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
In the military prison at Cologne (Miscel. 16 [1916] p. 67), “the
prisoners receive the same food and the same general treatment as the
German military prisoners, with whom they are permitted to talk.... The
prisoners are not permitted to receive food from outside sources....
Generally speaking the conditions do not differ materially from those in
an ordinary working camp.... Corporal B. was found guilty of lack of
respect to his British superior, Corporal J. was punished for striking
the French non-commissioned officer in charge of his barrack, and
Corporals O. and S. had trouble with the German Landsturmmann in charge
of a cooking party....” Most of the sentences were for striking work at
various work centres, the men sentenced stating that the conditions were
bad. There was a special complaint against the railway work at
Langen-Halbach b/Haiger, but not all the British joined in the strike.
“I saw the men’s midday meal, consisting of a thick porridge which
appeared to be nutritious. One man claimed that it was thicker to-day
than usual, but several of his comrades contradicted this flatly. No
complaints were made to me of any rough treatment in the Gefängnis
[prison].”
BAVARIAN COURTESY.
The Venerable Archdeacon Wm. E. Nies, who had been given permission to
visit British prisoners of war in Bavaria, writes: “I think it is only
fair to comment favourably upon the friendly way in which my mission to
the men is received and furthered by the commanders without exception
thus far.”
HOSPITAL TREATMENT.
Of Germersheim hospitals we read: “The food served in these hospitals is
exceptionally satisfactory. Dr. Algeron, the chief surgeon in charge, a
broad-minded man and indefatigable worker, attends personally to the
catering.... Under this regime there have been some noteworthy increases
in weight....”
At Bayreuth a private of the Black Watch had been “removed—for the
purpose of electrical treatment of his arm by which it is hoped to avoid
an operation—to the military lazaret in the city, which is an admirably
equipped modern hospital.”
WUENSDORF, CREFELD.
We pass now to reports in Miscel. No. 26 (1916). Indian prisoners of war
at Wünsdorf (Zossen) find their treatment “very good.” At Crefeld
officers’ camp, “the walks on parole ... have been entirely
successful.... The only complaint as to these was that the German
accompanying the party was a non-commissioned instead of a regular
officer. This will, however, be rectified at once.... There is no
trouble of any kind with the inhabitants on these.... The relations with
the camp authorities are excellent.” As regards the behaviour of the
inhabitants, I would refer also to Chaplain O’Rorke’s statement (see p.
36), though, as one would expect, the inhabitants have in some other
cases behaved badly (_e.g._, p. 32).
MUENSTER II., MUENSTER III.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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