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

STALAG IV D

visited the 9th July 1944 by Dr. Rossel

British Camp Leader  Sergeant Major C.A. Parslow No. 225820

Strength  34,713 prisoners f whom 4890 Britanniques and of these 23 at camp and 74 at lazaret.

Preliminary Observations

        The visit of the delegate having been announced too late, not all the Camp Leaders had sufficient time in which to prepare their comments and requests.

Site and Accommodation

        The total strength at the main camp is rather small. It comprises a sufficient number of men to attend to the necessary administration of the Stalag; the greater part of the prisoners are incorporated in Labour Detachments. Despite this, the housing conditions at the camp are not good. The rooms are cramped. The beds, which are often three-tier bunks, are installed in large dark rooms; the high Summer temperatures are difficult to bear under these conditions.

        The British Camp Leader drew attention to the fact that the prisoners, on account of restricted space, have to live and take their meals in one overcrowded room. The ventilation is inadequate in the Summer-time.

        This camp has neither recreation rooms nor reading rooms.

        One small room serves as a chapel and a theatre.

Food

        The rations issued are the regulation ones; the Camp Leaders are able to check them.

        In the Labour detachments the meat is often tinned and not of good quality; the waste is considerable.

        The British Camp Leader observed among other things that the official rations issued for "heavy workers" are not large enough. The prisoners have no difficulty in preparing food from collective parcels.

Clothing

        The Detaining Power only very occasionally issues any working outfits; the British prisoners who work in factories are obliged to wear clothing which comes from Red Cross parcels. Their outfits - for this reason - wear out very rapidly and cannot always be replaced from British Red Cross stock.

        Boot-repairing is done in a very primitive way. Most of the foot-gear is soled only with wood.

Collective parcels

        The total reserve stocks held by the British amount to about 29,000 parcels. These will last till the end of August. As the Stalag Store-room is not large enough, the distribution of parcels to labour detachments has to be done directly the consignments arrive.

        Surgical and Medical parcels are lacking.

        There are still 400 Invalid parcels in hand.

Hygiene and Medical Attention

        The sanitary installations in the Labour Detachments and particularly in those engaged on agricultural work, are inadequate.

        At the main camp these installations have been to a large extent improved. Here, as everywhere else, the problem of night latrines is a difficult one to solve. During the hot weather the buckets used as night latrines, which were often defective in themselves, became intolerable in the large dormitories.

        The main camp has no Infirmary. One doctor comes twice a week to pay a medical visit. This doctor is overloaded with work and, moreover, complains that he has not enough drugs at his disposal.

        The Delegate left one of the forms of the Pharmaceutical Section of the International Red Cross Committee with the doctor: when it has been completed he will send it to Geneva.

        The prisoners who depend on this Stalag receive dental treatment at a neighbouring dental post. The delegate was not able to visit this post, but the Stalag Camp Leader has been asked to request him to supply wax, palladont and artificial teeth.

        The British would like to be attended to by a British doctor, but there are not enough of them at the Stalag.

        In the detachments, the medical attention is usually inadequate. It also often happens that certain Heads of Detachments will not willingly allow a man to go and visit the doctor.

        All the Camp Leaders would like to receive some dressings suitable for application to small accidents, cuts etc. bandages and such things.

Correspondence

        Mail has been particularly unsatisfactory during the past few weeks. It is but very occasionally that prisoners receive any individual parcels. They have no hope that this state of affairs will improve.

Leisure and Intellectual and Religious Needs

        The British complain of having had no chaplain for the past 9 months.

        The theatre is presenting performances. The company is taken from place to place among the various Detachments in a lorry belonging to the French Red Cross. A cinematograph apparatus arrived at the camp the day before the delegate's visit, and was handed over to the Head Camp Leader for his use. There are no films with it.

        The library is satisfactory.

        The strength of the Stalag is not large enough to allow of the formation of an orchestra; such instruments as are received are sent on to the larger Labour Detachments.

Discipline

        The British Camp Leader emphasises the fact that the sentries act provocatively towards the prisoners more often than they should; since December 4 men had been shot. The last one to be killed - on the 19th June 1944 - was called Corporal Jack Bell Service No. 263952 P/W No.529. (Birth date: 10 June 1918 Mother's address: 1 Coronation Terrace, Seaham).

        He was shot after being recaptured while he was trying to escape; 2 sentries and one Sergeant went to fetch him from the civilian prison; he was killed during the journey from the civilian prison to the Stalag. This affair is being investigated by the Protecting Power.

Work

        Everything in regard to this is normal and in order.

Labour Detachments

        The delegate visited the under-mentioned Detachments. He was able to converse freely with the Camp Leaders. Many minor problems were able to be settled on the spot with the Officers in charge of the various detachments. More important questions were dealt with at the Stalag.

Labour Detachment D 603

British Camp Leader   Eric Baulfield No. 225083

Strength                      99 British

Labour Detachment D 601

British Camp Leader   S. Metcalfe No. 226268

Strength                      67 British

Labour Detachment D 605

British Camp Leader   John Hutchison No. 260417

Strength                      26 British

Labour Detachment T 3 E

British Camp Leader   John Lloyd No. 224854

Strength                      64 British

Labour Detachment T 2 E

British Camp Leader   W. Delamore No. 249960

Strength                      19 British

Interview with the Camp Leaders

        The delegate was able to converse freely with the Camp Leaders of the detachments and with all the principal Camp Leaders at the Stalag. Minor problems were settled on the spot, more important matters were referred to the German authorities at the Stalag during the final interview which the delegates had with them. Everything was satisfactorily dealt with before the meeting broke up.

Conclusion

        The strength is often too large, the rooms are not numerous enough to accommodate it.

        In other ways, this is a good Stalag.

Foreign Officer Reference K.W.2/4-3

dated 15.8.44.

No.4935

0103/5677(P.W.2)

        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.

        British Legation, Berne.

        14/7/44

        From: Federal Political Department. 13/7/44

        Subject: Request for information from Man of Confidence at Stalag IV D in respect of voluntary work by N.C.Os for Detaining Power.

        B.52. GBr(1) 26 - CL/Bi.

        The Federal Political Department, Foreign Interest Division, has the honour to inform His Majesty's Legation that the British Man of Confidence at Stalag IV D Germany has recently asked the Swiss Legation at Berlin how His Majesty's Government consider the case of British N.C.Os who volunteer to work for the Detaining Power.

        The Department would be grateful if His Majesty's Legation would inform them of the Government's views on this question.

0103/5677 P.W.2.

Berne Despatch No.3498.

18.9.44.

MEMORANDUM.

        In their note B.52.GBr.(1) 26 CL/Bi of the 13th July to His Britannic Majesty's Legation the Federal Political Department, Division for Foreign Interests were so good as to inform His Britannic Majesty's Legation that the British Man of Confidence at Stalag IV D had enquired the views of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom concerning British non-commissioned officers who volunteer for work.

        2. This question is one regarding which in the opinion of His Majesty's Government precise instructions cannot be given. British non-commissioned officers in enemy hands are no doubt aware of their rights under Article 27 of the Geneva Convention, and it is felt that, if for any reason they desire to undertake work for the German authorities which is not of a supervisory nature, it must be left to their individual judgment where their duty lies, having regard to the nature of the work. It should he added that His Majesty's Government see no objections to any individual volunteering to work as a private if he sees fit to do so.

        3. It will be appreciated if the Swiss Legation in Berlin can reply to the enquiry of the Man of Confidence to the above effect.