TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)
STALAG IV C
Visited by Mr. J.E. Friedrich on the 27 & 29 June 1943
Camp Leaders (For English) Sergeant Jack PARSONS No. 94280
(For Cypriots) Jack HADJIVANNOU No. 94286
Strength British i.e. English and Cypriot
English 300 - of whom 7 are at the Camp
Cypriots 1300 - of whom 4 are at the Camp
Total British 1600, out of a total number of 20,649 prisoners present.
This Camp has been visited before and has formed the subject of several previous reports.
Site and Accommodation
There has been no alteration made since our last visit.
Food
The occupants of the Camp receive only the normal food rations, although many prisoners are employed in industrial work which corresponds to the term "heavy work". About a third of the Cypriots are Mahometans: these men have, however, become accustomed to ordinary food.
Clothing
The uniforms of the British are in good condition, thanks to the collective parcels. Winter clothing - such as caps, pullovers and warm underwear was called in several weeks ago, but this has not been done in a systematic way. The British have been able to achieve the retention, by the Camp Leaders of Labour Detachments, of such things.
Infirmary
The Camp Infirmary, which is clean and well-installed, has not changed. It houses but some light cases and a certain number of men who are eligible for re-patriation who are being kept under observation until a final decision is reached about their state. For the whole Stalag, there are 20 doctors; two British doctors are at neighbouring lazarets. We permitted ourselves to inform the Command of the presence of a Cypriot doctor, Captain Dr. Mikelledis, at the Camp Annexe of Stalag XVIII B who would be of more use were he here with his own compatriots; the authorities will apply for him to be transferred. On the whole, the prisoners encounter a good deal of difficulty in attending medical consultations; often the sentries refuse to escort the patients to such consultations. Moreover, the sentries make it understood that a new order has been issued prescribing that not more than 4% of the strength of an detachment must be recognised as being sick. They take advantage of this to limit the number of patients to this proportion each day. In the Labour Detachments civilian dentists are responsible for dental care; the question of charges has not been regulated systematically.
In certain Detachments, all dental care has to be paid for, in other cases men can have one stopping per month done free of charge; while in other places dental attention may be had free of charge up to a maximum value of RM 7 for work done. A dental surgery equipped with an X-ray apparatus has been installed in a neighbouring district; a new dental surgery is going to be installed in this Camp; it is hoped that 8 - 10 artificial dentures will be able to be made per week. Up to the present time the prisoners at this Stalag have not been able to obtain the required artificial dentures without payment; we have encountered many prisoners who lack more than half their teeth and who have no artificials at all.
The most important problem in this Stalag, which we discussed with those concerned, is the re-patriation of patients who are unfit for further service. A German doctor, Staff-doctor Stelzig, who was formerly at Stalag IV B has arrived at Stalag IV C; his job is to pick out and send back to work sick men and men who have sustained accidents during the course of their work who have been considered as unfit for service, but whose condition does not render them eligible for re-patriation, either because their state of health is not sufficiently bad, or because they have been simulating non-existent states of ill-health.
Collective parcels
The Camp Leaders check and distribute the collective parcels which are sent to them. They have not built up any Camp Stocks; they divide the parcels among the various districts as soon as they arrive. Each prisoner has to return, in exchange for an article of Red Cross clothing a similar article in his possession at the time, no matter from what source it has come. This is a fairly good measure. As a matter of fact the prisoners often lose, exchange, sell or alter or even send to their families, such articles as they have previously received and this exchange will from now on, be a retribution, which appears but just. Nevertheless, this measure should not, in our opinion, be too rigorously applied by the authorities. To give but one example:- Prisoners who were without socks at the time of their capture received some Russian socks, the property of the Germans. When, at the end of two years' captivity, a consignment of socks arrived for them, the Russian socks were, of course, no longer in existence in most cases; it therefore seems unjust that these men should suffer by having to pay for receiving a gift. The shoes which have come from the Red Cross and which have been worn by prisoners working in the mines have cracked across the soles after 6 weeks' or two months' wear so that it is impossible to repair them; would it not be possible to send out a certain percentage of rubber-soled shoes which the Camp Leaders could distribute to the men in the Labour Detachments where they are most needed. These soles wear much longer than those of leather.
We have to report that a new Quartermaster- Pay-master has been on duty at this Stalag for the past 3 months. Everyone is satisfied with his conduct.
Leisure and Intellectual and Religious Needs
Religious services are well organised; there are no complaints in regard to this. The Library of the Stalag is well-run; it is regularly increased by gifts from various Relief Organisations.
The many changes, as well as the removal of some of the prisoners, have rather disorganised the leisure occupations of the Camp. The theatrical Company and the orchestra no longer exist. On the other hand, nearly all the prisoners at this Stalag are able to watch a Cinematographic performance once a month.
Correspondence
Everything in regard to this is normal.
Work and Pay
At the Camp prisoners work from 8-10 hours a day. They are often obliged to work over-time, in the evenings, and on Sundays, in order to unload railway trucks. Since they are regarded as ordinary labourers they are paid 70 pfennigs per day and get but the normal food rations. The reports on the Labour Detachments give more details as to prisoners' working conditions.
Discipline
For some time, now, discipline has been tightened up. The Sunday walks have been suppressed and the prisoners have to remain in the rooms as soon as they return from their work. Brutalities on the part of the some of the men's employers have been reported. The detention cells of the Stalag consist of 6 very primitive cells. On the day of our visit each cell contained two men, who has but one narrow plank bed. The prisoners undergoing disciplinary punishment may read and write and are allowed two walks lasting half an hour each, per day. They are not allowed to participate in the collective parcels are [or?] to have individual parcels. Their rations are cut down.
Detachment No. 598
In this Detachment the distribution of letter forms was discontinued as a collective penalty.
Interview with the Camp Leaders
Besides the points mentioned above, we were told that:
The French Red Cross truck also delivers collective parcels for prisoners of other nationalities, but it is only allowed 200 litres of petrol per month. The Command told us that this amount would be increased so that the Labour Detachments which are a long way off may be served and that a truck with a German utility engine is also used for the distribution of collective parcels.
The British Camp Leaders and the Cypriots have no passes as their companions of other nationalities have, permitting them to visit neighbouring detachments unaccompanied by an escort.
Requests
Razor-blades for prisoners of all nationalities. A type-writer for Camp 17/18 which has none (4,500 men).
Conclusion
The Camp of Wistritz is not a good one, while the accommodation and other condition are in their present state. On the other hand, the Authorities are benevolently disposed to the prisoners; when the question of the examinations of men who are unfit for service has been satisfactorily solved, the conditions of the Camp will be improved.
TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)
LABOUR DETACHMENT CAMP 3 PORZELLANFABRIK
depending on Stalag IV C
Visited by Mr. J.E. Friedrich on the 27 June 1943
Strength 39 Cypriots
2 British
Site and Accommodation
These prisoners are housed not far from the Base Camp in two rooms of a porcelain factory which are about 5 minutes walk from one another. One of the compounds consists of an attic with a mansard roof containing 7 double bunks, at present occupied by 13 men and one rather large room adjoining it which is used as a dining-room. The other compound houses 28 men and consists of a large room with 20 double bunks running on either side of two long tables. This other compound is on a level with the main factory buildings and its barred windows look on the courtyard.
Clothing
The condition of the mens clothes is excellent. Each prisoner has two uniforms and several complete sets of underclothing provided by the Red Cross. One of the two uniforms serves as a working outfit for work which is often very dirty.
The prisoners do their own washing with the soap which comes in collective parcels.
Food
The rations distributed to the prisoners are the "heavy workers" ones; they are prepared in the factory kitchen. This food represents, however, but a small proportion of the prisoners' food. The men gain their principal nourishment from the contents of collective parcels which they can prepare on small stoves; the fuel at their disposal suffices for their needs.
Hygiene and Medical Attention
The living quarters are clean; no vermin is reported; the wash-places and the latrines are satisfactory. But, on the other hand, for some time now, the prisoners are shut into their rooms from night-fall until the next morning; they have only a toilet-bucket (seau à confiture) in the compound for their needs during this time. We have insisted that a more hygienic solution must immediately be adopted. [Note on preceding page: "N.B. Para. 4. "Hygiene etc..": Since translating this Report it has been ascertained that "seau à confiture" is - as the literal translation would lead one to suppose - in actual fact a large stone jam jar, and not any kind of bucket."]
A medical visit is made twice a week. Sometimes a German civilian doctor visits the Detachment, and sometimes a French doctor lieutenant from the Stalag; the prisoners are satisfied with both these doctors.
Dental treatment, against payment, is given by a civilian dentist in the town.
Leisure
The men have some indoor games and enough musical instruments, they can, moreover, play several times a week, on a neighbouring football ground. They would very much like to receive some football boots.
Correspondence
Nothing special to report. The Cypriots are allowed to receive from home one parcel weighing about 5 kgs. once every three months; these packets arrive in the usual way, but only one part of the prisoners avail themselves of this concession as the Red Cross parcels are enough for them.
Work and Pay
All these men are employed in a porcelain factory, which is making crockery and technical articles. They work from 6.30 a.m. to 5.0 p.m. Saturday afternoons and Sundays are free. On the day of our visit the prisoners were having a few days' leave, the factory having temporarily ceased work while the employees took a holiday.
The pay varies a good deal; certain men only earn 12 RM per month, other get as much as 1000 R.M. [Note: this rather large figure is underlined in pencil, it should probably be 100] The difference is according to the kind of work they do.
Discipline
As in the whole district (Wehrkreis) the discipline gives rise to the greater part of the prisoners complaints and appeals which seem, moreover to be perfectly justified. The prisoners are much struck by a written order which has been issued to the guard troops, telling them to use fire-arms if the prisoners under their charge refuse to work. A good many of the men have been threatened on several occasions by the sentries. One of them, Nicholas ZANAKAS, No. 94169, complains of having been shut up, two weeks ago, for 7 days in the Civilian prison at Teplitz for having made a complaint in writing to the Officer in charge, of the attitude of the guards and also, more particularly, complaining that the prisoners' boots are not repaired by the Detaining Power unless the necessary material is forthcoming in collective parcels.
Three other men from this Detachment, who escaped some time ago, were re-captured by the police and shut up for 7 days in a Civilian prison. Their outer clothes were taken away from them, leaving them only a shirt and a pair of pants. Not being able to get out, they only got 80 grammes of bread a day; moreover, they were beaten three times a day.
Collective parcels
The prisoners fetch their collective parcels from the Base Camp, which is quite close; they are unrestricted in their use of these.
Interview with the prisoners
We were able to have an interview with the prisoners themselves, who are finding it rather difficult to elect a Camp Leader. The present Camp Leader is supported by the Authorities, but does not seem to have the confidence of his comrades. We took advantage of the occasion to get a new Camp Leader elected, by means of a secret ballot, and requested the Authorities to recognise him, officially, as the Camp Leader of his comrades.
Requests
Razor-blades
Books in Greek and Turkish.
CONCLUSION
Except for the question of hygiene and discipline this Labour Detachment seems to be a good one.
TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE (Germany)
Prisoners of War Reservelazarett BILIN
(Stalag IV C)
Visited by M. J.E. Friedrich on the 28th of June 1943
Capacity about 200 beds for patients
Strength
British Camp Leader Corporal Nicos DRACOPOULLOS, No. 94159
Doctor Lieutenant-Colonel William Henry BLINMAN BULL, N.Z.M.C. No. 23925
26 patients
Site and Accommodation
This hospital makes use of the rooms and installations of a small hotel of fairly recent construction. Beside the stone building, a wooden hut of the usual type has been erected. The situation is pleasant and the climate healthy; the barbed wire is discreetly camouflaged; the occupants of the lazaret have the use of a small slope on which to stretch themselves out and to grow a few vegetables. The ground is, however, too much on a slope and too small to lend itself to use as a sports ground.
The patients are housed in two large rooms in the stone building as well as in several rooms in the hut. They sleep in either individual bunks or ones built in two tiers; some of the patients have bedlinen; this is dependant on their state of health. The doctors sleep in special rooms; the medical orderlies sleep in a long corridor furnished with two-tier bunks. They also have the use of one fairly large room.
The principal disadvantage of this Camp is that it was not designed for the accommodation of so many occupants. Thee are but barely enough washplaces and latrines. In order to get over this difficulty, at our suggestion, the authorities are considering the possibility of transforming the urinals into a wash place and constructing latrines in a special hut, outside, for the use of the staff.
Food
The food is prepared in the hotel kitchen, where both Germans and prisoners work. The hut also contains a second kitchen which is used for the preparation of diets for 50 patients. The prisoners do not have access of the main kitchen for the purpose of preparing individual dishes, save once a week (This refers to all prisoners save British. The British are allowed to use the kitchen one hour a day.)
The basic food is prepared from the usual rations. The potatoes are at present of bad quality, but the prisoners receive more of them as a compensation.
Patients for whom a special diet is necessary receive ¼ litre of milk two or three times a week; some white bread and some nourishing pastes, as well as semolina or oat flakes.
A piece of land measuring a hectare and a half which belongs to the hospital, last year supplied 17,000 kg. of vegetables which enriched the ordinary menu.
The patients whose need of a special dietary is most urgent, benefit by it, without distinction of nationality. These diets are made up from the contents of collective parcels, those, in particular, which come from Great Britain.
Clothing
The patients wear striped cotton pyjamas, which are in a bad condition; they are usually only changed once a month. The reason for this is that the civilian laundry is overburdened with work; and, moreover, the hospital has no reserve stocks. An attempt is being made to obtain 150 pairs of new pyjamas and to repair some of the old ones. The members of the medical staff - the doctors excepted - have no overalls to wear, and do their work, in uniform, this uniform usually being the only one in their possession. We were promised that an attempt shall be made to equip them in a more hygienic way. The prisoners do their washing in a laundry, but there is a lack of soap or washing powder.
Medical Attention
The 4 prisoner doctors who are very competent, enjoy complete liberty in their treatment of their patients; the German doctors gives them much assistance in their work.
The surgical installations have always been rather primitive in this lazaret; surgical interventions have had, up to now, to be limited to treatments of anthrax, the reduction of minor fractures, treatment of phlegmons, etc., and to the surgical treatment of minor accidents. The operating theatre is however, in course of re-organisation; in fifteen days, so we were assured by the German doctor, it will at any rate be possible to undertake operations for appendicitis.
The radiographic apparatus is much used.
The prisoner doctors complain of the shortage of drugs and dressings. They specially need larger quantities of
thermometers
bandages
ampoules of glucose and digitalis and some Ewipan
The British also need some T.A.B. vaccin and anti-typhus vaccin for the 1,600 British from the Stalag who have not been inoculated during the past two years.
Complaints are made of the severity of the Staff doctor (Stabsarzt). Even the German doctors have noticed the exaggerations and the errors in diagnosis of this man. He seems to take no notice of the cases of amnesia brought to him for consideration. The activity of this doctor at Stalag IV C contributes to the creation of a somewhat strained atmosphere; we saw numerous prisoner patients, sometimes men in quite a grave state, who are at present under treatment, after having been sent once, or even twice, back to Labour Detachments on the advice of this doctor, to whom they have been recommended as unfit for service. To give but once instance: a prisoner was suffering from active tuberculosis; he had had a first pneumothorax done over a year previously at the camp at Torgau. Although he had been suggested as a case suitable for re-patriation, in June 1942, this doctor sent him back to a mining Labour Detachment, treating him as though he were quite fit for work. At the present time this prisoner is at Bilin, in a state of great anxiety, with one lung practically useless. His 18th pneumothorax has been performed on him. The best way to put an end to this state of affairs is to send a Mixed Medical Commission to this Camp with as little delay as possible.
Leisure
Unfortunately, this lazaret does not offer much facility for leisure occupations either for the patients or the medical staff. The available space is too limited to make sports possible; the Commandant will, however, do his best to get authority for the men to use a neighbouring football field. There has been one Cinema Show during the last 4 months; it is not possible to give theatrical performances or concerts as there is not sufficient room. On the other hand, there is no lack of indoor games or books.
Canteen
Beer and mineral water are for sale at the Canteen as well as some articles which are not of much use in daily life, and which are 25% more expensive here than those sold at the main Camp. The greater part of the profits are expended to pay for correspondence forms and the office materials needed by the Command (Kommandatur).
Correspondence
There is nothing to report in connection with this.
Discipline
The relations between the prisoners and their guards are good. Doctors and medical orderlies are allowed the regulation number of outings and can write twice as often as ordinary prisoners of war.
Interview with the Camp Leaders and the prisoner doctors (without witnesses)
This interview dealt mainly with the points already mentioned in this report; it was followed by a discussion with the German authorities who, showing sympathetic understanding, accorded many of the requests we made to them in favour of the prisoners and the medical staff.
CONCLUSION
This is an excellent lazaret; the rather primitive material installations are compensated by the good atmosphere which prevails in the lazaret.
