Stalag IVG

Stalag Commander

Assistant

Arbeitseinsatz

Abwehroffizier

German Doctor

Accompanying Officer from

German High Command

British Chief Man of

Confidence

: Oberst Neureiter

: Oberstlt. Peschl

: Hauptmann Heger

: Hauptmann Barth

: Oberstabsarzt Dr. Schmidt

: Major Römer

: Sgt. James Wakelin (229186)

Complement: 3297 British prisoners of war. All arrived since September 1943 from Italian captivity and diverted to about 40 work-detachments.

Stalag IV G Oschatz is situated in Oschatz town and housed in the administration building and factory-shops of an old spinning-mill. In the administration building are now the Stalag offices, and the factory buildings form a small camp. On the day of visit the Chief Man of Confidence and 8 British prisoners of war were present.

These nine men will stay permanently here and act as the British camp staff. The Man of Confidence reports good general conditions for him and his assistants.

At the conference, the Chief Man of Confidence, Sgt. James Wakelin, gave a comprehensive report on conditions within his sphere of action, i.e. Stalag IV G. He advised the Delegate to visit the Leipzig area. The Delegate visited Leipzig and the following facts were disclosed:

(1) British prisoners of war J. Halsell (250219) deliberately shot and killed while doing demolition work at Leipzig on December 18, 1943. A further case, Pte. Coulson, also reported shot and killed whilst at work.

(2) British prisoners of war Thomas Rickerly (228504). Lager 31 Leipzig, died on December 7, 1943. He had been ill in bed for 7 days, according to his comrades, being unable to eat or drink, he had not received any medical attention during this time. He was seen only after death by a German doctor.

(3) Refusal of Medical Attendance. On Saturday, November 20, 1943. British prisoners, on with pleuritis, two with bronchitis, two with angina, one with durchfall and one with grippe reported sick. They all were ordered to return to work. The sick book was filled in by a German Sanitary orderly.

(4) Numerous cases of ill-treatment. British Medical Officer, Leipzig area, Capt. F.G.D. Webster, RAMC. (228333) reported that several British prisoners of war had been struck while at work. He had treated men with bayonet wounds and also contusions caused by rifle blows.

(5) Non-delivery of Red Cross parcels due to lack of transports. British prisoners in the Leipzig area and elsewhere have received only 2-3 Red Cross parcels since their arrival in September - October 1943. There is a very large stock at Stalag in Oschatz and on the day of the Delegate's visit a wagon had left for Leipzig.

(6) No outgoing mail due to lack of letter-forms and postcards. Up to the day of the visit only one postcard per man was issued. When these prisoners arrived from Italy, there was no stock of English letter-forms at Stalag. Apparently the printing-office in Berlin had been destroyed during November 1943. A considerable stock of this stationery had recently arrived and this situation may soon improve.

(7) Long working hours and in many cases no rest of 24 consecutive hours per week. The lives of these soldiers in fact consists of working and sleeping with little or no distraction to entertain them. They are getting into a depressed mental state.

The plight of the British prisoners in the Leipzig area was subject to very strong representations to Stalag Authorities. The Commandant explained that his men had no experience with British prisoners and that the organisation of this section met with difficulties caused by the Allied air attacks, particularly in the Leipzig area.

Stalag IV G will be re-visited during February 1944 when at least 3 days will be reserved to visit work-detachments.

This Revier for prisoners of war of all nationalities is housed in a four-story building formerly occupied by the Salvation Army. Besides the British Medical Officer, two French and one Russian doctors are in charge of it. One British Medical Orderly is there as well and on the day of visit 8 British patients were medically attended. Minor cases only.

One room will be reserved for British prisoners of war. The furnishing consists of the ordinary double-tier wooden beds, no wardrobes, few chairs and some medical equipment. There is electric light, central heating, good washing- and bathing-facilities and the food is also reported to be fairly satisfactory. The British Medical Officer and the other doctors cooperate very well and the large dressing room in the ground-floor, where twice a week a sick parade is held for the British prisoners of war, is quite satisfactory.

I. This work-camp is housed in a former "Biergarten" with concert-hall in one of the south-western suburbs of Leipzig. There is one very large hall with a gallery and a stage serving as sleeping and living quarters, a good washroom and a latrine-room and a kitchen.

II. 248 British prisoners of war all from Italian captivity are here and are working for the Reichspost at the central post office. The men work in three shifts of 7.[?]0 and 10 hours.

III. The hall is furnished with double-tier wooden beds, one good locker for each man, a number of chairs and tables. There is electric light and central heating. The electric light is not very adequate as the lamps are too high up on the ceiling and the bulbs too feeble.

VI. Food is reported to be good. Four British prisoners of war do the cooking under the supervision of a German woman. Ration scale is provided. Up to now only two Red Cross food parcels were received for the two months the men are at this work-camp. There are no facilities for preparing the Red Cross food.

VII. Sick parade twice a week with the British Medical Officer at the Revier. There is also a small first-aid box at the camp and another one at the post-office where the men work. Dental treatment is organized.

VIII. The clothing position is very bad. All sorts of uniforms are at the camp. Whole uniforms, footwear and boots are much needed. As a large consignment of clothing has arrived now at the Stalag, the issue of this equipment is mainly a question of transport possibilities.

X. The men receive 65 Rpfg. a day. For the two months the men are working here they had no day off and the Delegate made strong representations on this point at the conference with the Stalag authorities.

XIII. No recreation facilities. There are no books, no indoor games and no musical instruments in the camp. The YMCA will be informed. Some sporting gear is here but no sportsground available. Arrangements will be made.

XIV. As already mentioned in the report on the Stalag, only one postcard was issued up to now. Letter-forms will be on hand next week. Incoming mail is dropping in slowly.

XVI. Hostile attitude of German militaries and civilians. The Kommando-Führer, however, appears fair and reasonable. It is thanks to the conduct of this German Non Commissioned Officer that conditions in this work-detachment, as a whole, may be called satisfactory. The prisoners work for the Reichspost. Very unfortunately, several of them committed some acts of theft in the stores or the post-office. It must be born in mind that they are under-nourished, without the supply of Red Cross food parcels and in depressed mental state. This is, of course, no excuse, but a matter of extenuating circumstances.

Following points mentioned in report on Stalag IV G Oschatz visited 7th January containing 3297 British prisoners from Italy distributed in about forty work detachments. Swiss representative visited Leipzig area and ascertained that J. Halsell 250219 was deliberately shot and killed while doing demolition work at Leipzig 18th December. Private Coulson also reported killed while working. Thomas Rickerly 228504 died 7th December after week's illness during which he received no medical attention. Seven sick prisoners ordered to work. British M.O. Captain F.G.D. Webster 228333 reported several prisoners struck while working and has treated men for bayonet wounds and bruises caused by rifle blows. Since arrival in September prisoners in Leipzig area have only received two or three Red Cross parcels owing lack of transport from Oschatz. Only one outgoing postcard per man issued since arrival. Long working hours and in many cases no twenty-four hours consecutive rest and prisoners' morale low.

Stalag IV G will be revisited this month. Swiss Legation Berlin have made representations German M.F.A. concerning bad conditions.

Reference is made to the disgraceful treatment of British prisoners of war in Stalag IV G Oschatz and the dependent work camp L.24 Leipzig as revealed by the reports or visits by the Swiss representative on the 7th January, 1944.

(a) Two prisoners of war have been shot, others have had to be treated for wounds inflicted by bayonets and rifle butts. A separate enquiry has been made with regard to the two prisoners of war who were killed.

(b) Sick prisoners of war have been forced to work. Private Rickerly died on December 7th after a week's illness during which he received no medical attention.

(e) There is an absence of Red Cross supplies and the prisoners of war are undernourished.

It is requested that the Swiss Legation in Berlin be informed that His Majesty's Government are grateful for the representations they have been good enough to make on this camp and requests that they will continue to press for a substantial improvement.