times a week, on a large football ground which is outside the confines of the Camp, on Sunday afternoons.

The prisoners may write the regulation number of letters and cards. They receive personal parcels from their relatives. Letters arrive at the Camp after a period or from 3 to 5 weeks. The Camp Leader is able to correspond freely with the Military Authorities and the Protecting Power.

The discipline is indifferent; there have been some attempts at escape and some disorderly acts. Some punishments were imposed. The prisoners are aware of the penal regulations in force.

Further to the points already mentioned, the prisoners complain about their food. The attempted escapes were punished by 5 days' to 3 weeks' detention, without any additional penal measure.

We have not given the name of the British Camp Leader as many changes were being made at the time of our visit.

The Camp is situated right in the middle of a coal-mining district near to the Colony Erika founded by the Company which employs the prisoners. These are lignite mines which are open to the top to the daylight, and they make patent fuel blocks as well as allied by-products. The Camp which is surrounded by barbed wire, is composed of 20 huts and is situated in a forest of pine and birch trees, among hillocks of the material which has been thrown up from the mine; the principal yards are situated about half an hour's march away.

The huts are a little dilapidated. On each side of a central corridor, are small rooms containing 2 or 3 blocks each of two or three-tier bunks. The uppermost bunk is very close to the ceiling and, for 9 prisoners the room is overcrowded. It is also dark. We were assured that in the course of a fortnight the upper bunk would be discussed, following certain changes to be effected.

Each man has 2 blankets, which are very thin, having never been washed during three years past, and a palliasse filled with pine branches (épicea) The British have done away with their palliasses on account of their harbouring vermin.

Electric light is laid on; in each room a stove fixed up by the prisoners, makes it possible for them to cook individual dishes.

German women prepare the prisoners' meals in a kitchen which also provides for the civilian workers in the Company, which is near to the Camp. In the morning substitute coffee or tea is served; at midday the meal is usually composed of potatoes in their jackets, and dried swedes or red cabbage, with meat or fish two or three times a week. In the evening, the prisoners receive slices of bread and jam or margarine, with sometimes a slice of sausage as an extra for those prisoners who are classified as "heavy workers" - which is the majority.

An Infirmary containing 20 beds has a staff, a prisoner doctor, one member of the Australian medical corps and one other member of the medical corps, both recognised as such and paid RM1 per day. There is a disinfecting room. The material in the Infirmary is rather scanty. The doctor complains that the amount of drugs available is inadequate; there has, for the last 4 weeks, been no thermometer and he only receives 10 bandages - made of paper - every fifteen days. Dressings are not available in the yards. On the day of our visit there were only 10 slight cases at the Infirmary. Cases which are more serious are sent to the Lazaret at Konigswartha. A British prisoner, Pickering, No 19973, is at the present time under observation, suspected of being tubercular.

To obtain dental attention prisoners may go to see a civilian dentist of the Erika Colony where treatments have to be paid for; it is also possible to send 3 prisoners of each nationality, twice a week to the dental surgery at Elsterhorst.

The latrines, which are of the trench type, are in a special hut. During the night the prisoners are shut into their huts and have only one bucket without any lid to use for sanitary purposes in their small room. There are three taps over wooden troughs for them to wash themselves in.

At the works they can take one hot showerbath and as many cold ones as they wish.

Prisoners who work as miners wear overalls (salopettes) and rubber boots. As everywhere else, the prisoners deplore having to give up an article of clothing in exchange for any new one given out, even when the clothing supplied is from Red Cross parcels. All British clothing comes from the Red Cross.

Collective parcels arrive at regular intervals by railway from the Base Camp; the Camp Leaders have unrestricted control over them.

The prisoners wash their underclothes themselves. They are able to buy washing powder, but only in inadequate quantities.

The majority of the prisoners work in the mines. They are, moreover, in most cases miners by profession; they do not complain of their conditions of work. They remain at the yards 12 hours a day and have one complete day of rest per month. During the week they are paid R.M.0.70 per day and they get RM 3.74 for Sunday work. Some of these miners earn 120 - 160 R.M. per month.

The Anglican chaplain from Elsterhorst visits this Detachment every three weeks.

The practice of sports is very restricted, owing to lack of material. It is further limited by the length of the men's working hours and the fact that the using of leather footwear for football is forbidden. The prisoners have formed some orchestras and a theatrical company; they can attend Cinematograph performances an average of once every 6 weeks. Their principal relaxation is card playing. The Stalag Circulating Library works well. No study circles have been formed.

All the points before-mentioned were touched upon. As usual, we discussed things with the German authorities, and we were assured that certain justifiable complaints, and requests will be investigated in a benevolent spirit.

British B.M.M.S. William ADAMS No. 3807 (replacement) acting for Sergeant Albert SADD No. 953

An annexe to the Stalag about 10 kms lower down the valley contains 40 prisoners of various nationalities, employed at the "Postuberwachungsstelle" in the reception and re-despatch of collective parcels.

The main Camp has been improved by the reduction of its strength. The prisoners there are less crowded together and many rooms have been newly done up. We persuaded the Authorities to place the park of the château at the disposal of the permanent Camp staff, with the exception of prisoners who form the "Strafkompagnie" (Punishment Squad) which is made up of retaken escapees, who have been many times punished and men waiting sentences for infringements of the Common Law.

The rations are the regulation ones and can be checked by the Camp Leaders. There is still only very limited facility for the preparation of individual dishes.

Except in the case of the British the clothing conditions are pitiable. The prisoners complain that they have to render up articles of clothing in exchange for those sent out by the Red Cross. We also ascertained that the trousers of the men in Labour Detachments were often either in rags, or replaced by civilian ones, but in spite of this each prisoner seems to still possess one pair of trousers; but it may be that some of the men have made shorts out of their pants (under-clothing trousers) so as to save their stuff trousers.

The washing of the Camp is done in a civilian Laundry (0.20 RM are charged for a shirt and the same for a pair of pants). In connection with this the Camp Leaders observed that two sets of underwear are not enough as the washing takes from a fortnight to three weeks.

The canteen provides - more especially - beer. The prisoners can get there, among other things, 10 razor blades every 4 months.

Infirmary The Infirmary for the Base Camp comprises a ward of 25 beds, a consulting room, and a dental surgery consisting of two small rooms one of which has lately been used for the manufacture of artificial dentures. The Infirmary is, before everything else, a clearing house for patients coming from local Labour Detachments and who, according to their state of health, either remain there until they are cured, or are sent to one of the three Lazarets which depend on the Stalag. It is also a clearing house for men leaving hospitals and on their way to rejoin their Labour Detachments. Besides this Infirmary at the Base Camp, there are the district Infirmaries.

In regard to re-patriable prisoners we took note of appeals in regard to the working of the re-patriation centre, Stalag IV B. Most of the men, recognised as eligible for re-patriation, and sent from Stalag IV A to Stalag IV B in order to be re-patriated after having been duly registered as eligible by the Prisoner Doctors and German Doctors, are sent back from Stalag IV B to Labour Detachments after a summary examination.

The dispensary is fairly well supplied with all medical supplies. There are large quantities of German drugs to be found there. The doctor reports that, each month, each nationality puts in its requests. The British Medical Parcels are sent direct from the "Postuberwachungstelle" to the lazarets. It should be understood that drugs which come from collective parcels are utilised for the benefit of all prisoners without distinction of nationality.

All the medical staff has been inoculated against exanthematic typhus; the stock of vaccine in hand is adequate for a repeat injection in the coming Autumn.

Extension apparatus with elastic arms. ("branches elastiques"). Gramophone records for the Infirmary.

The Camp Leader, who is himself a priest, assured us that the Catholic priests at the Stalag have complete freedom to fulfil their ministerial calling.

The library, to which is attached a book-binding workshop, is well provided with English books. The exchange of books between the Camp and the Labour Detachments works well. The theatrical company and the orchestra have the use of a large room and can perform in the Labour Detachments more often than used to be the case.

Sports are not very much indulged in, on account of a lack of grounds and equipment. The prisoners are allowed to use the Municipal Swimming Baths, three times a week, from 6.0. a.m. to 8.0. a.m.

Request Foot-balls, and, above all, bladders for footballs; ping-pong balls, and packs of playing-cards.

The reception and re-despatch of collective parcels takes place at "Postuberwachungsstelle", where a Labour Detachment keeps a permanent staff employed. The Camp Leaders of Stalag IV A have passes which allow them to go there when they wish; they have complete control of collective parcels. Unfortunately it is not possible to keep a reserve of parcels here. This is the only Camp we know in which parcels have to be sent on to lazarets and Labour Detachments as soon as they arrive and the railway trucks have been unloaded. This is to be regretted from every point of view: it is one of the reasons why the three Lazarets of Elsterhorst, Schmorkau and Konigswartha have up to now been stocked direct from Geneva without the intermediary of the Postuberwachungsstelle. This procedure seems to be the only one possible, in respect of Elsterhorst in particular, as this is a centre for tubercular patients.

As a whole, the organisation of collective parcels in this Stalag is good, but it would be a good deal better still if a store could be constituted at the Postuberwachungsstelle; some time ago a good start was made in the construction of a building which was to serve as a store for Food and Clothing parcels, near to the Postuberwachungsstelle, and beside the railway line; but the "Sparkommission" ordered that the work should be discontinued. (Economy Board)

(For more details see under our reports on the Labour Detachments depending on this Stalag). At the Camp itself a Detachment of 40 prisoners of all nationalities are employed on a railway line, while they are awaiting trial for various delinquencies. They rise at 4.0. a.m. board a train at 5.30. a.m. and return to the Camp at 7.30. p.m. The prisoners remain for from a few weeks to 3 months in this Detachment; they are sometimes subjected to brutalities by their guards and by the civilian employers.

These men receive no pay. The same thing applies to prisoners who are declared to be unfit for service and who are awaiting re-patriation.

The discipline has been very considerably tightened up in the Stalag during the last three months; probably by order of the High Command of the District.

The British Camp Leader was found to be making a tour of the Labour Detachments with a representative of the Y.M.C.A.; he was recalled to the Camp so that we could have an interview with him. Here is a summary of the points we discussed:-

Collective parcels The parcels for the three lazarets should be addressed direct or at least despatched in such a way that they can be sent on without any further action by the Postuberwachungsstelle to their destinations. In order to illustrate the necessity of this, Sergeant Adams informed us that by a letter of the 11th June 1943 Geneva told him of the despatch of:-

1) In fact 2000 Food parcels are needed, as the lazarets prefer these to Invalid parcels.

2) The Camp Leader is not always cognizant of the strengths of the lazarets and does not know how to distribute parcels

Out of 911 British, 533 are divided among 9 Labour Detachments, 326 are under treatment in lazarets and 74 constitute the staff of these lazarets, two are at the Base Camp and 12 at the Distribution Centre for Collective Parcels.

About 526 men are allowed to work for which their employers are supposed to give them working outfits, but they do not do this. Thus uniforms which are worn to work in are frequently in a very bad state; they are sometimes so shabby that the men wear their "going-out" uniforms to go to work in a certain percentage, therefore, of the British prisoners have no respectable clothes. Each man has enough underclothing but there is a dire lack of shoes and socks. Nearly all the men working in lignite mines wear out a pair of shoes in three months; on account of the sand, which is very hard on leather soles; once the soles crack across the shoes become irreparable. Moreover, the shoes received during the past year only sufficed for the equipping of one out of every 6 men. By way of information Sergeant Adams told us that one Detachment of workers having a strength of 100 British prisoners received from May 1942 to 1943

During this period the German authorities did not distribute any clothing among the members of this Labour Detachment.

Sports The Camp Leader for the British told us that at the request of the Y.M.C.A. he recently sent to the Camp Leader of the American prisoners at Stalag III B

He would like to receive, for the large Labour Detachments which are working in the mines, and which contain from one to two hundred prisoners each, complete equipment for foot-ball (boots, jerseys etc.)

Books The exchange service of books between the Labour Detachment and the Stalag works very well; a service for the exchange of gramophone records has also been organised.

Work and Discipline At Detachment No. 850, the British prisoners work in [a] metal packing factory in company with an assortment of both German workers and those of other nationalities. This should be avoided in view of the very heavy penalties imposed on prisoners having any relations with a woman. In the same Labour Detachment, as well as in one other, are concentrated the British Jewish prisoners. In both Detachments the medical service leaves much to be desired; the Head of the Detachment himself makes a preliminary visit to the men who wish to consult the doctor, and only sends to him those whose temperatures are above the normal.

During our interview with the Camp Authorities, the Commandant assured us that he would take the necessary steps to improve the methods etc, which we consider defective.

The benevolence of the authorities and the good relations which they have established with the Camp Leaders contribute to the smooth running of the Camp.

The Reservelazarett Elsterhorst actually, at the present, attached to Stalag IV A is a Hospital for tubercular patients - more particularly British ones. We found here the patients and the staff from Konigswartha whence they were transferred at the beginning of May 1943.

The hospital, previously built for army patients, is situated in the centre of pine forests, not far from a large road, on flat, sandy country in a coal-mining area. The climate is healthy.

A series of huts house the medical staff, the kitchen, the recreation room and the food parcels store, as well as the repair shops where prisoners of a different nationality work. Six large light, well-arranged wards accommodate the patients; 5 are reserved for tuberculars and one for patients suffering from other complaints.

Each room contains from 4 - 20 prisoners; they have wooden beds furnished with palliasses or metal beds with springs, and mattresses - according to their medical condition. All the beds are provided with sheets, which are changed at regular intervals. The patients can keep their personal belongings in a bedside locker. Their uniforms, valises, etc., are locked up in one or two rooms in each hut.

This Camp possesses a de-lousing plant, the latrines have water-flushes; each hut contains sufficient wash-places supplied with running water.

The members of the lazaret staff and the patients get the normal food rations which are prepared by prisoners in a pretty kitchen which contains boilers and a large kitchen range; the Senior doctor (Oberarzt) has, however, reserved this latter for the exclusive use of the German staff; this is very tiresome for the prisoners who, for the last two weeks have had nothing but a hot-plate on which to prepare special diets and individual dishes, particularly when it is borne in mind that 2/3 of the prisoners' nutriment comes from collective parcels, particularly from the point of view of the number of calories. Although each hut contains a small kitchen with a cooking stove, the Senior doctor (Oberartz) has forbidden the use of three of these kitchens in order to economise in fuel.

The weekly German menu consists of the following: 2 days dried swedes, 2 days millet, a days beetroot and once a week a purée of peas. To this is added boiled potatoes and meat three times a week. The prisoner head cook weighed, during the week preceding our visit, about 50% of the waste material (41.3% bones). The authorities assured us that this is exceptional and that the amount does not exceed 30% of bones on an average as part of the meat ration, which is at present fixed at 250 grammes (raw) per man per week.

In the evening the prisoners get their ration of bread, with margarine, jam or a slice of sausage.

For the tubercular patients, the diets consist of ¼ litre full milk, and ¼ litre of skimmed milk with semolina broth, twice a week, porridge twice and some kind of nourishing paste twice a week, served in the morning. The prisoners prefer the diet at Konigswartha where they used to have porridge every morning; we were assured that an attempt shall be made to conform with the wishes of the patients in this matter, to as great an extent as possible.

About 10% of the patients get white bread. This does not seem to be a high enough proportion; the majority of the tuberculars suffer from gastritis; they find it difficult to swallow black bread cut into thick slices. Machines were asked for that would cut the bread into as thin slice as possible, but the Authorities have been unable to obtain these. (See also under heading "Collective parcels").

All the patients wear blue and white striped pyjamas, which are changed at regular intervals. The doctors wear white overalls but only some of the medical orderlies have these. The authorities assured us that this state of affairs would soon be remedied; it is, however, regrettable that members of the medical orderly staff should have to attend to tubercular patients without proper orderlies' overalls.

Sixteen British medical orderlies, recently arrived from Stalag XX A, had their uniforms taken away from them on their departure from the Stalag, which is irregular. We have asked the Authorities to see that their uniforms are given back to these 16 men.

The condition of the men's uniforms leaves a good deal to be desired; it seems indicated that a reserve stock should be build up for the use of this hospital - clothing is needed as much by the medical staff as by the patients.

The washing is done by a civilian laundry; all the prisoners are quite satisfied with this arrangement.

The British complain that their shoes are not mended until they themselves provide the necessary materials which is not the case in respect of men of other nationalities. The authorities, to whom we mentioned this point, will enquire into the matter.

Each occupant of the Camp possessed two German blankets; besides these the patients are allowed to cover themselves with their great-coats. Further, 240 Red Cross blankets have been distributed among the patients. This number is, however, insufficient, on account of the severity of the climate and the windows having to remain constantly open. Each patient, as a result, should have 4 blankets during the cold weather; the Senior doctor (Oberarzt) objects, however, that the German patients have only 2 blankets. (See also under heading "Collective parcels").

On account of the medical staff being numerous (among them are many specialists), the installations adequate, and the equipment and a dispensary being pretty good, and also thanks to the collective parcels sent to British prisoners, the treatment accorded to patients are done under excellent conditions.

The same thing applies to dental care. A laboratory for the manufacture of artificial teeth has been opened.

All the occupants of the hospital have been inoculated (T.P.T. and exanthematic typhus).

The radiological station which is under the direction of a French specialist, is able to diagnose cases of tuberculosis for the hospital, for Oflag IV D and for neighbouring Labour Detachments.

Generally speaking one can perceive an improvement in the state of patients since their arrival here. Many, however do not arrive at the lazaret soon enough, by the time they get here they are in a pronounced condition of ill-health.

Thoracoplasty has not yet been practised at Elsterhorst, but it soon will be; as soon as all the apparatus has arrived.

The large majority of food and clothing, without including the various things supplied by the Y.M.C.A. is evidently that sent to the British. Lieutenant Colonel le Souif expresses how glad he is to be able, thanks to the contents of the collective parcels (which are indispensable) to help all the prisoner patients at Elsterhorst without distinction of nationality.

Diets are at present made up from the German basic and supplementary rations, and from the contents of standard-parcels and bulk-food consignments. Every week about 60-70 Invalid parcels are used in addition to the bulk-food which make it possible to augment the rations of certain patients with meat and fish twice a week.

Lieutenant-Colonel le Souif is not clear as to the way in which to distribute British Red Cross parcels; he asked for precise information as to this (Geneva will give him detailed instructions). We think, however, that we are justified in stating that the Lieutenant-Colonel may be given full powers in this matter as he is a very competent surgeon-specialist and a valuable personality.

We are sending Geneva a list of the monthly needs of the British. A lack of standard parcels for Indians is at present noticeable.

The Reservelazarett of Elsterhorst is attached at present to Stalag IV A where there are but two British prisoners to concern themselves with 3 lazarets and the 9 Detachments which depend on them. This arrangement leaves a great to be desired and we will try to get this lazaret for tubercular patients, the only one of its kind in Germany, given autonomous status so that collective relief may be sent to it direct and the Head Camp Leader correspond without recourse to intermediaries, with the various organisations for the relief of prisoners of war. The same appears to apply to the Reservelazaretts of Konigswartha and Schmorkau. While waiting to realise this it is a question of immediately taking the necessary steps to ensure that certain parcels should be particularly assigned for the relief of these lazarets and addressed to Postuberwachungsstelle for despatch to them, bearing in mind the above-given strengths of Elsterhorst, as well as those of Konigswartha and Schmorkau.

The Head doctor allows 30 patients - whose state of health permits it - to smoke. He asks that parcels of cigarettes may be regularly sent for them.

The Camp Leaders are at liberty to check and distribute collective parcels of all kinds.

This is maintained without recourse to severity. A great improvement in this way is reported since the departure of the Head Staff Doctor, Dr. R.

There are complaints as to the irregularity of this. Letters arrive collected in packets; these include letters whose dates vary from 2 months previous, to the day of distribution. At present, a reply from England takes a minimum of two months.

An Anglican chaplain is attached to the lazaret. He has complete freedom in the exercise of his personal duties. Catholic prisoners receive visits from the chaplain of Oflag IV D.

The use of a hut containing a large room makes it possible for prisoners to organise theatrical performances, Cinema shows, concerts, lectures etc.

There are enough games, musical instruments, and sports equipment, provided, for the most part, by the Y.M.C.A.

A large sports ground lies inside the barbed wire encirclement. The members of the medical corps would like very much to have a small ground on which to play "tennisquoit" near their compound, in order to avoid having to seek relaxation on the large ground underneath the patients' windows; but we were told that this could not be granted to them; each square metre of free space has to be planted in order to guard against sand storms.

The prisoners would be glad to receive books in Turkish for some 20 Cypriots and Greeks, as well as some in Urdu for the 30 Indian prisoners.

As well as the points mentioned above, there remains the following questions to be discussed:

- At Stalag IV B 9 British patients (of whom 6 are Indians) have had not cigarettes since October 1942. They have no Camp Leader and have not been sent before the Commissions visiting this Lazaret.

- In the Lagerlazarett of the same Camp one Cypriot has had one of his legs amputated. This man, whose name is Private Gregory, No. 9431, is completely isolated. We will try to get him transferred elsewhere.

- Captain (R.A.M.C.) Dr. T.J.V. Fergusson, No. 1814, IV B is at present isolated, without parcels or letters, in an Infirmary where all the other patients under treatment are of a nationality different from his own. We are asking the competent authorities to give us his address.

- A solarium was asked for, where tubercular patients could like on chaise-longues. The Head Doctor told us that the proposal was agreed to but that the material necessary for establishing such a thing is difficult to obtain.

- It has also been requested that a Red Cross should be painted on the roof; this will shortly be done.

- Last summer the water supply was cut off from 8 to 22.0. The Head doctor assured us that this should not happen again.

- We were told that razor-blades, which are very necessary, are about to arrive at the Lazaret.

- The medical specialist states that, in theory, no prisoners are sent to this Lazaret unless they are suffering from active tuberculosis; by the time they arrive it is too late already to treat them satisfactorily. If often happens that patients are declared to be eligible for re-patriation just before the visit of a Mixed Medical Committee. After this they are sent, categorised as unfit for service, to Stalag IV B, then - as soon as the Mixed Medical Commission has gone away, they are made to return to Camp classed as fit for work.

Complete thoracoplasty apparatus. An electric stove, 220 V. (there is a scarcity of methylated spirits (alcohol à bruler) for the sterilisation of instruments). Medium for bacteriological cultures (Milieux de culture)

a) Patients

British 31 (10 Indians)

out of 229

b) Medical Staff

5 (2 Indian doctors)

out of 94

Among the medical staff are 10 doctors, 1 pharmacist, 60 medical orderlies N.C.O's and private soldiers, and 4 interpreters.

The members of the medical staff and the patients were at one time at Elsterhorst. At the time of the mementory dissolution of this latter lazaret (which since that time has admitted the patients originally at Konigswartha, and the staff attendant upon them) the prisoners were sent to various other lazarets. They have now, for the past two months, been re-united at Koenigswartha.

The lazaret is in a building which was once a Home for Blind Persons. It stands in a park, where 10 huts have been erected, second hand ones which are already rather shabby.

The doctors are housed in an old stone building, by groups of two or three at a time, in room which are rather small. At each end of a long corridor onto which open the rooms mentioned, are two mess-rooms for the doctors. A small kitchen makes it possible to improve the ordinary fare and to prepare individual dishes.

The medical orderlies are housed in the same building as the patients. They sleep on two-tier bunks.

The patients are housed in the old stone building, and also in huts; there is nowhere any lack of space, as the hospital is at present but half full.

German women prepare the usual rations, but the Camp Leaders cannot check them, as they do not have access to the kitchen.

The prisoners can but barely do their individual cooking, as, at present, they have the use of but one small cooking stove, apart from the one used by the officers. The Oberkommando (High Security Council) assured us that several new cooking stoves are very soon going to be made available for the use of prisoners.

Special diets are given to 60 patients; these diets consist of 30 litres of skimmed milk twice a week and 150 grammes of white bread per day. No fortifying diet is, however, supplied; the prisoner doctors are obliged to use the contents of collective parcels for those patients who need strengthening diets.

All the patients wear pyjamas of striped blue and white material: these are washed when this is necessary. The doctors wear white overalls, but the medical orderlies do not receive these, they have to perform their duties in the only uniform they possess.

All the beds are furnished with mattress covers and bedlinen and we were assured that the sheets shall be changed once a fortnight, which is not at present done.

The wash-places, the showerbaths and the bathrooms and latrines are adequate and sufficiently numerous. Vermin has been eliminated thanks to a good de-lousing plant.

The pharmacy is very well stocked; German drugs are plentiful. The prisoner doctors check the collective parcels they receive and are unfettered in their distribution thereof.

The prisoner doctors give their patients such treatment as they think fit. This lazaret contains many consulting rooms and an isolation building where we found, on the day of our visit, but one patient - a diphtheria suspect. Besides the 230 prisoners under treatment in the hospital about 60 men from the neighbouring Labour Detachments attend the doctors' consulting hours every day.

The two [note at the end of the paragraph: "chambres", but probably in this case "operating theatre is meant". Trans.] wards, septic and antiseptic are installed in rather a rudimentary fashion; there is no difference between them. The complement of instruments is incomplete; the means of sterilisation, so that only minor surgical interventions can be undertaken at Konigswartha. On the other hand it is possible to do more serious operations in the local civilian hospital.

The radiological, radioscopical and radiographical section is excellent. It is in charge of a prisoner doctor.

The opthalmic expert also attends to oto-rhino-laryngology and has at his disposal all the necessary apparatus. He states that he is satisfied with the treatment he can give to his patients.

This lazaret has no dental surgery; a civilian dentist from Konigswartha gives the prisoners dental attention. Each man can, theoretically have dental work done free up to a value of R.M. 7, but in practice the prisoners complain that they are obliged to pay fees for even the smallest attention given to them.

The laboratory is satisfactory; a ward is equipped to give diathermal and massage treatment. All the doctors, however, regret the lack of a short wave apparatus. There used to be one at Elsterhorst, which gave excellent results in many cases; but there has been no success in obtaining another one in Germany for Konigswartha. Would it be possible to have one sent out for these prisoners with an electric heater 220 V for sterilising syringes?

As a matter of fact there is no methylated spirit (Esprit de vin pour le réchaud à alcool) and the antiseptic solution used for the sterilisation of syringes, is not very satisfactory.

The Anglican chaplain from the Reservelazarett of Elsterhorst visits Konigswartha once in nearly every three weeks.

Half one hut is used as a theatre; but as it has only just been installed, no artistic performances have yet taken place; moreover there is no orchestra. As musical instruments, there are only at present in this hospital a gramophone with a pick-up and some loud-speakers.

A small library comprises about 400 volumes in various languages; this is supplemented every month from the circulating Library of the Stalag.

We would repeat that, in so far as it is possible, all consignments should be sent direct to the lazaret and not sent through the intermediary of the Camp Leaders at Stalag IV A.

There are but very limited facilities for sports because the free space available is used for the production of vegetables. The prisoners have only been able to obtain use of enough ground for two Italian-bowls tracks. (Boules ferrées - which is a rather crude form of the English "bowls", and playing on a cinder or earth track Trans.) The medical orderlies are allowed to go twice a week to play on the neighbouring football ground; but the patients, although some exercise would be good for many of them, have not the same privilege. They may take walks in a small park which has a solarium. The prisoners and more particularly the doctors and the medical orderlies, would like to be allowed the use of another, much larger park which lies between the old building and the huts. But the Head-doctor has reserved access to this for the kitchen staff.

The doctors complain that the regulation walks may not be taken except in grounds and accompanied by a sentry; the sentry, moreover, insists that his charges shall march in military formation. The Senior doctor told us that the sentries have recently received instructions that they are to give the doctors and medical orderlies a little more liberty when they are escorting them on these walks.

Patients and medical orderlies and doctors receive the regulation number of letter forms and cards.

The Camp Leaders check and have free right of distribution over the collective parcels, which they receive from Stalag IV A. The British have quite a large reserve stock in hand.

We insist, yet again, that in future collective parcels should be definitely assigned to this lazaret and addressed to it direct.

All the above-mentioned points were discussed. In addition these matters were raised:

- The members of the medical corps complain that no different is made between the treatment of themselves and the patients. They are treated as mere, ordinary prisoners of war. Their clothes, too are marked "Kgf" (which indicates "prisoner of war" Trans)

- Patients who are seriously ill are sometimes taken from the Infirmary, which is 8 kms away from the lazaret, in a simple man-carried stretcher.

- The members of the medical corps protest against being used as a levelling-squaf (they were made to dig a drainage system when the Camp was being established).

- The Indian doctors expressed their wish to receive for their own use and that of their patients, books in Urdu.

- They would also like to have some extra medical orderlies who are of British nationality.

In spite of these fairly numerous appeals and complaints, some of which appear to be to some degree exaggerated, this lazaret appears to be a good one.

His Majesty's Minister at Berne presents his compliments to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and has the honour to transmit to him the under-mentioned documents.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have the honour to inform the Swiss Legation, Foreign Interests Division, with reference to the latter's memorandum R 26852 of 5th January 1944, concerning Stalag IV A, that the competent German department has made the following statement with regard to the contents of the memorandum: "There is no 'punishment company' depending from Stalag IV A."

Nor is there any work detachment in which prisoners of war are subjected to the work conditions or treatment described in the Swiss Legation's memorandum No. 2421 of 1st December, 1943.