Stalag IVC

Strength 5378 British (36 of whom are at the Main Camp) who are subdivided as follows:-

1 Greek (who prefers to remain in captivity with the British rather than to be re-patriated)

Note Twenty Camp Leaders, representing some 3,500 British prisoners, 600 among whom were Cypriots, had an opportunity to interview the Delegates of the International Red Cross Committee during two reunions held by them in two of their Labour Detachments which were visited. These Camp Leaders furnished detailed information in regard to the living conditions of the prisoners in the various detachments they represented; they brought forward some grievances which the delegates passed onto the German authorities at the Stalag. During their final interview, many of the points at issue were able to be settled.

During the interview that the delegates had with the Main Camp Leader of the Stalag (without witnesses) before their final interview with the authorities, the same questions and the same requests were considered. This is why all questions affecting British prisoners in general in this collection of camps have been dealt with in but one report comprising them all. The Camp Leader is very well informed as to all that happens in all the Detachments for which he is responsible as all district Camp Leaders report to the base camp once a week.

Labour Detachments visited or Camp Leaders with whom the delegates had interviews:

Camp

Kolumbus 51

Tschausch III

Lager 46

Reichbahn Bauhof I

Lager 27B

Lager 28B

Stadtkaserne

7 Detachments

in same district

Detachment 167

Detachment 202

Camp Leader

Corporal G. Brunton

No. 224018

Sergeant M. Callanan

No. 2233353

Gunner V.C. Stillwell

No. 95819

Lance-Corporal Hindle

No. 258302

Corporal Harnden

No. 94357

Sergeant Nicholas Kyriskides

No. 94357

Man who is the District Camp

Leader Sergeant Mehmen H.

Kavaz, No. 94281

Sergeant X

Sergeant Harry Winter

No. 95764

Strength

1110 British

650 British

60 British

530 British

500 British

70 Cypriots

440 Cypriots

9 British

71 Cypriots

41 British

11 Cypriots

On the whole the living accommodation is satisfactory both at the Camp and in the Labour Detachments. Nearly all the prisoners are housed in wooden huts, which are in good condition. At Detachment 202, however, the room where the prisoners sleep is too small and the windows cannot be kept open at night; moreover, the 52 prisoners there have only one babies bath supplied with two taps in which to wash themselves. In many Detachments the blankets (two per man) are in a very poor condition. In three Detachments disinfection is very badly needed, as the hygienic conditions thereof are very bad; bugs swarm there. These Detachments are Nos. 394 A, 395 B. and 165 B. At Detachments Stadtkaserne there are only two taps and one shower-bath (supplied with hot water three times a week) for the use of 120 men, which is obviously insufficient.

There is nothing special to report in regard to this. The food of the prisoners consists to about 2/3rds of its extent of food from collective parcels.

The clothing situation is not as satisfactory as it is in most other camps. The explanation for this is that many of the prisoners arrive from Italy without anything and have to be entirely re-equipped. During the autumn of 1943 nearly 4000 prisoners arrived. This made the clothing problem a particularly difficult one to solve. 60 to 65% of the men have, in fact, only one uniform and several of them are dressed in the clothing of an army of a nationality different from their own; even these men who possess two uniforms have but one which is in decent condition. There are at present no reserve stocks at the Stalag. What is particularly, and urgently needed, is more trousers.

It should be mentioned that nearly all these men, having specially dirty work to do, (more particularly those who work in mines), possess working outfits.

Clothing There are at present no reserves in hand at the Stalag, and the Camp Leader urgently appeals for:-

Food parcels The Stalag is at present well stocked with Red Cross food parcels. There are enough in hand for approximately 10 weeks' consumption. Cigarette and tobacco parcels do not arrive in the same proportion as standard parcels. 224 Tobacco parcels are needed to complete the Stalag reserves in proportion to the food parcels in hand. The Main Camp Leader, as well as the Camp Leaders of Labour Detachments, checks and distributes collective parcels freely. These no longer arrive at regular intervals in trucks bearing Geneva or Singen seals, but are opened from time to time at the station at Egger, being then re-sealed after some parcels have been removed. The Camp Leader has proof that this irregular proceeding takes place at Egger station, and the employees of the State Railway at Teplitz can confirm the fact. The disappearances of parcels have - up to now - been very small, but it is to be feared that they may increase if the matter is not regulated at once. To give but one example: 12 parcels were missing from truck No. 31359, received on the 10th March 1944, which did not bear the regulation seal. The delegates have reported these facts to the German authorities of the Stalag, who will hold an enquiry and take the requisite steps.

The Store-paces of the Stalag are insufficient for the storage of parcels arriving from Geneva. These are therefore, in most cases, immediately divided among the various Labour Detachments, by the means of a French Red Cross truck which the French Camp Leader kindly lends to his British comrades for the purpose.

Some remarks in regard to hygiene have already been made under the heading "Accommodation".

On the whole, the British prisoners in this Stalag are in good health. No epidemics have occurred.

Seven British doctors, whose names have been given above, are divided among the largest of the detachments. They give their comrades the necessary medical attention. For this purpose they have the use of suitably equipped infirmaries. Dressings and drugs come, chiefly, from the Red Cross. In detachments which have not access to a British doctor or one of some other nationality who is a prisoner, it is rather difficult for the men to get the necessary time to consult the available German civilian doctor, which their conditions necessitates. The Heads of Labour Detachments often put obstacles in the way of prisoners wishing to consult a doctor; they decide themselves whether a prisoner should or should not go to see the doctor; as a general rule they base their decisions on the patient's temperature; any prisoner not having a high temperature is considered not to be unwell. The prisoners think, moreover, that a number of them who are allowed to visit a doctor is limited; the heads of detachments systematically oppose any system which would allow more than an unvarying maximum of from 2 to 3 men to visit the doctor daily. For instance, at Labour Detachment No. 202, the Cypriot prisoner Caralambos, No. 94698 received a blow in the eye from a stone while he was at work; he had to wait for 5 days before he was able to go to a doctor for examination (in this case to a French doctor) although he wanted to consult a medical man on the day the accident occurred. The French doctor, thinking the case was a very serious one, sent him straightaway to an oculist-specialist, who said that the eye would actually be lost, for lacking of being attended to early enough after it was injured. The delegates, of course, reported to the German authorities all the cases which were brought to their notice and they were assured that orders are given to all heads of detachments to allow all patients, without exception, facilities for obtaining the medical attention to which they are entitled.

Captain Neale, NZMC, who is attached to the large Detachment known as Kolumbus 51, which was visited by the delegates, drew their attention to the fact that they have 8 to 10 prisoners permanently in the Infirmary for treatment, who are suffering from malarial relapses. Prisoners - who number about 50, who contracted malaria during the campaign in Sardinia, received no appropriate treatment during the first 5 months of their captivity in Germany. It is only since last month that the doctor has had any atebrin with which to treat this class of patients. These patients are subject to regularly recurring bouts of fever, but are employed as miners in a Lignite mine in a high temperature and the doctor regards it as prejudicial to their health, which is already in a precarious condition, that they should be subject to abrupt changes of temperature which exist between the air down the mines and the surface atmosphere. During the final interview which the delegates had with the German authorities they were assured that they would sympathetically consider the non-employment of prisoners subject to malarial relapses, except on surface work at the mines.

Following the same line of thought, the delegates mention that at Labour Detachment 27 B, many prisoners suffering from chronic pulmonary complaints, such as emphysema, bronchitis, etc, are employed in the S.T.W. Works, on work which is in a very dust-laden atmosphere. The German authorities will try to accede to the request of the delegates that these men shall be employed in some kind of work which is less deleterious to the respiratory system.

Most of the Labour Detachments attached to Stalag IV C are doing ground-levelling. Some small detachments work in industrial enterprises which do not directly assist the German war effort. The prisoners at Camp Kolumbus 51 are employed in a local lignite mine.

In most respects the working conditions of the prisoners are the same as those of civilian workmen. No bad treatment of the prisoners is reported. On an average, the men work a 9 to 12 hour day. Nearly all the prisoners of all detachments are only free on every other Sunday and are not given alternative rest days to compensate for the loss of the intermediate Sunday on which they have to work. The prisoners do not complain of the work which they have to do - which they say is not unhealthy, nor unusually arduous although only a very small proportion of the men working as miners have done this kind of work before. But they say that they have not enough time to rest or to wash their clothes. At the lignite mine, the miners work 8 hours a day, but, at the end of the day, they have to wait down the mine for at least an hour longer, not being able to come to the surface until all the civilian workers have ascended.

It must, however, be reported that at Detachment 27 B, where the prisoners are employed in all kinds of ground levelling, most of them are away from their camp for 14 hours a day. They leave the camp, at 5 o'clock in the morning, march for an hour in order to reach their place of employment, commence to work at 6 o'clock and do not finish until 6 o'clock in the evening, with intervals for meals; then they march back to their camp, which takes another hour; thus the time taken in going to and from work is not included in the daily working hours computed.

As a general rule the prisoners are paid the regulation wages, that is to say, they receive a minimum of 70 pfennigs per day.

It is reported, however, that the prisoners at Camp Kolumbus-Schlacht, were only paid 30 pfennigs a day during January 1944, and 50 pfennigs a day since the beginning of February. The prisoners at Labour Detachment Teplitz 9, moreover, do not receive more than 50 pfennigs a day. The German authorities explained that these new rates of pay, which have been in force for a month or two, are the result of the application of the new scale of wages fixed by the "Arbeits-front" (Labour Front). According to this new scale, prisoners will only, in future receive 70 pfennigs a day if they do what is considered to be 100% work. Wages will be fixed proportionately to the percentage of work done, in future.

There were no special observations made on this score; discipline is exercise in a normal way.

Letters arrive with normal speed. Individual parcels, however, particularly those containing cigarettes, only arrive at their destinations, in a very small proportion. They complaint is now general for most British prisoners in Germany. Cases have been cited of prisoners who have received but 10% - or even, in some instances, but 5% - of individual parcels which their relatives say they have sent them. Enormous total quantities of tobacco and cigarettes are lost in this way. The delegates report the recommendation of the Camp Leaders that Geneva should try to stop the sending of individual parcels of tobacco and cigarettes and to double the quantities of such things sent through the medium of collective parcels.

Stalag IV C has no British chaplain although all the British appeal for one. The Commandant assured the delegates that steps are being taken with a view to obtaining the appointment of two chaplains to the camp.

The Libraries are well-stocked with books in English but lack books in Greek or Turkish for the use of Cypriot prisoners, of whom a thousand are present in the Camp.

The following requests were made, in regard to the intense theatrical and musical activities in the camp - being for materials and accessories needed:-

The various British Camps of Stalag IV C are well installed and well organised. The German authorities consider sympathetically the various requests submitted to them, and assure the delegates that they will attend to the settlement of points under dispute without delay.

No alteration of the accommodation for patients or medical staff has occurred at the lazaret since it was last visited by the delegates. The number of beds has remained the same. The requirements of this amp have however noticeably increased. Since the autumn of 1943 the number of patients has risen on account of the arrival at the Stalag of about 4,000 British prisoners and 15,000 of another nationality. It is, more particularly, the latter category which affects the lazaret; their number rises and falls in the proximity of 100 and they always remain longer than prisoners of any other nationality. There are, as a result, no days on which doctors do not find themselves obliged to send men back to their detachments from the infirmaries in which they are being treated, because they need space for others. To give but one example: on the morning of the delegates' visit, Colonel Blinman Bull was obliged to refuse admission to a patient who was not British, who was not suffering from an anal abscess. It must of course, be understood that all the most urgent cases are at once hospitalised, the less serious ones being removed to make room for them.

The patients are grouped according to the nature of their maladies and not by nationality, as there are not enough wards to render this possible. Most of the beds are individual bedsteads furnished with mattresses for the more serious cases, and palliasses for the less severe one. The bedding is changed at regular intervals. Except for one ward, which is rather dark, where some surgical cases are lodged, the wards are light, sunny and clean.

The number of latrines has now been increased to equal the number of wash-places, so that they now just suffice for the needs of the patients and medical staff.

The patients are able to take two showerbaths a week, while the doctors can take showerbaths at will.

Prisoners prepare meals in the kitchen of the main building, and diets are prepared in a small kitchen installed in the quarters of the medical section, which are quite close at hand. The patients and the medical staff have access to these two kitchens at stated times, in order to cook individual dishes. This arrangement appears to be adequate to the needs of the people concerned but there is often, as a result of transport difficulties, a shortage of the necessary fuel. The prisoner-doctors, state, however, that the German Head Doctor does all that he can to combat these temporary deficiencies.

When their conditions necessitates it, patients receive what is known as the "small" diet, which is a light one consisting of white bread, skimmed milk, butter, rice and some meat.

All patients receive a set of hospital pyjamas on arrival at the lazaret; 60% of the medical orderlies wear white nursing overalls. The medical staff are suitably clad. Collective clothing parcels come from Stalag IV C upon which this lazaret depends.

Patients of all nationalities are attended by a New Zealander surgeon and by three doctors of another nationality, one of whom is a surgeon and all of whom are very competent. The medical men are given complete professional liberty, and the Staff-doctor in charge does absolutely all he can to help them to carry out their work in any way which they think fit.

With its qualified medical staff, its adequate installations, its fairly complete stock of instruments and drugs, and the benevolent sympathy of the German head doctor, this lazaret has every facility for the good treatment of patients.

Since the installation of a suitable operating theatre, this hospital even undertakes all necessary surgical interventions. The sterilisation of operation linen and dressings is done three times a week at the civilian hospital at Düx. Either to ten operations a week - on an average - are performed. 95% of the wounds heal by first intention. The surgical section comprises about 70 beds.

Dressings are far from plentiful; the drugs issued are very strictly rationed. The doctors would particularly like to receive:

All patients for examination by the Mixed Medical Commission are sent to Stalag IV C where the Staff-doctor still, unfortunately, evinces a severity which is prejudicial to the welfare of the prisoners.

The British prisoners have no chaplain, as the Stalag has no padre attached to it. The German camp authorities assured the delegates that a request has just been made for two British chaplains for Stalag IV C and its dependencies.

The Library contains enough works in the English language. With regard to indoor games, there are enough, but the patients have no room in which they can lounge when they are convalescent.

The medical staff can play football three times a week, on a neighbouring playing-field.

Doctors and medical orderlies are all provided with passes enabling them to take walks within a distance of not more than 5 kms from the lazaret, when they have free time.

Only two correspondence forms were issued in the month of April. In normal times, the medical staff and the patients are allowed the regulation amount of correspondence forms.

This is maintained without recourse to unduly severe measures. The relations between the German authorities and the prisoners are good.

British prisoners are serviced direct from Geneva, but the consignments from there are very irregularly delivered and do not suffice for the requirements of the lazaret. As he has no reserves worth mentioning in hand, the Camp Leader has, on more than one occasion, found himself in an embarrassing situation. For instance:-

The last consignment from Geneva, despatched on the 25th of January 1944 and received on the 25th of March 1944 comprised:

since then nothing has arrived at the lazaret. His reserve stocks being exhausted at the end of March, the Camp Leader felt obliged to appeal to the British Camp Leader of Stalag IV C, who sent him, at the beginning of April:

On the 15th of April, the reserves of the lazaret, which - in reality - represent merely what is owing by way of repayment of loan to the Stalag, only consisted of:

This is just enough to cover one weekly parcel distribution. And no new delivery of parcels is expected,

As the above figures show, the food situation of British prisoners in this lazaret is far from secure, and both Lieutenant Colonel Bull and the Camp Leader are anxious in regard thereto.

This was brought to the notice of the Relief Division of the International Red Cross Committee. It must however, be remembered that this Division has to cope with very great transport difficulties and other technical problems and that it is at the moment giving them comprehensive consideration.

Report shows arrangements for sick prisoners Stalag IV C grossly inadequate and indicate complete neglect their essential needs particularly:

1. Leipzig infirmary: totally inadequate and bad bedding arrangements; no facilities bathing or cooking Red Cross food. Sick only able to see doctors twice weekly, many must walk long distances. Medical examinations under unsatisfactory conditions.

2. Bad Lausick infirmary: bedlinen unchanged for six weeks. Latrines in disgraceful condition.

3. Wurzen infirmary; overcrowded and badly ventilated. Inadequate arrangements for sterilisation instruments, cooking and bathing.

4. Insufficient medical orderlies and generally unsatisfactory medical attention in work camps.

Request urgent representations to German Government regarding above flagrant breaches Article 14 of Prisoners of War Convention and press for immediate remedies.

COPY OF TELEGRAM FROM INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE, GENEVA TO DELEGATE, LONDON SENT 12TH MAY 1944 RECEIVED 15th MAY 1944.

Annexe Oflag IV B visited 17th April 105 prisoners undergoing punishment of whom 12 are British 1 a Cypriot 1 a South-African. Preventive detention lasts about 4 weeks. Accommodation hygiene good Weekly showerbaths Mail irregular One hour's walk daily in courtyard Work various kinds Rations regulation but inadequate Food parcels rare Camp Leaders activities limited Camp Leader often changed Camp Leader not undergoing detention and to be permanent will be nominated in order to improve management of food parcels and relations with various Stalags or direct with Geneva.

Stalag IV A 16th April Camp Leader Sergeant Raymond Smith 15734 Strength out of 23782 prisoners 3917 British of whom 41 Australians 55 New Zealanders 14 Canadians 45 Indians 301 South-Africans 55 Irish 40 Cypriots 1 Egyptian 2 Palestinians plus 16 doctors 2 chaplains 103 medical orderlies. 48 at camp 613 in lazarets Many Labour Detachments Accommodation comfortable camp in a castle Reserve supplies of clothing need competition Canteen poor No grave cases illness Correspondence normal Discipline normal Good general impression Interview with some Camp Leaders of Detachments Camp Leader for District William Adams, Generally speaking accommodation camps satisfactory Huts of wood of usual kind about 5 prisoners to a room No vermin Sanitary installations adequate Lockers for personal belongings Menus can be checked Fuel for preparation individual dishes scarce Clothing good Distributions regular Representative (Camp Leaders) administer all parcels - one weekly per head. No difficulty in regard to medical consultations Some medical orderlies allotted each Detachment. Work 8 to 10 hours daily consists of levelling ground repair to metalled way of railways postal sorting Two Sundays monthly free Average page 30 marks Prisoners well treated. One chaplain for 6 detachments. Many books Inadequate Sport grounds Mail normal Authorities benevolent will consider acting on suggestions of delegates. Medical orderlies will receive permission to take walks freely.

Stalag IV C 19th April Camp Leader Dick Cond (sic) Hilton (British) 95543 Same Cypriot Camp Leader as before (i.e. Jack Hadjivannou No.94286 trans.) Strength Total 32315 of whom 5378 are British 36 being at camp 36 in Lazarets Accommodation food clothing - no alteration No complaints Serious cases of illness taken to good local hospital. Work - administrative in camp itself. Pay normal Sports much indulged in everywhere Discipline good Camp Leader administers all parcels. Interview with 20 Camp Leaders from Detachments depending on this Stalag Strength 5378 British of whom 600 South-Africans 1 Canadian 30 Australians 4 New Zealanders 1 American 1 Greek 1020 Cypriots Accommodation satisfactory Wooden huts in good condition Some improvements necessary in installations Camp Leaders administer all parcels Rations regulation Two-thirds nourishment comes from parcels of whom there is a stock sufficient for 10 weeks Clothing situation less good than elsewhere in view of numerous arrivals from Italy and lack of reserve supplies at Stalag. Urgent need of trousers Miners receive working outfits General health good throughout No epidemics 7 doctors divided between detachments Infirmary has room for dressings and drugs from Red Cross Three dental posts Good civilian dentists for whole Stalag Sometimes medical consultations difficult for some badly served detachments Authorities will intervene to remedy.

Infirmary Detachment Kolumbus 51 10 cases of paludism (? marsh-fever ? trans.) undergoing treatment, among 50 men who contracted it in Sardinia. Badly cared for for 5 first months in German Authorities will order for these cases work on surface at mines only and for prisoners suffering from lung troubles which are chronic work in better conditions. As a general rule work consists levelling ground usual conditions obtain as common at present time Treatment of prisoners good Two Sundays monthly free. Pay 70 pfennigs daily Discipline normal Mail normal except cigarette parcels Steps being taken to obtain two chaplains Library well stocked except for Cypriots who are asking for books in Greek and Turkish Leisure well organised.

Stalag IV F 22 April Camp Leader Aubrey Neale 63 Strength out of 24,035 prisoners 4355 British of whom 25 are Australians 6 Canadians 260 South-Africans 60 Cypriots 69 U.S.A. 25 at camp 139 at Infirmary and lazarets 3 doctors 11 medical orderlies. Camp excellent Rations checked of good quality except potatoes. British arrived from Italy October 1943 with clothing in bad condition Uniforms incomplete Leisure organised Work Administrative in camp Pay 34 to 42 marks Camp Leader administers parcels unrestrictedly There is a reserve stock of 6000 Canadian parcels and there are 6300 Bulk Argentine parcels Mail normal Discipline excellent Interview with Camp Leaders of some detachments: Accommodation in general satisfactory improvements promised to some defects in housing Meals liked but no check on quantities which are insufficient but completed by contents of food parcels sent. Clothing in bad condition Medical attention too limited Camp Leaders manage all parcels coming monthly from Stalag No chaplain Work 10 to 12 hours daily Pay 70 pfennig Discipline good.

Reservelazarett Elsterhorst 15 April Same Camp Leader (i.e. Lieutenant Colonel Leslie E le Souif - Australian Army Medical Corps. No.8345. trans). Patients 408 Majority tuberculars of whom 245 British 3 U.S.A. Ten doctors 54 medical orderlies and British assistants Excellent Installations, rations normal plus extras for tuberculars Porridge 1/2 a litre of milk white bread German head doctor will try to obtain fresh vegetables twice a week. Kitchen equipment will be completed to allow preparation of individual dishes. Clothing good condition Tailor's repair-shop will be opened. Parcels arrivals irregular Reserves in hand inadequate if delays should occur. Consignment of 25 March arrived on time Reserve supplies of food parcels in hand for 5 weeks Invalid ditto 14 weeks Indian parcels 4 months Necessity to constitute reserve of other kinds of parcels sufficient for 3 months. Store room planned Discipline good Authorities benevolent. Mail normal Lazaret well-run.

Reservelazarett Bilin 18 April Same Camp-Leader (i.e. Nicos Dracopoulos No.94159. trans.) and doctor (i.e. Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Blinman Bull, N.Z.M.C. No.23925. trans.) Strength 242 patients of whom 38 British 2 medical orderlies No change save considerable increase in strength Good general conditions Weekly showerbaths Extra taps and latrines Food good Diets, white bread skimmed milk butter rice meat Parcels sent direct from Geneva not yet numerous enough Necessary to make larger despatches to build up a reserve. This will be done. Clothing suitable Installations and treatments adequate Staff qualified Some drugs however rationed. Authorities taking steps to obtain two chaplains Medical orderlies enjoy privilege of taking walks within radius of 5 kilometres after working hours Excellent lazaret Geneva studying various requests made and mentioned in course of reports.

Here follows information in regard to 4 camps which contain only Netherlands P/W which are therefore no included (Trans)