CONFIDENTIAL

No.749

BRITISH

Date of visit: March 21st, 1945

STALAG IX C/Z - Zweiglager Muehlhausen/Thuer.

Camp Commander : Hauptmann Knabe

Accompanying Officer from the OKW : Major Siegmann

British Medical Officer : Captain P.S. Allenby, RAMC, POW No.53660

British Man of Confidence : Sgt. George Lowe, POW No.3179.

1) GENERAL DESCRIPTION

        There has been no change in the outlay of this camp since our last visit on January 17th, 1945; a full description of the camp has been given in previous reports. The reason for the Delegate's visit to this camp as well as others in Wehrkreis IX was to find out how the evacuated POWs from the East have been accommodated, therefore abstaining from visiting the working detachments depending on this Stalag.

2) CAPACITY AND PRESENT PERSONNEL

        Since our last visit the total strength of POWs at the camp has increased to 754 British POWs. This is mainly due to the fact that 264 British POWs evacuated from Silesia have been unable to continue their march further west, and have been brought here for treatment and recuperation. Of those, 128 are to remain here to be added to the Stalag strength and shall be sent out to working commandos as soon as they will be considered fit to do so. A party of 50 POWs has already been considered fit to work and according to the Camp commander shall leave the following day to working commandos near Goettingen. Another 42 have been graded for work after a further rest of 8 to 14 days at which time they will, according to the German Camp Commander, be reexamined before actually being sent out to work.

3) INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS

        Due to the influx of POWs from the East, the entire camp is grossly overcrowded, many men have to sleep on the floor, in spite of additional beds having been provided for the concert hall. About 30% of all the POWs sleep on the floor in the various rooms on the second floor which are considered the warmest. Each man has a straw sack, some of the men who sleep in beds have given up their straw sacks for those who have to sleep on the floor. Each man has two blankets, one of which has been supplied by the German Authorities. Here again the POWs of the original strength of this Stalag have given up some of their private blankets so that the new arrivals should not be in want of them. In one of the rooms are 26 POWs who have passed the Mixed Medical Commission last October and who are awaiting repatriation. They have been provided by the German Authorities with two blankets each and also one straw sack each for their beds. None of those have to sleep on the floor. Three of the rooms are very dark due to the fact that most of the window-panes are broken, and since no glass is available in Germany they have been replaced by card board or wood. The Delegate requested that these rooms should be permitted to use electric light almost always, however, since electricity has become very scarce, the Camp Commander was not able to grant this request. He, therefore, suggested that one window-pane out of each very light room, should be taken out and be put into the dark rooms thus giving all the necessary light for the darker rooms while the other rooms would suffer very little by this change. The German Authorities are unable to supply any more fuel, coal being unobtainable and wood is very scarce and cannot be supplied any more due to transport difficulties. However, wood cutting parties are being sent out daily to collect wood for the heating of the revier and the various rooms. There is still some coal left which is solely used for the cookhouse.

4) BATHING AND WASHING FACILITIES

        Inspite of the increase in POWs, washing facilities cannot be considered as too bad. Bathing is at present non-existent because too many marching POWs passing through here had been deloused thus making the routine baths for those in the camps impossible. The Camp Commander, however, promised that the regular hot shower per fortnight may be re-installed shortly since practically all the marching column have passed this district.

5) TOILET FACILITIES

        Latrine facilities have been inadequate since most of the evacuated POWs suffer from dysentery. According to the British Medical Officer most of the dysentery cases have been cured and therefore toilet facilities can be considered as adequate at present.

6) FOOD AND COOKING

        Food is cooked by the POWs themselves and is said to be very good as to quality. The latest cut in German rations is, however, very much felt. The new ration scale per week per man is as follows: (Valid for period from March 5th - April 8th 1945)

        There has been a very small stock of Red Cross parcels in this camp, and a very small issue of a few items has been made every week. The M.o.C. has been wanting to issue one full parcel to each of the 50 POWs who are supposed to leave the following day for working commandos. The Camp Commander of the head camp at Bad Sulza refused permission, for fear that these unpunctured tins would be used for escaping. Since, however, the OKW has given permission for POWs who are being sent elsewhere to be in possession of one or more parcels per man, the Camp Commander of Zweilager Muehlhausen has consented to issue an unopened full parcel to each man of the 50 POWs leaving this camp the following day. After this transaction there will remain only 50 more Red Cross parcels on stock, a new supply is expected to arrive shortly.

7) MEDICAL ATTENTION AND SICKNESS

        Medical attention is in the care of Capt. Allenby and 8 medical orderlies. At present there are 26 POWs in the Revier, sleeping in double-tier beds. Most of these patients are from the march suffering from very bad dysentery and 2 cases of pneumonia. These cases are well under control and are slowly recovering. Capt. Allenby reported that on arrival all POWs suffered from exhaustion and malnutrition, however, due to the fairly good drug supply, the constant care, and the understanding of the German Authorities of this camp, the POWs are recovering very nicely and the state of health of all is improving daily. He also stressed the point that the POWs of the original strength of this camp have done everything possible to help those newcomers giving up their own blankets and clothing as well as practically all Red Cross food for those in need. Capt. Allenby reported the following:

        On March 12th, 1945, he was asked to go to town to take care of some of the sick POWs who were accommodated in a garage for the night during their march from the East to West of Germany. He was allowed to pick out the worst cases and have them brought to the revier. The others left the following day for an unknown destination, probably to Stalag IX A - Ziegenhain or IX B - Bad Orb. Of those brought to the revier, the following have died since:

                (a) Cpl. Henry GALTRY, POW No.14708, Serv. No.4389929, of the 5 Batl. Green Howards, died on the way from the garage to the revier, cause of death: malnutrition, exhaustion with terminal pneumonia, Next of kin: Mr. R.H. Galtry (father) Allerston, Pickering, Yorksh.

                (b) Driver MORRIS, POW No.221617, Reg No.T 70770, RASC died March 13th at revier, cause of death: Dysentery, malnutrition, exhaustion and terminal pneumonia, Next-of-kin: Mr. Wilfred Morris (father) 39, Beech St., Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

                (c) Sgt. Harry C. BREYER, (USA) POW No.318231, Serv. No.20313535, died on March 12th, 1945 at the garage at Muehlhausen, cause of death: Malnutrition, exhaustion, dysentery, terminal pneumonia, further details unknown.

                (d) Sgt. J.D. FORBES, POW No.314536 (USA), Reg No.36117290, died on March 20th 1945 at revier, cause of death: Dysentery, malnutrition, exhaustion, terminal pneumonia, Next-of-kin: Mrs. Anna Forbes, 48, Scott St., Monroe, Mich. USA.

        These four have been properly buried in coffins. Apparently here, coffins are still available.

        There is an ample supply of antityphus serum and Capt. Allenby has given already the first of three injections to each POW. The serum has been received through the International Red Cross in Geneva from England.

8) CLOTHING

        The clothing situation is rather bad, the men have only whatever they were able to bring along on the march. Not all the clothing has been deloused so far, however, when the POWs arrived their clothing was taken away from them and the German Authorities supplied them with the necessary clothing until such time as their own has been deloused. However, since the German supply was very limited the POWs of the original strength of this Stalag have given up their own clothing for the newcomers. The German Camp Commander promised that all clothing will be deloused at the end of this week.

9) LAUNDRY

        This is done by the men themselves and besides the shortage of soap there has been no complaint. Soap is one of the many articles which seems to be impossible to obtain in Germany lately. Nevertheless, Hauptmann Knable promised to do his utmost to supply soap in due course.

10) MONEY AND PAY

        Nothing to report.

11) CANTEEN

        Practically non-existent.

12) RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

        Satisfactory.

13) RECREATION AND EXERCISE

        Outdoor games are rather limited due to bad weather. Indoor games adequate due to quite a good supply of books, playing cards and all sorts of games. The POWs very much regret having had to given up the large concert hall, which has become a large dormitory. They hope that with the recuperation and sending out of most POWs to working commandos the strength of this Stalag will soon decrease to normal and concert and theater parties could be given again.

14) MAIL

        Outgoing mail is satisfactory, incoming mail for old time prisoners of this Stalag practically nil. No personal parcels have been received for the last three months. The lack of cigarettes is greatly felt therefore.

15) WELFARE WORK

        A representative of the International Red Cross has paid a visit about a week ago.

16) COMPLAINTS

        The 26 D.U.s were told last January to pack their kits and be ready to leave at any moment's notice. Nothing happened since, and they fear very much that they have been forgotten to be included in the repatriation in January. It is, however, expected, that they will be included in the next exchange.

        The M.o.C. again brought to the attention of the Delegate the air-raid precaution which has been forced upon the POWs. They are again requesting that they should be compelled to go to the cellar only at full alarm, instead of the so-called "Voralarm." This will mean that the POWs would have to remain in this cold dark and cellar of the brewery, where there are no sitting accommodations, for a few hours only, instead of practically all day long. The M.o.C. offered to sign a paper by which the POWs will take full responsibility in case of an accident. Since this is a matter for the Camp Commander at the main camp at Bad Sulza to decide, no satisfactory solution has been reached so far, and the case will be taken up again with the German High Command.

        The M.o.C. reported the following:

                On March 6th, a Lancaster bomber was shot down close to this place. 4 POWs from this camp were ordered to collect the bodies of which 7 were found dead in the plane. Five of those have been identified as follows:-

        The two remaining bodies have been badly burnt and no identification could be found. The seven bodies were brought to the camp and kept in the mortuary chapel. Seven graves were dug by four British POWs from the camp and the seven coffins were lowered in their respective graves on March 12th. There was no religious service or any proper burial. A German policeman was present. When discussing this case with the Camp Commander, he stated that he was requested to supply four men to collect the bodies and to dig the graves. The responsibility of funeral service or burial remains with the German ...[END]