Hitler's British Slaves by Sean Longden

Author:Sean Longden [Longden, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Europe, Military, World War II
ISBN: 9781472103598
Amazon: B0119PD3SA
Publisher: Constable
Published: 2012-10-24T16:00:00+00:00

7

Danger, Disease, Decay and Death

‘Scenes of wanton and unnecessarily brutal treatment, sheer neglect and dying.’1

‘They are now positively suffering from hunger. They are also in such a weakened condition that they cannot throw off any illness and cannot finish their work thoroughly or undertake short marches.’2

In the aftermath of the initial period of deprivation endured by the prisoners most saw a recovery in health and living conditions that buoyed their spirits. As the Red Cross food and clothing parcels gradually helped them be restored to health and pride, life for the prisoners underwent a phenomenal change. No longer starving and dressed like tramps they could once more walk past their guards with their heads held high. Feeling more like soldiers than slaves they prepared themselves for a life of industry.

Yet as time passed, this life became increasingly uncomfortable. When a senior surgeon from the US Public Health Service visited 22 camps in 1941 he found them satisfactory with regard to food, sanitation, health and clothing. Working prisoners were receiving up to 60 per cent more food than the camp rations and there was no malnutrition. Barracks had adequate heat, light, sanitation, ventilation and drainage. It was a situation that would not last and by 1945 many of the prisoners were desperately struggling to survive. As one Red Cross inspector predicted in 1943, if the situation did not improve the prisoners would soon be completely and utterly exhausted. As food shortages and worsening living conditions reduced the prisoners to mere shadows of their former selves, they had every reason to fear an ominous future, as one prisoner later explained: ‘Freud reckoned everything we do is motivated by sex. Not true – when women and food are not available there is still fear!’3

Although in the early war years such fears were far from the minds of most working prisoners the situation was not the same everywhere. In some work camps conditions had remained below standard right from the start of the war, with the Red Cross reporting: ‘very unsatisfactory conditions in Stalag XVIIIa and in practically all its labour detachments’.4 Many stayed clad in rags and shuffling along in clogs throughout the war and false teeth remained in short supply, as did razor blades, glasses, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

As the war continued even those who had known tolerable conditions in the early years found their situation worsening. In 1941 the men of Bau und Arbeitsbattaillon (BUA) No 20 had found themselves living in a German fort. Each member of the three work companies was given a weekly beer ration of one and a half bottles, and each man had a new battledress and boots. Ironically, in light of what would follow, their main complaints were about the poor quality of the carrots in their rations. In another camp the prisoners were even able to keep pets, with turkeys, ducks and goats all being smuggled into the camp. One prisoner even bought a horse from a local civilian but found himself unable to smuggle it past the camp guards.

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