Stalag IVB

Translation by the London Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

British Camp Leader (who also acts for the Americans) - Jack MEYERS, No. 122 (III E).

The above figures are those given by the German authorities and vary to some extent with those given by the Camp Leaders, i.e. 7824 Anglo-Americans. This is of no great importance as, from one day to another, there are changes in this Stalag which is a large transit camp, without labour detachments.

The Americans, who are all newcomers to Stalag IV B, have no Camp Leader and are looked after by the British Camp Leader.

Situation and Accommodation - There have been no changes in the camp installation since the last visit. The prisoners are now very crowded; according to the Camp Leader's figures, prisoners in the huts have 4 cubic metres space per man. Each hut is divided into two parts with 216 men on one side and 180 men on the other; the wash basins are placed in the middle.

This being a transit camp, it is particularly difficult to keep the huts in order as they are not always used by prisoners of the same nation. Parts of some of the beds are missing, a great many window panes are broken. Prisoners have taken parts from beds for firewood and as material is not replaced in camps, new arrivals suffer in consequence.

Further, Camp Leaders state that the water pressure in the camp is very low. Also, the amount of fuel issued is very small, 50 Kg. per day for 4 stoves; this quantity has to suffice for heating a whole hut and for cooking food from personal parcels.

Food - Rations issued by the Detaining Power are the same as in other P.O.W. camps; in this respect also, prisoners bitterly complain of the inadequate quantities provided which are more apparent at the present moment when collective and individual supplies from outside sources are greatly decreasing.

Clothing - The British Camp Leader also attends to the needs of American prisoners coming from the Western Front; they arrive in the camp nearly destitute and the Camp Leader has not sufficient stocks to meet the needs of prisoners in transit since the invasion. More than 10,000 men have passed through the camp since last summer. Owing to this fact, new arrivals remain for several days and even weeks very badly clothed. It is to be hoped that large stocks could be provided.

The exchange of articles of clothing by the German authorities in charge of clothing stores is becoming rare. On account of this, Camp Leaders have to depend entirely on supplies received through the International Committee of the Red Cross; generally speaking, the present stocks are quite inadequate for a transit camp as prisoners arriving from the West are quite destitute.

Food consignments - On the day of the visit, the Camp Leader held the follow stocks-

Food parcels on hand

Tobacco

Medical Parcels

Soap and Disinfectant

Invalid Milk

Diet Supplement

887

nil

354

2265

7539

Canteen - All articles for purchase are becoming rare and there is a very irregular supply of articles for common use.

Medical attention - hygiene - Sanitary installations in the camp are satisfactory; the sole complaint is with regard to the very feeble water which is a great hindrance to the prisoners and specially to the infirmary.

Several doctors give medical attention with a good installation for a normal camp strength. At present, the infirmary is overcrowded by numerous prisoners of other nationalities in transit. On the day of the visit the number of patients in the infirmary included (among others) 100 British.

On account of the temporary overcrowding, numerous prisoners suffering from slight complaints remain in the usual camp huts.

For the moment, doctors lack medical supplies, caused principally by the arrival of numerous sick and wounded. The most urgent needs are Gauze Bandages, Sparablanc, Tincture of Iodine, Alcohol, Calcium Salt.

Doctors complain of the difficulties encountered in carrying sick p.o.w. from the station to the camp, 4 km. away. Transport is very long and effected under difficult conditions with hand stretchers. The doctors would like to have covered stretchers on wheels as there are no ambulance cars in the camp. During the final interview, the Delegate was under the impression that this desire would not be granted as the German authorities stated that transport conditions for German troops in the region were similar to those accorded to p.o.w.

Men are seldom registered as unfit for service in the camp; they are usually examined in hospitals or in neighbouring camps; on principle, the unfit for service make a very short stay at Stalag IV B.

A general complaint was made by dentists of all nations concerning the ruling by German authorities by which, apparently, only the workers among the prisoners of war should be provided with dentures. During the final interview, the German authorities affirmed that this was not the case.

Mail - Mail for p.o.w. of all the various nations arrived irregularly or not at all. On the other hand, for the majority, replies never arrive at the camp as the men do not stay there long enough.

Work and Pay - Prisoners in this camp do not work; those employed on light work for the camp needs raised no complaints.

Camp pay (Lagergeld) has been changed into RM following an order from the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht.

Recreation and intellectual needs - Regular religious services are held; organised recreation continues as before. The German authorities rarely intervene in these questions.

Discipline - Relations between the German authorities and prisoners of war are apparently correct for the whole of the camp.

Conclusion - Conditions at Stalag IV B are satisfactory for a camp serving as a large transit camp.

STALAG IV B VISIT NOVEMBER 23rd SEE REPORT JULY 3rd SAME REPRESENTATIVES OUT OF 11532 PRISONERS 7262 BRITISH OF WHICH 2 OFFICERS 5497 NCO 6 DOCTORS 3 CHAPLAINS 1190 DUTCH OF WHICH 1 OFFICER 1062 NCO 1 DOCTOR 4 CHAPLAINS CAMP STILL OVERCROWDED ABOUT 4 CUBIC METRES PER MAN BAD CONDITION FEEBLE WATER SUPPLY HEATING INSUFFICIENT RARE CONSIGNMENTS FOOD ACCENTUATES INSUFFICIENT OFFICIAL RATIONS STOCKS CLOTHING INADEQUATE TO EQUIP NUMEROUS POW IN TRANSIT FROM WESTERN FRONT WITHOUT CLOTHING STOP DUTCH STOCK INSUFFICIENT STOP ACTUAL RESERVES 887 FOOD 354 MEDICAL 14 SOAP AND DISINFECTANT 2265 INVALID MILK 7539 DIET SUPPLEMENT 100 SICK BRITISH 28 DUTCH BRITISH DENTIST OBTAINED STOP RECREATION UNCHANGED DISCIPLINE CORRECT FULL STOP

RESERVELAZARETTE LEIPZIG WAHREN VISIT NOVEMBER 25th REPRESENTATIVE RANZIT SHIRKE SGT INDIAN OUT OF 215 POW 46 BRITISH NAMELY 43 SICK 3 DOCTORS TOP 6 INDIANS 10 DUTCH LARGE STONE BUILDING VARIOUS CASES WELL SEPARATED IN DIFFERENT WARDS ANNEXE FOR SLIGHT CASES INSTALLATIONS GOOD DOCTORS SATISFIED WITH RECENT IMPROVEMENTS NO COMPLAINTS ACTUALLY EXCEPT OVERCROWDING AND LACK SUPPLIES BANDAGES COTTONWOOL CALCIUM CALMATIVES FULL STOP

OFLAG IX A/H VISITED NOVEMBER 27th SEE REPORT AUGUST 21st SAME SENIORS EXCEPT HOLLAND R COLONEL 728 LOWER CAMP STRENGTH 459 OFFICERS AND ORDERLIES BRITISH AUSTRALIAN CANADIAN NEW ZEALANDER GENERAL CONDITIONS STILL SATISFACTORY NO COMPLAINTS EXCEPT RESTRICTED HEATING CLOTHING STOCK NEEDS RENEWAL SPECIALLY FOR 70 NEWCOMERS FROM HOLLAND RESERVE PARCELS SUFFICIENT FOR DISTRIBUTION WEEKLY HALF PARCELS UNTIL MIDDLE DECEMBER 65 INVALID DIET ISSUED TO 227 INDIANS RECENTLY ARRIVED STALAG IX A ANXIETY NO FRESH CONSIGNMENTS CORRESPONDENCE DELAYED FULL STOP

OFLAG IX A/Z DITTO SEE REPORT MARCH 11th SENIOR POW GEDEESPACE J LT COL SENIOR BRITISH OFFICER KENNEDY LT. COL. 1196 STRENGTH 549

OUT OF WHICH 403 OFFICER 14 NCO 24 AUSTRALIANS 31 NEW ZEALANDERS 11 SOUTH AFRICANS 11 CANADIANS 10 DOCTORS 5 CHAPLAINS REMAINDER ORDERLIES GENERAL CONDITIONS IDENTIC EXCEPT LIGHTING AND HEATING INSUFFICIENT WEEKLY HOT SHOWER BATH CLOTHING STOCK EXHAUSTED END DECEMBER NEWCOMERS HOLLAND TO BE EQUIPPED RESERVE PARCELS ALLOWS DISTRIBUTION WEEKLY HALF PARCEL UNTIL JANUARY 15th PERSONAL PARCELS MAY AND APRIL NOT ARRIVED STOP 15 SICK INFIRMARY WELL HEATED AND EQUIPPED GENERAL HEALTH EXCELLENT USUAL RECREATION WELL ORGANISED CLASSES WELL ATTENDED 113 RECENT EXAMINATIONS EVERY MAN ACTUALLY RECEIVES ABOUT TEN MONTHLY LETTERS DISCIPLINE CORRECT FULL STOP

STALAG IX C WORKING PARTY 1401 REPRESENTATIVE HAMILTON N 1499 STRENGTH 130 BRITISH EMPLOYED POTASH MINES

WORKING PARTY 1015 REPRESENTATIVE BALLANTYNE A 1913 STRENGTH 140 BRITISH EMPLOYED SALTWORKS

WORKING PARTY 1416 STRENGTH 60 BRITISH EMPLOYED POTASH WORKS GENERAL CONDITIONS SATISFACTORY IN EVERY WAY EXCEPT DISCIPLINE AND TREATMENT BY CHIEF

WORKING PARTY 1015 DELEGATES HAVE OBTAINED OPENING OF ENQUIRY AUTHORITIES STOP EVERYWHERE CLOTHING WORN SHOES BAD NUMEROUS PRISONERS WITHOUT BOOKS LACK REPAIRING MATERIAL FULL STOP

LAZARET STALAG XVII B VISITED DECEMBER 14th SEE REPORT AUGUST 10th 396 SICK OF WHICH BRITISH 4 SURGICAL WARD 4 MEDICAL WARD 1 INFECTIOUS CASE STOP GOOD GENERAL CONDITIONS AS BEFORE EXCEPT WATER SUPPLY INSUFFICIENT DIETS STILL POSSIBLE LAUNDRY DIFFICULT ON ACCOUNT TRANSPORT STOP RATIONS MEDICAL SUPPLIES SUFFICIENT BUT LACK BANDAGES DOCTORS CO-OPERATE WELL STOP TRANSMIT DUTCH VAN KLEFFENS

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 Federal Political Department, Foreign Interests Division, has the honour to make known to His Majesty's Legation that the Swiss Legation at Berlin has made repeated representations to the German Foreign Office to obtain improvements to the conditions prevailing at Stalag IV B & XI A. This Office replied in the following communication:-

The Military High Command have established that the conditions prevailing at Stalag XI A and IV B have been considerably improved, so that it is not intended to dissolve this camp.

The Swiss Legation at Berlin adds that Stalag XI A will be visited on 4th December and that they will not fail to furnish a report on the subject.