Stalag IVB

Doctors

British 4
Indians -

Orderlies

Chaplains

This Camp has special characteristics: it serves as a transit and assembly camp for all prisoners arriving in Germany. This has latterly applied to men who come - more particularly - from Italy. A large part of the Camp also serves as a centre from which to repatriate men who are Unfit for Service; the camp strength is consequently subject to numerous changes. At the present moment it is a trifle overcrowded, and, in these circumstances, the Administration has a great deal of trouble in maintaining an adequate degree of discipline.

The British prisoners arrived at this Camp in several groups a little while after the collapse of Italy. 175 British officers as well as 2 doctors and some chaplains have been in the camp since the 8th of September 1943, several groups of British who have come from Italy, have only just arrived. The sailors from Marlag Milag Nord have been transferred here and a group of airmen officers from Stalag Luft III; before this a convoy of 23 British officers was sent to Oflag IX A.

A group of Indian N.C.O's from Stalag IV D/Z have been transferred here for disciplinary reasons, they were refractory in the course of their work. They were confined to barracks for one month, they are now still separated from the other prisoners by a surround of barbed wire. They have not - up to now - been allowed to use the Sports Ground; the space at their disposal is, at all time, very limited.

The huts are, at the present time, all overcrowded; although the maximum strength has not yet been passed. The largest of the huts contains 204, the smallest 168, prisoners; but at the moment on account of the numerous fresh arrivals, these huts are overcrowded. They are easy to ventilate; the heating is just sufficient, but the lighting is bad - the bulbs are very small; and the Commandant says it is impossible to change them. Moreover, the strength of electric current available would be inadequate for the employment of larger or stronger-powered bulbs.

The prisoners are grouped according to nationalities; the Indians are, however, the only group isolated by an encirclement of barbed wire.

The complaints which the British officers make about their quarters appear to be completely justifiable. They are housed without any comfort in a hut intended for the use of private soldiers.

The rations issued are those prescribed by the High Security Command for prisoners of War. The various Camp Leaders or their representatives have access to the kitchen and can check the rations; The prisoners themselves prepare nearly all their own meals; the Indians have but one kitchen reserved exclusively for their sole use in which to cook according to the demands of their faith.

It is possible to prepare the contents of collective parcels for this purpose each hut contains three stoves, which also serve to heat the rooms. This installation is altogether inadequate, especially for the British, who receive many collective parcels. The food intended for consumption in the Infirmary is prepared in the same kitchen. with the exception of special diets which are cooked on special stoves.

The British receive their parcels regularly; they have - at present - a reserve stock of 21,000 parcels in hand. This ought to suffice for 7 weeks if the strength remains static, but, in fact it continually varies. The British Camp Leader checks the parcels on arrival and is in charge of their distribution. The Camp does not comprise any rooms really large enough to house Red Cross stores; up to the present time parcels for prisoners of all nationalities have been stored in the same hut. The British would like to have a special hut in which to store their own parcels.

The Indians are adequately stocked by Stalag IV D/Z: each Indian receives one parcel per week.

As a general rule the Camp Leaders are unrestricted in their control of the distribution of collective parcels but certain elements of the Administration have a tendency to curtail this general liberty. The packing material from the collective parcels is not made available to the control of the Camp Leaders. But, in the future, it will be.

British Most of the British possess but one uniform; this is the one they were wearing at the time of their arrival from Italy; 90% of these uniforms are ones sent by the British Red Cross. Up to the present they have not been given complete control of clothing parcels; they are subjected to the same restrictions imposed on prisoners of another nationality who are in possession of a reserve supply of clothing. The Administrative authorities seem still to be unaware that the clothing question is differently regulated for the British.

Indians They receive their clothing from Stalag IV D/Z. Not all of them possess two uniforms.

Prisoner doctors give medical attention. The interior arrangement of the Infirmary has not been changed. It is no longer adequate for a camp of so large a size. It houses 160 British patients, all slight cases, in one single hut, the sleeping accommodation of which consists of three-tier bunks as in the ordinary living huts. This hut ought to be altered as quickly as possible to meet the demands of a proper infirmary.

The part of the Camp which is reserved for the accommodation of men unfit for service is slightly separated from the rest of the Camp. All prisoners declared unfit for service are sent here pending repatriation. The British are declared unfit by a Mixed Medical Commission.

The stocking of the canteen is still quite good, but the supplies become less and less as time passes; the strength of the camp having so much increased, the articles in common daily demand have rapidly been sold. The Camp Leaders keep the accounts, and the profits are employed for the benefit of the prisoners.

The number of British books in the library is still rather small. A list of the various books for recreational and educational reading which the prisoners would like to have has been sent to Geneva.

The theatre, the orchestra and the cinema continue to function satisfactorily; they are perfectly adequate to the needs of the prisoners.

The organisation of intellectual activities has been prevented from developing by the continual increase in the camp strength. It has been, above all things necessary to organise the food supplies and housing accommodation. The question of intellectual activities will be resumed shortly.

Prisoners of all nationalities have provision made for their spiritual welfare. The Indians have not yet any special rooms for the observance of their various creeds, but these will shortly be provided.

There are no Labour Detachments depending on this Camp. All the prisoners who have been attached to Labour Detachments have been sent to other camps.

The Indian prisoners have not yet received any home news. The censorship of correspondence for prisoners of other nationalities takes rather a long time. Apart from this no complaints were made.

Discipline is rather difficult to maintain in this camp on account of the presence here of prisoners of so many different nationalities. Certain incidents have recently been reported: the prisoners have not behaved respectfully to the German authorities. The British N.C.O's basing their behaviour on Article 18 of the Geneva Convention, have absolutely refused to salute a German N.C.O. they argue that, in their own Army, N.C.O'.s are not in the habit of saluting one another. The German authorities, nevertheless, insist that a German N.C.O. on duty shall be saluted in all cases by an N.C.O. who is a prisoner, even if the latter is of superior rank to the former. Two N.C.O's, a British Sergeant, Thomson Jones No.227805 and Corporal Paulton No.251911, were struck by a German N.C.O. for having refused to salute him.

The detention cells are rather dark, as they are only indirectly lighted; it is difficult to read or write in these places, but the prisoners are allowed to do so. Also they walk for one hour a day under escort by sentries.

This interview touched on all the points already mentioned in this report. The various questions set out below were raised in the final interview which the delegates had with the Commandant of the Camp.

1) The British officers have been in the Stalag for the past seven weeks; their quarters are neither satisfactory nor suitable to their rank. Reply It has twice been proposed to the High Security Command to transfer the British officers elsewhere. These officers ought to be transferred to Oflag VIII F. This question will be particularly stressed with the High Security Command.

2) The Indian N.C.O's who have been at the Camp for two months, have been shut up in their huts for one month; they are not allowed to use the sports grounds. Reply These N.C.O's were transferred to this Camp for disciplinary reasons. Later on the sports grounds will be available to them.

3) The light in the huts is very bad, it is practically impossible to read or write in the evening. Reply A hut shall be put at the disposal of the British in which they can be in the evenings, in which the lighting is good.

4) The installations for the preparation of collective parcels are not sufficiently numerous. Reply New kitchen installations will be constructed as far as this is possible.

5) The British would like to have a depot in which to store their reserve supplies of collective parcels. Reply The necessary rooms will be put at their disposal.

6) The Camp Leaders do not have unrestricted liberty in the distribution of collective parcels. The Administrative authorities reserve to themselves a certain amount of control. Reply They shall in future have complete liberty in this respect.

7) All the British ought to have two uniforms each and to check and entirely administer the reserve stocks of clothing. Reply This shall be permitted them.

8) The boots of the British airmen have been confiscated as well as some of their boots, (not special kinds). Reply The boots of air-men are considered to be booty of war. The other boots shall be given back to them.

9) Two British N.C.O's were struck because they did not salute a German N.C.O. Reply These incidents are known. This shall never happen again. But the German authorities, nevertheless, insist that the British N.C.O's must salute German N.C.O's who are on duty. After some discussion on the subject of Article 18 of the Geneva Convention, the German authorities agreed to take the opinion of the High Security Command on this point. In any case, the matter shall be taken up.

10) It appears that the doctors do not always get the regulation number of walks. Reply The German authorities are not unaware of this fact; they will do what is required so that the doctor may enjoy their rights in this matter.

Stalag IV B remains rather poor. One has, however, to take into account the special conditions which obtain in this Camp, and it seems likely that under the excellent supervision of the present Commandant it will soon meet all requirements.

For lack of the necessary time, the delegates did not visit the lazaret in much detail; they confined themselves to a short interview with the head-doctor.

The lazaret at present contains 229 patients (about 100 cases of tuberculosis, 60 surgical cases and the rest medical cases). The medical staff consists of 4 doctors and some medical orderlies.

The head doctor, Captain Benitt e [name repeated as written], is very competent. The surgeon does all the urgent operations in a small, but adequate operating theatre. He has enough drugs and instruments for his use.

The delegates particularly concerned themselves to enquire about the British patients. These are altogether satisfied with the treatment given them. A French interpreter makes their interviews with the doctors easier. The delegates obtained the Commandant's agreement to the transfer of a British medical orderly to the lazaret.

STALAG IV B Visited 13 November Camp Leaders Mayers Jac Sergeant 122 Webb R Lieutenant colonel 228242 Doctor Whyte Major 249172 Karam Singh Sergeant Indian 5297 Strength 5147 British arrived short time ago of whom 166 Indians 4 doctors 11 chaplains 16 medical orderlies, of the total 7092 prisoners. In transit 175 officers 2 doctors a few chaplains who arrived 8 September and will be sent Oflag VIII F Sailors already transferred to Marlag-milag Airmen to Stalag Luft III 23 officers to Oflag IX A. Several Indian officers under punishment have come from Stalag IV D/Z. Ventilation good in spite of overcrowding heating sufficient but lighting defective lack of comforts food rations controlled Indians able to prepare own meals regular parcels controlled by camp leaders reserve of 21,000 parcels enough for seven weeks Indians receive weekly parcels clothing medium not all in possession of two uniforms. Sanitary installations satisfactory but infirmary small 160 British slightly ill properly fitted dental quarters pleasure organised but no religious life. Indians without news from families censor slow discipline medium places of detention badly lit remarks of delegates to provide immediately improvement noted. Lazaret 43 British of whom 2 Cypriots 4 Indians satisfactorily cared for. Please transmit to Netherland Vandergisson 97201. Strength 650 Dutch 2 clergymen 9 medical orderlies. During two months in camp only one parcel consignment received new consignment desired. Arrested in civilian clothes now issued with officers uniforms of other nationalities excepting NCOs. General conditions similar to those of the British Infirmary 46 slightly ill Lazaret 34 graver cases.

RESERVELAZARET HOHENSTEIN ERNSTTHAL H 57 Visited 8 November Camp Leader Sergeant Stakol George 64. Strength 405 sick of whom 21 British 1 Indian accommodation sufficient food good gastric cases receive special diet clothing good footwear defective hygiene and medical care satisfactory dental care medium discipline excellent.

STALAG IV D Visited 11 November Camp Leader Trooper King A S P 223968. For three weeks camp strength Stalag 35451 prisoners of whom 3061 British of whom 56 in Infirmary 1 doctor 9 medical orderlies 344 Dutch of whom 9 in Infirmary please transmit to Netherland Government London. Accommodation good heating to be improved food good prepared by the prisoners clothing in good order in camp but defective in detachments. Canteen well stocked hygiene medical care excellent no British deaths numerous distractions heavy work in industry discipline good.

DETACHMENT SCHLIEBEN HERZEBERG Strength 112 Sikhs Camp Leader L/Cpl Karam Singh 6248. 79 Hindus Camp Leader S M Shojam Singh 5704. 88 Mohammedans Camp Leader Pte Amir Zaman 5937.

DETACHMENT JESSEN Strength 10 Nepalese 2 Darjeelings Camp Leader Gurkhas Naik Dund Raz 6775.

DETACHMENT FASERWERK Strength 13 Gurkhas 11 Hindus Camp Leader L/Cpl Nain Singh Gurung 7568.

DETACHMENT SCHLIEBEN Strength 86 Hindus 2 Gurkhas 40 Sikhs 2 Christians Camp Leader Pte. Budhoo Rom 5497.

All detachments visited 12 November. Accommodation adequate new barracks of wood or stone 2 blankets per man no complaints concerning food work 8/9 hours daily state of clothing varies according to detachment. Sanitary installations rudimentary generally speaking good detachments.

STALAG IV D/Z Visited 15 November Camp Leader Indian Sergeant Ditta Ram 5795. Strength 2779 Indians of whom 1801 in camp 37 in infirmary 22 in hospitals 4 doctor 8 medical orderlies. Camp Leader caster Madrasi and Christians Sergeant Arumainayage 5951/Sikhs Naik Assa Singh 5264 Gurkhas Sergeant Kishen Bahadur 5722 Maharettas Sergeant Chander Alve Ram 5759 Jats Tats Sergeant Durga Passhad 4610 Mahommedans Naik Lugman Khan 6485. Accommodation fair each prisoner has 3 blankets two of which insufficient. About 30 Indians to each room warmed with one and a half buckets of coal daily. Food good prepared by 10 Indians under supervision German NCO. Rations augmented for heavy workers. 6 ovens for cooking food from Red Cross parcels. Small canteen sells drinks Camp Leader controls parcels. Actual stock 62,000 food parcels ebbing reserve for 21 weeks. Condition of clothes good provided by the Red Cross hygiene satisfactory hot showers daily. 3 doctors give good treatment to sick General health good Civilian dentist gives excellent dental treatment. Regular religious services all denominations using small chapel. Library of 500 books in English Various sports and games. Every three weeks prisoners are allowed to assist at a cinemashow. Correspondence slow work very heavy 9 to 10 hours daily discipline good satisfactory camp.