Internment in Switzerland During the First World War by Barton Susan;

Author:Barton, Susan;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781350037755
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK

Figure 6.1 Boxing match between French internees. Courtesy of Privatbesitz Rita Eller-Banz, Engelberg.

Gymnastics was another sport popular among internees, both as individuals or in teams. At Salvan, one of the smaller internment centres for French and Belgian internees, roads were rare and footpaths rocky so it was judged that it would be best to have gymnastic exercise on a miniscule piece of flatland that transformed into an ice rink in winter.89 Athletics too enabled men to not only regain and improve fitness, but a competitive element gave added interest and an incentive to train. Two months after their arrival, interned officers in Chateau d’Oex organized a sports day for Swiss National Day on 1 August 1916.90 There were jumping competitions, athletics events and sack races plus other amusing races for the local children, while a festive atmosphere was provided by the internees’ orchestra. At an athletics event held at Chateau d’Oex in September 1918, teams from Mürren, Seeburg and Interlaken joined men interned locally in competition. There were the usual athletics events plus a three-legged race and pillow fighting perched on a bar. Distances were in yards and miles for the British competitors but in metres for the French and Belgian internees and Swiss civilians taking part. The event attracted nearly 500 spectators. A later sports day, held in Interlaken, drew 120 spectators from Mürren as well as local inhabitants . The Mürren team won most of the open events, including the mile, the relay race and tug of war. Apparently the Belgians ‘put up a good fight but lacked science’.91 French internees in Bagnes celebrated Bastille Day 1917 with two days of festivities that included a day of games on the Sunday: a sack race, cock fight and various other contests, which the local Swiss helped organize.92 A photograph from Engelberg shows the start of a running race with French and Belgian internees in a variety of athletics costumes.

Swimming galas were also held occasionally, with outdoor swimming in the lakes, such as those in Lake Lucerne at Seeburg in the early and late summer of 1918 and the Water Carnival at Gunten on Lake Thun in September.93 Watersports were available in Lausanne, where men could bathe in Lake Geneva and play water polo.94 At Engelberg, there was a swimming pool used by French and later by German internees.95

Most resorts and some hotels had tennis courts. Tennis, a middle-class sport in Britain, was played by both officers and men. A tournament for officers, which included a ladies’ singles competition for their wives and daughters, was organized in Interlaken in September 1918 but had to be abandoned because of rain. Prizes were therefore awarded to those with the highest percentage of wins over the season.96 Another week-long tennis tournament in Montana, due to take place in August 1918, had faced a similar fate because of heavy rain.97

Sport was available at the convalescent centre at Seeburg, which opened in July 1917 with thirty NCOs and men accompanied by three officers, while twenty-two NCOs and men were in hospital in nearby Lucerne.

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