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

STALAG IV G

visited on the 4th of July 1944 by Dr. Rossel

British Camp Leader  James Wakelin No.229186 IV.B

Strength  3747 British of whom:

                  21 are at the Camp

                  88 are in Infirmaries

                  46 are in lazarets

               out of a total of 34936 prisoners.

Site and Accommodation

        The mens quarters are still established in the gloomy rooms of a Cotton mill. The rooms are overcrowded; on account of the great heat, these rooms are very difficult to ventilate.

        The camp will be transferred from here in 10 or 15 days - or possibly later to another mill in the locality. The delegate visited these proposed new quarters. They are both larger and lighter, and are divided into several groups of rooms; this will make it possible to separate the prisoners of various nationalities and give them accommodation in rooms of their own.

        There are very few men at the main camp. All the prisoners are - as soon as possible - divided among various Labour Detachments. Only the men who do administrative work at the Stalag (at the office of the Camp Leader, the Red Cross Store etc). There is no lazaret attach to the camp, in the way which is usual; all the camp comprises is a small infirmary.

        In the agricultural detachments, the rooms are inadequate.

Food

        The prisoners have the usual rations issued to them; the cooks can check the amounts issued. Since the beginning of the month the German authorities have taken down the board on which the weekly rations are posted up; this is in pursuance of an order issued by the Defence Ministry (O.K.W.)

        The British Camp Leader is satisfied with the food situation in the Labour Detachments, as the consignments of Red Cross food are large enough to cover requirements.

Clothing

        The British Camp Leader states that the state of the prisoners' clothing is excellent. He has no requests to make.

Collective parcels

        All the Camp leaders drew our attention to the fact that the Storage room at their disposal is inadequate. They are obliged to distribute everything to the various Labour Detachments immediately it arrives. During the final interview which the delegate had with the German authorities they affirmed that it is - in actual fact, very difficult to find the required room-space locally.

        The British have a sufficient reserve of parcels to cover 10 weeks' consumption: they have no complaints, things work smoothly.

Canteen

        It is possible to buy a little beer at the canteen, some razor blades and pencils and paper. The Camp Leaders have no means of knowing whether the canteen makes any profits or not.

Hygiene

        This Stalag is, primarily, a Stalag of Labour Detachments. The country administered by the Stalag is divided into various districts for the purpose of organising their work. Each district enjoys a certain measure of independence; it possesses its own infirmary and a regional Camp Leader.

        The drug situation varies much in the several infirmaries. At the Camp, on account of the proximity of the German Reservelazarett there are enough drugs, while in many other infirmaries in the district the supply of German drugs is inadequate.

        On the very day of the visit the division of a consignment of drugs from Geneva among the Labour Detachments took place; the order was submitted in the Autumn of 1943.

        Requests 2 galvano-cauterisers or Thermo-cauterisers (220 Volts). One of these galvano cauterisers will be sent to the hospital.

Leisure and Intellectual and Religious Needs

        By the way of chaplains there are, among others, one Catholic priest, and one Church of England clergyman.

        All the chaplains can visit the various detachments accompanied by an escort.

        The British have at the present time 1000 books. The Y.M.C.A. has promised them a consignment; the Camp Leader would be grateful to receive some books from Geneva.

        Both the orchestra and the theatrical company work normally.

Work and Pay

        The prisoners are very much concerned at the fact that their industrial detachments are all quartered in regions exposed to air attacks. When a high explosive bomb fell on a shelter 38 British were killed.

        All the Camp Leaders drew attention to the fact that the prisoners working in agricultural detachments have practically no Sundays free. However, in many of the industrial detachments the prisoners work on one Sunday out of two (this is by order of the O.K.W.) Men who are classed as being suitable only for light work (that is to say 30 to 50% physically fit) are, it is true employed only on easy work; but they have - nevertheless - to do it for very long hours.

Correspondence

        Mail for all prisoners has been less good during the past months. The British have received hardly any post at all.

Interview with the Camp Leaders

        The delegate was able to converse freely with all the main Camp Leaders of the Stalag, with many District Camp Leaders and with the Camp Leaders of Labour Detachments. Among these were:-

For:

        D.T. 653  Arthur J. Warford No. 228420

        Strength  30 British

        7 British Detachments  Sergeant J.T. Conacher 222907

        D.T. 755  Stanley Robinson 10987

        Strength  37 British

        D.T. 582  John Mace

        Strength  53 British

        D.T. 29  Leslie Reeves 211537

        Strength  202 British

        D.T. 61  Eric Johnson 240454

        Strength  101 British

        D.T. 36/377  George Skinner 11941

        Strength  British from District (no figure given. trans)

        D.T. 30/377  George Stevens 262240

        Strength  58 British

        All these Detachments were able to be visited.

        In most cases, minor problems were able to be settled at once with the Geneva officers in charge. The following points remained, however, for consideration at the final interview which the delegate had with the Commandant of the Stalag:-

        1. The housing accommodation at the Stalag is inadequate as the strength is too large. Reply This problem will be settled by the transfer of the camp to new quarters.

        2. At Detachment 755 there are complaints about the authorities in charge of the factory. These bring pressure to bear upon the Head of the Detachment and the sentries to induce them to force the prisoners to do an unduly large amount of work. Reply This matter shall at once be dealt with and put in order.

        3. At Detachment 682 the British prisoners who are working in a factory do not understand the system whereby the amount of their pay is arrived at, nor how the amount of the deductions made by the Stalag is calculated. Many Labour Detachments find themselves in a similar situation. Reply The Senior Pay-and-Quartermaster will at once give the Camp-Leaders all the information they desire.

        4. In all the industrial Labour Detachments, the directors fail to supply the prisoner-workers with working outfits. For this reason the clothing sent by the intermediary of the Red Cross are very soon worn-out and beyond repair. Reply The German military authorities regularly instruct industrial enterprises that they are to supply prisoner workers with working clothes.

        5. The Camp Leader cannot give the support of his authority to certain of the orders issued by the German authorities. He was, for instance, requested to insist that some of the Camp Leaders should make their men work on Sundays on the day shift. Reply The Camp Leader's support to this order was not requested, he was only asked to let the Camp Leaders know the orders of the O.K.W. (Defence Ministry) and the dangers which would be incurred by not complying with them.

        6. Canteen profits Reply The Paymaster will explain this matter to the Camp Leaders.

Conclusion

        On the whole, despite the many complaints in regard to minor matters, this Stalag can be considered a good one.