CONFIDENTIAL
OFLAG VI B
[Pencilled notes: "See Protest 749 re: rations for Indians." and "See Protest 770 re collective penalties for individual acts."]
Camp Commander: Oberstleutnant Brinkord
Adjutant: Hauptmann Mahlow
Abwehr Offizier: Hauptmann Rademacher
Senior British Officer: Lt. Col. Kennedy
Senior British Medical Officer: Col. Levack R.A.M.C.
I.) GENERAL DESCRIPTION
There has been no fundamental change in this camp since last visit but several barracks have been erected and improvements have been made in different ways. They will be described below under the different points.
There is a definite progress in the sanitary conditions of the camp.
Unfortunately the work of building the new barracks for the extension of the camp has been entirely stopped some time ago without any prospect of it being started again. The camp authorities stated that it had been done in execution of an order from higher authorities. The German High Command will be asked to contemplate the completion of the work before the winter in view to give more room to the officer prisoners in the camps.
II.) CAPACITY AND PRESENT PERSONNEL
On the day of the visit there were in the camp
2217 Officers (of which 34 are Indians)
454 Orderlies (of which 3 are Indians)
In this number are comprised:
2 Officers at Lazaret Munich
4 Officers at Lazaret Freising
1 Officer at Lazaret Marburg
1 Orderly at Lazaret Applorbeck for mental diseases (Selected for repatriation).
In the last visit's report the fact was mentioned that there were not enough orderlies to assure the service of the officers; recently 150 more of them have arrived in the camp and their number is now considered as sufficient by the Senior British Officer.
There were 5 officers under arrest and no complaint was made about their treatment.
50 R.A.F. officers have left some time ago for the new R.A.F. camp Stalag Luft III but 350 are still in the camp; they are expected to be transferred as soon as the accommodations at Stalag Luft III will be sufficient. That will give some more room in this camp which is still overcrowded.
III.) INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS
The sleeping quarters are just as crowded as before; it is however expected that the departure of the rest of the R.A.F. officers will somewhat ease the situation in this respect.
The orderlies recently arrived here have been lodged in a barrack previously used as recreation barrack, three new barracks for recreation purpose having been built.
The work of repairing the leaking roofs is carried on steadily but the p.o.w. are rather sceptic about the result of these repairs, when winter comes.
The question of lighting is still acute; as reported before about two third of the camp is lighted only with carbid lamps and this does not provide sufficient light, especially for an officers camp. But for about one month before the date of the visit no fuel has been issued that it is absolutely impossible to read after 9½ o'clock at night. The matter was discussed with the camp commander who stated that a shipment of carbid was expected any day. Will be checked on the next visit. Besides the whole question of the lighting of this camp will be once more taken up with the German High Command.
The Senior British Officer complained that about 100 lamps had been broken and handed over to be repaired a very long time ago; and that about 150 lamp's glasses were broken. The camp authorities stated that the damaged lamps had been sent to the fabrik for repair and were expected to be back soon and that new glasses were ordered and expected any time.
It seems that the bed linen has not been changed every fortnight up to now; the question was discussed with the commander who said that he was perfectly aware that it ought to be done but that owing to some difficulties with the only laundry in the neighbourhood it had been so far impossible. However he expects the matter to be settled in the near future; will be checked on the next visit.
The 34 Indian officers are still lodged in the same barrack and their rooms are just as overcrowded as before. A room for their prayers was put at their disposal but as it is at the far end of the camp and they have to say their prayers 4 times a day (the Mahommedans till 11 o'clock at night) they do not find it convenient and do not use it. The commander was asked to arrange for another prayers room near the Indians' barrack and promised to consider the matter as soon as it will prove possible. This will be checked on the next visit.
Of the 3 Indian orderlies in the camp 2 are busy cooking in the kitchen and one is not enough for 34 officers. The German High Command will be asked to have two more Indian orderlies sent to this camp.
IV.) BATHING AND WASHING FACILITIES
Improvements have been carried out since last visit and some shower bath arrangements for cold water showers installed. There are now for the officers 381 taps, 35 hot showers and 16 cold showers; the Senior British Officer stated that it was sufficient and that he was satisfied with it.
Some pits have been constructed for the waste water of the wash houses and latrines and this is a great improvement.
V.) TOILET FACILITIES
The toilets, although not perfect, have certainly been improved too; first owing to the soak pits referred to under No.IV which collect the overflow of water and urine, and secondly because they are emptied more often and regularly and disinfected.
VI.) FOOD AND COOKING
There is no serious complaint about the food; the rations however for meat and sugar seemed rather slightly below the standard; unfortunately the German officer in charge of the kitchen was not there and the commander promised to enquire about it. The ration scale was communicated to the head British cook and the Legation's Representatives recommended him to have the rations given out controlled regularly.
A new small kitchen has been installed in the barrack of dining room No.2; it is intended for the cooking of parcels and private food; as there is in the main kitchen a stove for the same purpose it means an improvement although the possibilities are still limited in summer.
The cooking for the Indians is done by 2 Indian cooks; they have no special rations scale except that the meat is replaced by about 18 gr. margarine and 12 gr. jam daily, which is of course very little. No difference is made between the different religions.
There have always been enough Red Cross parcels for issuing one parcel a week per man and there is at present a stock for about 4 weeks. The organisation of the distribution of parcels and the opening of tins seems to work perfectly well.
The Indian officers, as in some other camps, asked if they could not receive the ordinary food parcels instead of the special parcels for Indians. The reasons are that the cooking of the food contained in their special food parcels requires too much fat having to be fried and that any flour they get is most of the time too old and not of good quality; besides they complained that only about 30% of their parcels contain milk.
On this visit the Legation's Representatives were allowed to see the Red Cross parcel barracks.
A new dining hall for orderlies has been arranged in a part of the dining hall barrack 2.
VII.) MEDICAL ATTENTION AND SICKNESS
German Chief Physician: Stabsartz Dr. Hoelscher.
The number of British Medical Officers and Orderlies is the same as when the camp was last visited.
A list of not yet recognised sanitators will be sent to the Protecting Power.
There is no important change in the interior arrangement of the infirmary except that the sanitary installation is to be improved; the room now used as laboratory will be made into lavatories with running water and toilets of the flush type; the draining system has already been completed. This will be a serious improvement in the hygienical conditions.
As a new isolation barrack has been built, the room previously used as isolation room will be turned into a laboratory.
Besides the installation of running water in the infirmary and in the isolation barrack is nearing completion.
The isolation barrack, which will be taken in use very soon, contains two sick wards for 10 beds each, a room for the Doctor, a small kitchen, a washroom and toilet facilities.
On the day of the visit there were in the infirmary 55 patients of which 14 were orderlies. As it is now the infirmary is certainly overcrowded. All the patients were suffering from minor diseases. Thee are 4 cases of diabetes in need of regular applications of insulin which is rather difficult to obtain; an average of 80-100 international units is needed daily. Col. Levack is of the opinion that a regular supply ought to assure daily application. There are six cases of diphtheria, all recovered.
One officer is at Reservelazaret Marburg; he was unluckily shot through the leg when a Russian prisoner from the nearby camp trying to escape was being pursued; his case is not serious however and he is doing well.
One orderly has been sent to Applerbeck, hospital for mental diseases; he was selected for repatriation by the Mixed Medical Commission as well as 35 other prisoners in the camp. Another 53 prisoners are proposed for examination by the same commission.
Nothing new to be reported about the dental station; an average of 25-30 patients are daily treated. The supply of material is satisfactory except that mercury and right angled drills are urgently needed.
The barber's shop attached to the infirmary requires following articles:
12 clippers No.0000
12 " " 00
12 " " 1
12 scissors
3 dozen combs
12 thinning scissors
6 neck brushes.
The Senior British Officer stated that he is so far satisfied with the general state of health in the camp, which can be described as good, an average of 100 prisoners undergoing treatment.
VIII.) CLOTHING
The clothing condition can be described as good. Since last visit big shipments have reached the camp and there is a certain stock at present:
1300 blouses, 823 trousers, 820 great coats, 129 pairs of boots. There is some underclothing in stock too.
The Senior British Officer asked however for more boots of large sizes.
There are good tailor's and cobbler's workshops where clothing and boots are repaired. The head of the tailor's shop asked for the following articles to be sent:
1) Sewing machine needles to fit "Singer" 31 D 31
2) Machine oil very urgent (at present sardine oil is used)
3) Duplex pressing board
4) 15 lb electric iron with spare filaments and other parts to maintain it
5) Khaki machine thread (not silk).
4 Men are working in the tailor's shop.
The requirements for the cobbler's shop are the following:
1) Leather (sole, heel, heel platefillings, insole and kip leathers)
2) heel plate nails, rivets (½ and 9/16 iron and 3/16 lasting tingles)
3) heel plates, toe plates and studs
4) hump, beeswax, saddler's needles and awl blades
5) rubber solution, black and brown stain
6) stretching last.
13 Men are working in the cobbler's shop. At present time they have great difficulty in repairing boots specially owing to lack of material and specially leather of all kinds; they have to use pieces of leather taken from old shoes.
In the same building there is a watch repairing workshop; two officers are working voluntarily there and are doing good work; however they experience great difficulty owing to lack of material and tools; a list of their requirements will be communicated to the Y.M.C.A.
The Senior British Officer complained that officers and men leaving the camp were not allowed to take with them the Red Cross blanket issued to them under the pretence that they belonged to the camp. The matter was discussed with the camp commander who gave orders to the effect that in future prisoners leaving the camp will be allowed to take with them their Red Cross blankets.
IX.) LAUNDRY
Nothing to be reported.
X.) MONEY AND PAY
Nothing to be reported.
XI.) CANTEEN
The difficulty between the British and the German officers in charge of the canteen have been settled satisfactorily since last visit but the canteen is no longer well provided; it becomes more and more difficult to procure the wanted articles.
Therefore a shipment of following items would be welcome; toilet paper, writing paper, tooth brushes, tooth paste and boot polish.
There is still no beer for sale but French and Serbian cigarettes which however are not much to the taste of the prisoners.
XII.) RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY
There are still in the cam:
1 Church of England chaplain
1 Church of Scotland chaplain
1 Roman Catholic chaplain
each of them holds a service every Sunday; besides there is a service during the week for each denomination.
Some of the articles asked for the last time the camp was visited have been received; however the following items are still required: candles, communion wine, hymn books, sermon paper. These wishes will be communicated to the Y.M.C.A.
XIII.) RECREATION AND EXERCISE
The theatre rooms which were closed on the last visit have been reopened again two months ago. Capt. Loder who is in charge of the theatre and entertainments stated that none of the wishes he expressed last time have so far been fulfilled (English plays, music paper, study books and music for symphony orchestra); the Y.M.C.A. will be asked if something has been done about it.
An electric gramophone pick up has been asked for too.
The Indian officers asked again for Indian books and Indo-English grammars and dictionaries (in Y.R.D.J. and Punjabi languages).
XIV.) MAIL
As a rule the mail is coming in more regularly; some letters take no longer than a fortnight from England.
However the mail for R.A.F. officers takes an average of two months from England which is about the double of the average for other mail; it is believed that this delay is due to the fact that the R.A.F. mail is not censored in the camp but in another R.A.F. camp, probably Dulag Luft. The German High Command will be asked to enquire about it and to take some steps in view to improve the delivery of that mail.
British and Indian officers are now allowed to write to fellow prisoners in other camps in Germany or in camps in Italy, except if they are brothers. They asked if they could not be allowed to write to friends too who are prisoners. This request will be communicated to the German High Command.
XV.) WELFARE WORK
The camp is regularly visited by representatives of the Y.M.C.A. and of the International Red Cross Committee.
XVI.) COMPLAINTS
1) There was a complaint that, what is considered as collective penalties by the Senior British Officer are usual at this camp.
For instance 4 spades being used by the Germans were found missing; as a result of this the issue of all garden and carpentry tools for use in the camp has been stopped.
Or the wire of the wireless amplificator of the camp having been cut, a theatre performance has been forbidden.
The German camp authorities say this is only the withdrawal of a privilege and not collective punishment; the point of view of the Senior British Officer is that every measure affecting the whole camp as a consequence of an action of one man is a collective penalty forbidden by the Geneva Convention. The Swiss Legation would be interested to know the point of view of the British Authorities on this point.
2) There was another complaint that searches were carried out in officers barracks in such a manner as to destroy or deliberately damage property of prisoners. The Abwehr Offizier refuses to accept the complaint made in front of the Legation's Representatives saying that it was too late and that the protest ought to have been made to him on the spot. This seems however to have been difficult as only one officer is allowed to stay in each room during the searches and he cannot leave the room to report without more damage being done to the property. After a long discussion the suggestion of the Legation's Representatives was accepted that in the future 2 prisoners will be allowed to stay in each room during the searches and that if some damage is done one of them will be allowed to leave the room at once and report to the Abwehr Offizier. It is hoped that this will improve the situation and the result of this new arrangement will be checked on the next visit.
3) In the general rules of the camp it is stated that the British battalions and companies commanders will be held responsible towards the camp commander for the carrying out of the orders given. The Senior British Officer is of the opinion that they can be held responsible for the transmission of the orders in due time but not for their execution, as these orders are issued by German authorities. As there is nothing in the Geneva Convention about this question the Swiss Legation acting as Protecting Power would be grateful to know the position taken by the British Government on this special point.
XVII.) GENERAL IMPRESSION
Although this camp is still far from being perfect, it has certainly improved from the material and hygienical point of view since last visited. And, what is even more important, there seems to be now more understanding for the prisoners from the part of the camp authorities. The new commander has not been in charge a long time and yet his influence is noticeable; he seems to be an energetic and rather strict officer but with human feelings. The Abwehr Offizier seems to have somewhat changed his attitude towards the prisoners for the best; as a whole the connections between the camp authorities and the prisoners are better and the whole spirit of the camp seems higher.
Gabriel Naville
Dr. Kurt Schaeffeler
