CONFIDENTIAL
STALAG IV C
Date of visit: April 22, 1942.
Commander: Oberstlt. Stossier.
The remarks about the Base Camp IV C made in the last report of January 26, 1942 still hold good.
We visited this time Reserve Lazaret Bilin, Work Commando Schwatz II and one of the Kommandos with Cypriots. All the other Work details with Cypriots are in the Reichenberg and Karlsbadregion too far away to be visited this time.
The total of British prisoners in this Stalag is 1723.
Reserve Lazaret Bilin.
German Chief Physician: Oberarzt Dr. Preiss.
Assistant Physician: Lieut. Goessler.
British Man of Confidence: Priv. Dingley Edmund (a Maltese)
The general outlay of this Lazaret is the same as mentioned in the last Report.
There were at the time of the visit 23 British patients, of which 10 English, 10 Cypriots, 1 Australian, 1 Egyptian and 1 Maltese. No British Physician and no British sanitators are in this lazaret which is occupied by French and Yougoslave prisoners (183).
The Lazaret is well filled but cannot be considered as overcrowded.
Washing, bathing and toilet facilities are satisfactory.
The remarks made about kitchen and food in the last report still hold good.
This Lazaret is mostly for internal diseases and only minor surgery is done by a French physician, while three Yougloslave physicians look after the internal cases.
The patient Askikis mentioned in the last report has since been transferred to an Arbeitskommando, where he is doing light work. But he has to come for control to the lazaret every 4-6 weeks. The diagnosis of his case is not yet clear. As to R. Beazley, he has been sent to Leipzig to a special lazaret for tropical diseases. He is most likely suffering from a Sprue.
The English patients are mostly suffering from bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, gastritis, malaria and rheumatism. All infectious diseases including T.B. are immediately transferred to other lazarets.
There is one man not expected to live. His name is Thomas NORMAN, A.N.6088017, P.o.W. 95329. He has for many weeks septic temperatures, an enlarged spleen and anaemia of the secondary type. He will also be transferred to a special lazaret.
No typhus cases occurred in the area of Stalag IV C.
The clothing question was about to be settled the day after the visit and seems to be allright here.
The patients still receive 40 pf. pocket money daily.
Greek books had just arrived and were greatly welcomed by the Cypriot patients.
Mass is read by a French priest for the Catholics. The Y.M.C.A. will be asked to send, if possible, a football, some playing cards, dominos and chess.
The mail is coming regularly for the English patients, while the Cypriots are almost all without news from home.
The stocks of Red Cross parcels are getting quite low, and only about enough parcels for one distribution are left.
No complaints were made, and the Man of Confidence stated that they were treated right.
The general impression is a good one.
Work Camp Schwatz II
British Man of Confidence: Srgt. Wilby.
In this camp are at the present time 135 British prisoners of which about 120 are professional mine workers. The men are working now in 3 eight hour shifts.
1st shift including way to the mine - 5:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
2nd " " " " " " - 1:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
3rd " " " " " " - 9:30 p.m. - 7:30 a.m.
The Sunday work has not changed since the last report.
The interior arrangements are exactly the same as at the time of the last visit. But it must be said that the men do not complain about overcrowdedness. There are never more than 2/3 of the men in the room.
The showers are not available yet, but the material for building a shower room is already here.
Toilet facilities - see last report.
Food and cooking - as in last report, no complaints.
The infirmary is in charge of L.Corp. Dehbyskyre, Wilson, who is considered by the Germans as sanitator and is paid as such, while as a fact he is a L.Corp. of Infantry. The three real sanitators, already mentioned in the last report are not recognised yet.
Condition of health is good, and the medical attention is quite satisfactory. Serious cases are taken by ambulance to Reserve Lazaret Bilin.
The camp is still short of 40 battle dresses. The men have to work in their own uniforms, but the Commander of the Stalag has now asked to send old uniforms, which the men could use for work in the mine.
The Man of Confidence also asked for some boots, about 40 pairs, sizes 7, 8, 9.
The possibility of washing the laundry is quite poor but it is planned to have this arranged when the promised barrack for showers is put up.
The pay is the usual 70 pf. daily.
Canteen: see last report.
There is no religious activity.
For recreation there is a small but well arranged space in front of the building. A sport ground is available but a football is still missing. The Y.M.C.A. will be asked if they could fulfil some of the wishes of the men. They want: football, boxing gloves, Cricket set, accordion, trumpet, banjos; also some cards and dart-boards.
All men get mail from home; the usual complaint about private parcels was made. Red Cross parcels have so far arrived in sufficient number.
The camp has been visited by the Y.M.C.A. The question about cleaning the camp (see last report) has been settled since.
Complaints
1) The British Man of Confidence said that whenever a man receives in a private parcel a pullover or a shirt he is compelled, in case he already has a pullover or 2 shirts to hand the old one over to the camp authorities.
2) The men would like to have one man from the Kommando at the Base Camp as their representative. (This question also refers to other Kommandos under Stalag IV C. The Commandant of the Stalag promised to see what could be done about this.
3) There is one Non-Commissioned Officer in this camp, who claims to be forced to work. His name is: Corp. HAIRE, William, P.o.W. 12612.
4) There are 4 N.C.O. also here who work in the mine, who one day signed that they agreed to work. They claim that they were forced at the time to sign a certain paper. They had asked since to be transferred to a Stalag where they would not have to work, but this was refused to them. It seems, that there exists an order from the O.K.W. that everybody who once signed such a paper could not come back on it. The names of the men are:
St. Srgt. KILEY, Alfred, P.o.W. 95567
Srgt. NAUGHTON, Joseph " 10017
Srgt. EDGAR, James " 10018
Srgt. DAVIS, Robert " 10021
Complaints 1, 3 & 4 will be taken up with the German High Command.
The impression of this Kommando is fairly good. The men stated to be treated right and the relations between the German Feldwebel and the prisoners seem to be quite friendly.
Arbeitskommando Schaufelfabrik
A Lagerkommando in which only Cypriots are working was visited in this Stalag.
There is no real Man of Confidence, but one of the prisoners speaking well English gave all the necessary information.
53 Cypriots are working here in a factory making shovels.
They are quartered in a big room belonging to the factory which looks rather like a basement. While this room would not be considered adequate for English prisoners, the Cypriots are quite satisfied with this lodgement. The room is quite dark and even at daytime electric light has to be kept turned on. The beds are quite primitive of the double-tier type. Straw mattresses and two blankets are available. The place is warm and heated with an iron stove. Each man has a closet for his uniform and his private belongings. A few have a suite case. There is enough space in the room for benches and tables.
A bath or hot showers can be had every two weeks. A toilet is outside the building. This toilet is very primitive but seems to be as good as the toilet facilities the men are accustomed to at home. The Cypriot interpreter called it satisfactory.
Of the 53 prisoners 38 get the "Schwerarbeiterzulage". There was no complaint about the food and it was stated to be well prepared. It is furnished by a Hotel in the village.
A French sanitator looks after the men. He volunteered for this work. He is a student of medicine and made a very good impression. He said that the general health conditions were good. The men reported sick go twice a week to the Base camp, which is in the same village, where they are looked after by a French physician. The infirmary is also at the Base camp. Serious cases are treated at the Reserve Lazaret Bilin. The stock of medicaments in the camp is very poor, but the Stalag infirmary being quite close this is not of great importance. A dentist is available in the village.
The clothing is in a very bad state. Most of the men wear French uniforms. Boots also are very poor. New outfits of cloth, underwear and shoes should as soon as possible be sent here for the 53 men. The men do the laundry themselves.
The usual pay is given to each man. The work consists in shovelling coal and heating the furnaces. It is considered by the men to be very hard work. Each man works for eight hours; some of them at night. Sundays are always free.
A canteen is not in the camp, but the prisoners can freely go to the village without guards and buy whatever is needed and obtainable.
A Cypriot psalist (Cantor) reads services every Sunday.
The Y.M.C.A. will be asked to send, if possible, some games such as Chess, Hamla, Dartboards, Playing Cards, Trick-Track; one or two musical instruments and a football. Space for sport is available.
A list of all men not having received news from home will be prepared by the interpreter.
No parcels have been received in this work camp since February. This fact will be brought to the attention of the German High Command, as it seems to be a general condition in this Stalag, that the Work Camps are not enough considered by distributing the parcels.
Greek books had just arrived and were most welcomed by the men.
There were no complaints and the men said they were treated right.
The general impression is not bad. It could hardly be called satisfactory for English prisoners as stated before, but the Cypriots, who seem to live even at home under quite as primitive conditions are not complaining.
All matters subject to complaint in this report have been discussed with the local camp authorities. Defects which the local camp authorities refuse to correct or state they are unable to correct, have been taken up with the German High Command in Berlin.
Rudolph Iselin.
Dr. H. Wehrle.
0103/3967. (P.W.2.a.) 3.6.42.
Foreign Office (Reference K.W.2/4. 3/6/42.
(En clair)
DEPARTMENTAL No.1.
FROM BERNE TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Mr. Norton
No. 1943
2nd June, 1942.
D. 8.18 p.m. 2nd June, 1942.
R. 6.20 a.m. 3rd June, 1942.
Following is summary of report on Stalag IV C visited by representatives of Swiss Legation Berlin on April 22nd:
No change in base camp since last report. Reserve Lazaret Bilin Work Commando Schwatz II and one of the Cypriot Commandos were visited. All the other work detachments were too far away to be visited on this occasion. In Reserve Lazaret Bilin there were 23 British patients including 10 English, 10 Cypriots, 1 Australian, 1 Egyptian and 1 Maltese, no British physician and no British sanitator. Washing, bathing, and toilet facilities satisfactory. No change in food conditions. Patient Askikis has been transferred to Work Commando where he is doing light work. R. Beazley has been sent to Leipzig to special hospital for tropical disease. Prisoner of war 95329 Thomas Norman is suffering from anaemia and enlarged spleen and is not expected to live. He will be transferred to Special Lazaret. Mail arriving regularly for English patients but almost all Cypriots without news from home. Stock of Red Cross parcels low. Am informing International Committee. General impression good.
Work Camp Schwatz II contains 135 British prisoners of whom 120 are professional miners. Men work in eight hour shifts. Sunday work has not changed since last report. No overcrowding. Showers still not available. Toilet and cooking facilities unchanged. Infirmary is in charge of a lance corporal who is considered by Germans as sanitator and paid as such whilst he is in fact lance corporal of infantry. Three real sanitators mentioned in last report still unrecognised. Forty battle dresses required and forty pairs of boots, sizes 7, 8, 9. Am informing International Committee. No religious activity. British man of confidence stated that if a man received a pullover or shirt in a private parcel and if he already possessed a pullover or two shirts he must hand over the old one to the camp authorities. One N.C.O. corporal William Haire prisoner of war 12612 claims he is forced to work. Four further N.C.Os. who signed they agreed to work now claim they were forced to sign. These last three complaints will be taken up with the German High Command by the Swiss. General impression of Commando is fairly good.
Arbeitskommando Schaufelfabrik contains 53 Cypriots. No man of confidence but one of prisoners speaks English well. Prisoners working conditions which would be considered very bad from European prisoners but Cypriots do not appear to complain. General health conditions good. Clothing in bad state and new outfits of clothes underwear and shoes required for 53 men. Most men wear French uniforms. Room in which men live has to be lighted by electricity even in day time but is warm. Toilet and washing facilities primitive. In this work camp no parcels have been received since February. Swiss are approaching German High Command. No complaints and general impression not bad.
