Stalag IVD/Z

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

Head of Camp and Camp Leader

Head of the Hindus

Head of the Sikhs

Hindu doctor

Chanan SINGH No. 5292 Staff Sergeant.

Cur SITTA Staff Sergeant

Mohd DAD Sergeant-major

C.S. SINGH No. 29 Capt. I.M.S.

Since the last visit of the delegates of the International Red Cross Committee, 2,086 Indians have been sent to Frontstalag 133, and 2,736 to a Labour Detachment.

The Indians at present in this Zweiglager were captured in North Africa, and taken to Italy to the Prisoner of War Camps, numbers 51 and 57, where they remained about 3 months.

On the 13th January 1943 two convoys conveyed the Indians from Italian Camps to Germany. This journey took about two and a half days; It was effectuated in a goods train the trucks of which were only partially heated. Many prisoners had, by way of clothing nothing but pants, vests, and an overcoat. It seems that these men suffered greatly from cold during the journey; eight of them had frostbitten great toes. One Indian is still at the Infirmary.

This Camp occupies an old German fort in the middle of a small town, composed of a large stone three-storey building and 7 wooden huts three of which are used as a compound for the men who work in the Camp itself (tailors, cobblers, gardeners etc). The other huts are used as temples by the representatives of the various religions to which the prisoners belong, a further one is used as a Red Cross Store.

a) On the ground floor of the large stone building, a large room containing two-tier bunks serves as accommodation for 75 prisoners. The bunks are provided with a palliasse and three blankets each. There are cupboards in which from 5 to 10 men can keep their personal belongings. This room is warmed by means of three heaters and the lighting and ventilation are good. There are enough chairs. The prisoners take their meals as well as sleeping in this room. The ground floor also contains the kitchen, the store (in which food sufficient for one or two days' consumption is kept) the laundry and a modern de-lousing plant and some showerbaths.

b) The two higher floors contain 20 rooms of varying sizes in each of which are lodged from 20 to 30 men. All these rooms open onto a long passage. They all face the south. At each end of the passage there is a common room of which the prisoners can make use in bad weather. All the rooms can be heated and there was sufficient fuel during the winter months. Each room has two windows, which are not obstructed with barbed wire. The electric light cannot be used until 10.0 p.m. the ventilation is good and everything is in a perfectly orderly state. The bunks are in two-tiers, or - in some of the rooms - three-tiers. At the present time they are not all occupied. Certain of the rooms containing three-tier bunks are over-crowded when they are full, but nothing can at present be done to remedy this state of affairs. Three rooms on the second floor constitute an Infirmary, and three other, smaller ones, are used by the medical staff.

c) The non-commissioned officers are lodged on the third floor, in the proportion of 4, 6 or 12 men to a room, and they sleep in two-tier bunks.

The compound is a satisfactory one. On each floor there are 8 latrines with water-flushes and two wash-places, but only one of these is - at the moment - in working order. The German authorities responsible for the Camp state that the water-piping is defective, but it will be repaired. As soon as the three other wash-places are in working order each man will be able to perform his ablutions adequately.

On account of lack of space this is not, at the moment, possible. But, it is to be hoped that the defective piping will be repaired as soon as possible so that the two washplaces on each floor are usable, when the prisoners will be able, both to perform their personal toilet and also to wash their underlinen there.

The compounds established in the wooden huts are excellent. Each of the three huts is divided into three rooms, each of which is used for the accommodation of prisoners. The bunks are of the two-tier variety.

The kitchen is installed in two rooms on the ground-floor, containing, one, two boilers of the most modern kind, and the other, four. One of these, which is worn-out, is not at present being used. Twelve Indian cooks work in the kitchen. Under the supervision of a German non-commissioned officer, they prepare meals to suit the taste of themselves and their compatriots. On the day of our visit they receive the following quantities of food-stuffs for the day (figures show amounts per head):-

Potatoes

Sugar

Margarine

Carrots

Bread

700 grs.

25 "

500 "

150 "

The food is taken to the various rooms by means of huge dishes; as a general rule the prisoners take their meals in their rooms. The German Administration takes the food supplies to the kitchen each day and the prisoners add to them the rice which they receive from Geneva. They further improve the menu by the addition of fresh vegetables from the garden when they are in season. The camp has a hectare and a half of ground which can be cultivated where salads, spinach, beetroots, tomatoes and both red and white cabbages have been planted. Ten men are responsible for this kitchen garden. There is an inadequate number of stoves reserved for the preparation of food from individual parcels. It would be a good thing if the prisoners were allowed to construct fireplaces in the courtyard of the fort. The food which is issued by the German administration appears to be inadequate in amount. The malnutrition among the prisoners was particularly bad when they arrived in this Camp. In order to remedy the men's condition as quickly as possible, the Indian doctor ordered that one parcel of milk be divided between two men should be issued per week. The present state of nutrition among the prisoners seems good.

At the present moment, all prisoners professing one or other of the Indian religions are eating animal fat; so it is no longer necessary to prepare meals for them according to the religions prescriptions of each sect. The Indian Camp Leader has control of the daily quantities of food given out by the German administrative authorities.

Each prisoners has a new Battle-dress, and a greatcoat and nearly all of them have new boots. The state of affairs in regard to underclothing is a little less favourable; many men have only one vest and one pair of pants. There is, particularly a shortage of long trousers and shirts with long sleeves. The German administrative authorities of the Camp will soon check up on distributions and will issue, according to the prevalent needs, underclothing, in such proportions that each prisoner shall have two vests and two pairs of pants.

The prisoners wash their own clothes in the washhouses where they perform their toilet ablutions. These rooms which are continuously in use, as insufficient in number, particularly as the prisoners also have to use them for their religious ablutions. In future a table will be put in the courtyard to be used by prisoners when washing their underclothes.

In the cobblers' and tailors' workshops which are about 200 metres distant from the Camp, 10 cobblers and 8 tailors work at repairing. They have enough materials excepting large nails for soling shoes, of which there is a shortage.

There is a canteen, but except for beer (50 litres a week among all the prisoners) and Polish cigarettes, it is practically impossible to buy anything there. The prisoners who do not work receive no pay and can thus buy nothing. The Canteen is run by an Indian prisoner.

Each prisoner can take one hot showerbath a week and a cold one as often as they please. Situated side by side, the showerbath installations are of modern type and comprise one, 24 showers and the other 16. Attached to this installation is a de-lousing plant (worked by hot air). At present there are no vermin reported anywhere in the Camp. If any outbreak should, however, occur a general disinfection of clothing is made, also of rooms and the men themselves. For so large a number of men, the number of latrines is inadequate although there is a small stone hut in the courtyard which contains 6 seats and a wooden hut containing 4 seats. The German administrative authorities state that a larger installation of latrines will be made in the courtyard at any early date. The Camp is not supplied with water suitable for drinking. All water has to be boiled before it is fit for this purpose. A notice stating that the water is not suitable to be drunk is attached to each tap. The piping system to convey drinking water to the Camp has been out of order for several months; and having regard to present conditions there is a good chance that it will still be a long time before it is repaired. If the water remains too long in the pipes (for instance during a whole night) it becomes strongly impregnated with rust.

Three doctors and 6 non-recognised members of the medical corps take care of their sick companions. These medical orderlies' papers are not in order; some time ago the Indian doctor put them through an examination to ascertain the extent of their capacity and, since the results were satisfactory, successful examinees were given the status of recognised personnel. They now receive their appropriate pay as recognised medical orderlies.

This Infirmary contains three dormitories containing from 12 to 14 beds each. The rooms are sunny and very clean. The patients sleep in iron bedsteads with feather beds, furnished with two sheets and two or three woollen blankets each. The consulting room is adequate but it lacks the requisite supply of drugs and instruments. Only patients who are but slightly ill can be treated in this Infirmary; other cases are sent to neighbouring lazarets.

Three non-commissioned officers and 29 private soldiers are at present under treatment in the Infirmary. Twelve are suffering from bronchitis, 4 from jaundice ("Ictères"), 2 from pleurisy and 5 from skin ailments; the remainder are being treated for wounded limbs.

On the 20th and 21st of April, the German Camp doctor (who is a radiologist) made a series of radioscopic examinations of the prisoners with orthodiagrams. These orthodiagrams were sent to the radiographic institute in the town to be read. In doubtful cases, the patients were re-radiographed, and a check-up was taken on their secretions and temperature readings. Among the 1,600 prisoners thus examined, one case of active tuberculosis was found, six of dormant tuberculosis and 12 cases of inactive tuberculosis. Active and dormant cases were transferred to the lazaret at Elsterhorst.

According to the statements of the Indian doctor, the general state of health among the prisoners is excellent.

Four temples have been established for worship, each for a different religion. They are arranged with much taste.

The Camp has 800 books. There are no periodicals. The British prisoners' publication "The Camp" is, moreover, forbidden. The prisoners can take many study courses - languages and writing - under the direction of an Indian teacher.

These men have no musical instruments save three flutes, 300 metres distant from the Camp there is a large theatre which can accommodate from 500 to 600 people; but, up to the present, it has not been used for theatrical performances on account of the lack of musical instruments.

They can play football and croquet; all the men would be grateful to receive some sporting equipment. There is a football ground.

Two or three times a week, the prisoners can take walks in groups of from 500 to 600 men.

Many prisoners are engaged at work in the town or its vicinity and return to the Camp for their midday and evening meals. There are two permanent Labour Detachments ("Dauerkommandos"). The prisoners live on the spot, in wooden huts and are engaged in levelling work. There is also another large Detachment, in a compound quite a long way from the Camp. According to the Commandant the prisoners of this Detachment are engaged in levelling the ground for a recreation ground. The prisoners who work in the Camp itself are divided into the following groups, those who work at cooking, in the tailor's shop, and boot-repairing shop, the workshop for the repair of socks and stockings, those who garden, those who work in the barber's shop, and those who keep the latrines in order. The work allotted to prisoners is not of an arduous nature, either in the Camp, or in the Labour Detachments outside it.

The question of pay is not altogether in order in this Camp. The prisoners who work in the two Labour Detachments only receive 40 pfennigs per day per head, although men of all other nationalities receive 70 pfennigs a day. The International Red Cross Committee's delegate asked the Commandant the reason for this difference in the rates of pay, and he replied that the prisoners have to become accustomed to the work, and that after some time, when they are more experienced, they will be paid the regulation rate. Cooks, cobblers and tailors receive 50 pfennigs, and those who work at repairing socks and stocking 40 pfennigs. All the prisoners would be grateful to have these disparities equitably settled, without delay. Most of them have no money and can thus buy nothing at the canteen.

90% of these prisoners have received no news from their home-land since their capture, that is to say since June or July 1942. According to the Camp Commandant some letters are supposed to be sent direct from the old Camp in which the men originally were, in Italy, to Stalag IV D "Zweiglager", others should come to the camp via Geneva. It appears that nearly all these prisoners, moreover, wrote their addresses badly and confused their prison numbers with the British regimental numbers or reverse the figures.

Prisoners may write two letters and four cards a month; doctors double that number. Many men do not know how to read or write, moreover, it is only rarely that they have recourse to their more literate companions to write cards and letters for them.

Collective parcels from Geneva are checked on their arrival at the station by the Camp Leader's secretary and they are then sorted in Red Cross storerooms. The Camp Leader has the use of two wooden huts for this purpose and also a part of the theatre. All collective parcels which are marked with an "L" are stored in a wooden hut.

The Camp Leader keeps an excellent record of the arrivals and outgoings of goods and he himself does the distribution of these. Each prisoner receives one parcel per week. The Camp Leader is astonished that he has to send parcels to one Labour Detachment, the Camp Leader of which he has never met and the strength of which he does not know. It was not until he took part in our final interview that he learnt the exact number of his fellow-countrymen who are in this Detachment. However, as this Detachment does depend - administratively - on the Zweiglager we told the Camp Leader that it did fall within the scope of his duties to send parcels to it.

Foods

Tobacco parcels

Other food parcels

Drug parcels

Cases of bananas

Cases of hair oil

Coffee in paper bags

Bags of rice (Weight 50 kgs)

32768

857

818

381

The Indian doctors ask the Camp Leader for the parcels of drugs which they need.

The German Camp authorities state that the discipline is excellent. This is maintained by Indian senior non-commissioned officers. If a punishment has to be inflicted these non-commissioned officers report it to the Camp Commandant who decides and enforces the penalty.

In accordance with an order of the High Security Command ("Oberkommando der Wehrmacht") interviews with Camp Leaders may not take place without witnesses. The following points were submitted to the delegate:-

1. The Camp Leaders asks that the money which was confiscated from prisoners in Italy may be sent to them.

2. Ninety per cent of the prisoners have received no news of their families since the time of their capture, in June or July 1942.

3. Men working in Labour Detachments only receive 40 pfennigs per day while other prisoners receive 70 pfennigs.

4. There is no place reserved in which prisoners can wash their underclothing. They would like to have a room provided for this purpose.

5. There are only - at the present time - 28 latrines for the whole Camp, a number which is inadequate to the needs of 1,700 men.

6. The prisoners have only 6 stoves on which to prepare food from parcels. This also, is inadequate.

7. The British prisoners' publication "The Camp" is not distributed among the occupants of the Camp.

8. A large quantity of collective and other parcels is sent to places away from this Camp without the knowledge of the Camp Leader. If this has to be done, he would like them to be sent direct from Geneva.

9. The doctor states that it is highly to be desired that the Zweiglager should as soon as possible be provided with drinking water.

All these points were gone into in the presence of the German Camp authorities; many of them will be settled on the spot.

On the whole, this appears to be a good Camp. The Commandant evinces much understanding of and sympathy for the prisoners and makes all possible efforts to render their lives as pleasant as possible. When the improvements which have been asked for have been carried out, the Camp will be an excellent one.