TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE  (Germany)

STALAG IV D.

Visited by Dr. P. Ruggli on the 11th November 1943

Camp Leader  British  Trooper A.J.P. KING No. 223960

Strength

        British  3064 at the Stalag 6 at the Camp 96 at the Infirmary out of a total of 35,451 prisoners

        British medical staff  1 doctor out of 14

                                       9 medical orderlies out of 230

Site and Accommodation

        The housing accommodation of the prisoners are much the same as those described in the course of previous reports. They give rise to no particular complaints.

        Each man possesses 4 blankets and will probably receive a fifth.

        There is the ever-present factor of condensation of the air which has been mentioned in a present report, to render the rooms very damp.

        The new Commandant will do all that lies in his power to improve the heating of the Camp.

        The central heating functions from 6.0. a.m. to 12 noon, and from 2.0. p.m. to 8.0. p.m. As the prisoners are cold in the evenings the delegates have asked the Commandant to delay the heating one hour in the morning, that is to say 7.0. a.m. with a corresponding extension in the evening.

        The quarters of the men in those detachment which the delegates visited were, as a general rule, adequate, the prisoners there have two blankets, one of which seemed however to be of very little use.

Food

        At the Camp, 6 prisoners prepare the meals; no complaints were raised in regard to this. The soaking is done every evening on a large stove. The Authorities provide the fuel.

Clothing

        At the Camp, the clothing situation is all right. But in the Detachments it is defective. About 50% of the British men's clothing come from the Red Cross. The Camp has no reserve stock of clothing.

Collective parcels

        The British Camp Leader, who has only been at the Camp for three weeks, has sent a list of the British Camp strength to Geneva.

        One British Labour Detachment which was visited (The Detachment Rei 65) has not received any parcels for three months. Stalag IV B has sent 3,000 parcels and 135 packages of tobacco to Stalag IV D, and the Camp Leader of the British has just made a distribution to the Detachments while awaiting consignments from Geneva.

Canteen

        The Camp Canteen is comparatively well-stocked. The profits amount to RM. 40,000 - The delegates have obtained permission for the expenses of the Camp Newspaper to be defrayed from this money. The Camp Leader keeps the Canteen accounts.

        The prisoners can get as much beer as they want.

Hygiene

        There are no vermin to be seen at the Camp. The prisoners take one hot showerbath each per week.

        There appear not to be enough wash-places. The Camp authorities promised the delegates that they would increase the number. The latrines are adequate and suitable.

Medical Attention

        The camp contains only one dressings-room, which contains two beds. The Infirmary of the Stalag is some distance away from the Camp. Of the 90 available beds, 46 are at present occupied by slightly ill patients. The more serious cases are sent to the local hospitals (for both medical and surgical attention and consultation with specialists).

        Doctor's requests  Absorbent cotton, gauze for bandages, roller bandages, gauze roller bandages, sulphanilomides, 90% alcohol solution and some tincture of iodine.

        Dental Attention  Two dentists and 3 dental mechanics work at the dental station in the locality. They make about 60 sets of artificial dentures a month. On account of the scarcity of raw materials (teeth, rubber and drills ("crochets") many prisoners have to wait 6 months or longer in order to obtain dentures.

Leisure and Religious and Intellectual Needs

        At the Camp itself there are two chaplains (one a Catholic and one a Protestant) and there is a third, who is a Catholic at one of the Detachments.

        The library contains 8,000 French books.

        A theatrical company visits the Labour Detachments at regular intervals. A Jazz orchestra, with 11 players, has been formed. A Stalag Newspaper is published. The prisoners can play football.

Correspondence

        Nothing special to report.

Work and Pay

        The prisoners receive 70 pfennigs per day. In the various industrially occupied detachments there are British to the proportion of 100%.

        The British prisoners who work in the sugar industry have not have 24 consecutive hours of rest during three months. But they will, however, get 8 days' leave at the end of the season. This question has already been taken up with the High Security Command.

Discipline

        The discipline in the Camp is excellent. The new Commandant appears to be benevolent.

Interview with the Camp Leaders and the doctors (without witnesses)

        All the above-mentioned points were passed in review.

CONCLUSION

        The conditions of life in the Camp itself appear to be better - as a general rule - than those in the detachments which were visited.

TRANSLATION BY THE LONDON DELEGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE  (Germany)

LABOUR DETACHMENT REI 65 dependant on Stalag IV D

Visited by Dr. P. Ruggli on the 10th November 1943

British Camp Leader  Pte. Charles Michael SPAIN No. 224661

Strength  British 54.

Accommodation

        The prisoners are housed in either wooden huts or in stone buildings. As a general rule the accommodation is adequate. The coal ration appears to be regulation throughout.

Food

        At the Detachment Rei 65, the food is fairly good. These prisoners, however, although they have been in Germany for 3 months, have not yet received any parcels from Geneva. The Camp Leader from Stalag IV D has, however, just sent 3,000 parcels to them which he has received from Stalag IV B.

Collective parcels

        The British have not yet received parcels from Geneva and the Camp Leader of the Stalag asks that consignments may be accelerated as far as is possible.

Hygiene

        The hygienic conditions in this Detachment are satisfactory. All the prisoners can take one hot showerbath a week or even more frequent ones.

Medical Attention

        A prisoner doctor visits this Detachment at regular intervals. The general state of health is good.

        Dental Attention  Toothless prisoners have to wait as much - in some cases - as 6 months for artificial dentures, on account of the lack of raw materials available at the Stalag.

Leisure and Intellectual and Religious Needs

        A prisoner chaplain celebrates divine service at regular intervals. The detachment can make use of the books from the Circulating Library of the Stalag.

Correspondence

        This functions with regularity.

Work and Pay

        The prisoners work 11 or 12 hours a day and have at least one Sunday out of three free.

        The work is arduous. The prisoners, who are classed as "heavy workers" receive the regulation rations. The pay received by all of them is 70 pfennigs per day.

Discipline

        Discipline has given rise to no complaints from any quarter.

Interview with the Camp Leader

        The delegates were able to discuss all the above-mentioned points in an interview which took place without witnesses being present.

CONCLUSION

        With the exception of the clothing situation, the conditions of life in this Detachment seem to be satisfactory.

0103/3191(P.W.2)

COPY OF TELEGRAM

From International Red Cross Committee, Geneva.

To Delegate, London.

Sent: 1/12/43

Received 3/12/43

        DETACHMENT REI 65 DEPENDANT STALAG IV D

        Visited 10 November  54 British during the last three months in Germany  Camp Leader Spain 224661  Accommodation adequate coal allocation regular  food good but parcels have still not arrived although camp leader Stalag has despatched them STOP Hygiene health good daily showers work 11 to 12 hours at least one Sunday free in every three pay 70 pfennigs correspondence discipline normal impression satisfactory FULLSTOP

        INTERCROIXROUGE A9008