The Better Germany in War Time: Being Some Facts Towards FellowshipPicton, Harold W. (Harold Williams)
History
The Better Germany in War Time: Being Some Facts Towards Fellowship
Picton, Harold W. (Harold Williams)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals, charities, etc.; World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, German
Dr. Ohnesorg, of the U.S. Navy, inspected Gardelegen and Salzwedel.
Owing to typhus, the former was not completely inspected. Two hundred
and twenty-eight British soldiers were interned here. Dr. Ohnesorg
remarks that the situation is open, with natural drainage. There was a
good and unstinted water supply. “I had a long talk alone with Captain
Brown. He spoke well of the camp.” “Work was being rushed on” for the
complete eradication of the clothing louse which is the carrier of the
infection. “It should be mentioned that the Russian prisoners, who are
primarily responsible for the introduction of the disease, are quartered
alone, ... but all the prisoners associate with one another in the
compound.” At Salzwedel, out of a total of 7,900 prisoners, only 49 were
British. The supply of water was unstinted. Shower baths and hot water
were available. Each man could have a bath every three days, and the
baths were being added to. In the hospital “the English doctor informed
me that the medicines and treatment accorded to the sick were good.”
“The majority of the English prisoners complained of not getting enough
food and the monotony of the diet. The black bread was another point of
protest. I myself was given a sample of the mid-day meal as it came
from the kettle. It consisted of a thick soup containing potatoes,
beans, and small portions of fish. It was palatable, and I should say
nourishing. The prisoners do not do heavy work, their work being police
duties, etc. I must add that those whom I saw were well nourished, of
good colour, and appeared to be in good physical condition. There were
only a half-dozen on the sick list, and, with one exception, they were
under treatment for wounds.”
GUESTROW, MUENSTER (LAGER), SOLTAU, SCHEUEN, SCHLOSS CELLE.
Mr. Jackson reported on the first four of these. The Güstrow camp
(Mecklenburg) contained about 6,000 prisoners, of whom 300 were British.
It is situated in the pine woods, and consists of “solid, newly-built
wooden barracks, lighted by electricity and heated.” Washing and bathing
facilities were good and the postal department well organised. “Clothing
is furnished when required, _if asked for_.”
“There are several workrooms, and most of the men who have trades can
find something to do to occupy their time and can earn a little money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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