Translation by the London Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross
LUDWIGSBURG HOSPITAL
Visited on November 11th. 1944 by Mr. Biner and Dr. Pfister.
Camp Leaders - American - Bruns GALINSKO, C.Sgt. Army No.36320723
British - Lt. E.D. POLLOCK, No.3410
234 patients including 59 Americans, 1 British, 2 Indians.
General remarks - As indicated in previous reports, this hospital is in a large stone building called the Staff Building and contains 290 beds for sick p.o.w. On account of constant arrivals from the Western front, it will shortly be necessary to separate the medical and surgical cases; prisoners severely wounded and serious cases of illness will remain in the Staff Building and the other patients will be sent to the Friedrich Barracks about one hundred metres away; the latter building also contains this infirmary from Stalag V A, recently installed there.
Accommodation - Both buildings are normal and give rise to no complaints except for bad heating, especially as regards the Friedrich Barracks which have not been heated at all to date. The Delegates efforts regarding this matter, during the final interview at Stalag V A unfortunately met with no success. The Kommandantur and the Zahlmeister did not stock fuel at the proper time and there is no hope of improving matters with the actual transport difficulties in the Western region. This remark applies to all areas occupied by prisoners in the camp. The Delegates will send a note to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht on the subject.
Air raid shelters - There are sufficient air raid shelters, although these are similar to those provided for the civilian population in the town.
Food - There is not sufficient food and it is not good. Rations are issued according to regulations and may be checked by the camp representatives. There is communal cooking for all the prisoners and in certain cases special diet meals are allowed.
Collective consignments - Collective consignments are supplied by Stalag V A. During the final interview, the Delegates requested that a 250 litre boiler should be lent twice a week to the communal kitchen to prepare food from collective consignments, which request has been granted. The medical personnel have the use of a small stove to prepare meals from their collective consignments.
Medical attention - Ten p.o.w. doctors give medical attention to patients in both buildings. The equipment is satisfactory and up to the present medical supplies were available. The increasing number of sick and wounded arriving from the Western front creates a need for more medical supplies for the Americans and, eventually, for the British.
Radiographic examination of prisoners from Stalag V A has only been partially carried out up to the present and, during the final interview, the Delegates requested that such examination should be effected more rapidly; it was promised that this should be done.
As mentioned already, the infirmary at Stalag V A has been removed and medical and surgical cases have been separated in two different buildings. The doctors protested against this proceeding on the grounds that the infirmary is attached to the camp and that to achieve proper working organisation it is a disadvantage to have patients in two separate buildings. The Delegates referred the question to the authorities during the final interview but could not obtain satisfaction, on the grounds that the infirmary had been transferred for safety reasons ("abwehrgründen"). However, the Delegates were promised that a doctor would be on night duty in case of air raids or other urgent cases.
The German authorities check orders for medical supplies, stocks and distribution.
Two dentists attend to the prisoners' needs; no complaints or requests were made.
Interview with Camp Leaders - Delegates conversed for several hours with all the doctors and camp leaders.
Conclusion - The two buildings of Stalag V A Hospital are not bad.
Translation by the London Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross
INDIAN DETACHMENT (Stalag V A)
Visited on November 15th. 1944 by Dr. Pfister and Mr. Biner.
Camp Leader - Sultan Khan, No. 1563
Strength - about 100 Indians.
Accommodation - About 100 Indians from the former Stalag 315 have been housed since November 9th. 1944 (or about this date) in the old sick ward of Stalag V A. They suffer from the cold and not sufficient fuel is issued. The huts are of the usual type. Prisoners are housed according to their religion (Mohamedans, Hindus, Sikhs, Ghurkas).
Clothing - The Indian prisoners' clothing is very bad. The little they were able to save on leaving Stalag 315 was lost during the 13 other transfers which followed. There is a most urgent need of clothing.
Collective consignments - The prisoners have received no Red Cross Parcels for at least two months; they make an urgent request for Indian Parcels.
Transfers which occurred to date - On Mat 11th. last, an air raid over Stalag 315 caused the death of about 250 Indians. 250 fled and about 300 disappeared. The party which finally arrived at Stalag V A still included 1900 men when orders were received in mid-August to be ready for evacuation. Blankets, greatcoats, underclothing were left behind as being too bulky to carry as the prisoners had to walk 30 kilometres a day towards Germany. After a few days' march, they received machine gun fire from aircraft; then there was a continuous rain fall. On September 1st. the prisoners scattered in the woods; they remained a month near the fighting line and during this time they searched for food in the woods (roots). After this stay of a month near the fighting line, 100 Indians mentioned in this report were separated from their comrades and sent slowly towards the East. They stayed two weeks in a town where they received very bad treatment; one loaf a day had to suffice for 7 men with sugarless coffee etc. They were then taken to a small town where there were neither blankets or water. The Camp Leader made constant complaints to the German authorities without success. He requested to be sent with his men (among whom are 54 N.C.O.) to an Indian camp in the region. To resume, they at last arrived a few days ago at Stalag V A, where, they were informed, their stay will only be temporary. The Camp Leader would prefer to remain with his men in their present quarters at Stalag V A after the suffering they have endured during their 13 different transfers.
Translation by the London Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross
DETENTION CAMP FOR ATTEMPTED ESCAPES (Stalag V A) Germany.
Visited by Dr. Pfister and Mr. Biner on November 11th. 1944.
Strength - 182 prisoners including 2 American N.C.O. and 2 British N.C.O. who refused to work.
Accommodation - Up to November 9th. 1944, fugitives were housed in two stables of the Adolf Hitler Barracks, about a kilometer to the East of the town. Since this date, they have been lodged in a similar stable about 300 metres away from their old quarters. The stables are built of bricks with stone floors which hold the damp. A few windows, very high up, nearly under the roof, do not give sufficient light. There are no cupboards or shelves against the walls for keeping personal belongings, only the beds and, in the middle of the room, a stove which cannot be used. There is a hole in the roof, of about 50 c/m diameter, caused by an incendiary bomb. The whole place seems cold and uncomfortable. On the Delegates' arrival, the prisoners were shut in their quarters. Two heavy sliding doors, closed by chains, form the entrance. The main exit leads into a yard the other three sides of which are formed by huts housing prisoners of other nations. Trenches have been cut in the yard and the Camp Commander stated that the occupants of the detention camp were at liberty to use the trenches together with the other prisoners. Behind the stable is another smaller yard which is to be allotted to the prisoners for use during the day.
Since being evacuated and until the Delegates' visit, prisoners have only been able to go out in the yard for 1h½ at the most; the rest of the time they were obliged to remain confined in their unheated quarters.
Categories of P.O.W. on the camp strength - The N.C.O. who refused to work have been detained for months in the same camp as two other categories of prisoners; they urgently requested that they should be transferred to a special camp for N.C.O. detained for similar reasons. They complain of the fact that they are obliged to live in the same camp as prisoners under detention for military crimes and fugitives, and under the same defective conditions. The camp authorities assured the Delegates that an application would be made to higher quarters in this sense, in order that these N.C.O. might be evacuated to Stalag XVIII A.
Conclusion - This detention camp is very bad, there is not sufficient accommodation, beds are infested with vermin, there are neither tables or benches (these were cut up and burned by the prisoners who had no fuel).
The very low morale shown by the prisoners may be imputed to the fact that there have been gathered together in one camp, under special supervision, fugitives, prisoners under military detention and N.C.O. who refused to work. The men consider they are under detention and that this is a disciplinary camp.
It is to be recommended that the N.C.O. who refused to work should be transferred soonest possible from this camp to Stalag XVIII A.
0103/6612/P.W.2. 27.1.1945.
F.O. Ref.K.W. 2/4 23.1.1945.
(EN CLAIR)
DEPARTMENTAL NO. 1.
FROM BERNE TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Mr. Norton
No. 158
20th January, 1945.
D. 8.35 p.m. 20th January, 1945.
R. 2.40 a.m. 21st January, 1945.
Swiss report creation Stalag V A Ludwigsburg Wurttemburg containing 675 Indians including 422 Mohammedans 18 Sikhs 217 Hindus 18 Christians. Man Confidence S/Sgt. Sultan Khan No. 1563. Camp will be visited February.
Comité International de la Croix-Rouge,
Genève, 6th February
1945.
TR/BR - ECR/HS/VC
8.1.51.10/XXXI
Dear Sir,
Re: Stalag V A Ludwigsburg
We acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 25th, 1945 and thank you for the remittance of the two copies of notes received from the Department Politique fédéral, Division des Intérêtes étranges.
We wish to inform you that the strength of the newly established camp Stalag V A at Ludwigsburg was at the time of 680 Indian and 10 British prisoners of war, according to a message received from the British Man of Confidence on December 18th, 1944.
With regards to the extension of British Red Cross relief to Stalag V A we beg to point out that on December 28th, 1944, the following shipment was despatched to the camp in question.
650 Christmas parcels
100 British standard food parcels
1500 Indian food parcels
30 tobacco parcels
500 invalid diet supplement parcels
10 medical parcels
10 surgical parcels.
Furthermore, orders for the despatch of the following supplies have been passed on to our warehouses:
50 British standard food parcels
672 Canadian food parcels
3800 Indian food parcels
45 tobacco parcels
100 invalid diet supplement parcels
2 medical parcels
2 surgical parcels,
an assortment of clothing including:
100 overcoats
600 pairs of trousers
300 blouses
716 pairs of boots
600 Kullah caps
600 shirts
500 vests
600 pairs of socks
480 pullovers
500 pairs of gloves
200 scarves
toilet articles
boot repair material
soap
It is therefore hoped that in a very near future the necessary relief in regard to food parcels and clothing will reach the camp Stalag V A.
Yours faithfully,
For the International Committee of the Red Cross
A.R. RIGG
Asst. Manager of the Relief Division.
R.A.L. Armstrong, Esq.,
Acting British Consul,
41, Quai Wilson GENEVA.
Comité International de la Croix-Rouge,
Genève, 7th February 1945.
TR/BR - ECR/HS/VC
8.1.51.10/XXXI
Dear Sir,
Re: Stalag V A Ludwigsburg
Further to our letter of the 6th inst. we beg to inform you that we have just been advised by telegram from the Lagerkommandant of the arrival of a large number of Indian prisoners of war in Stalag V A Ludwigsburg.
We are therefore increasing our consignments to Stalag V A to cope with the increased camp strength.
Yours faithfully,
For the International Committee of the Red Cross
A.R. RIGG
Asst. Manager of the Relief Division.
R.A.L. Armstrong, Esq.,
Acting British Consul,
British Consulate,
41, Quai Wilson
GENEVA.
