GERMAN PRISONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1938, Page 23

GERMAN PRISONS

HARSH TREATMENT

MANY POLITICAL OFFENDERS

THE LACK OF FOOD

There is not at present any one universally valid set of regulations governing the control of German prisons, says a writer in the "Manchester Guardian." The sphere of justice is already "verreichlicht" (literally, be-reiched>—that is, it is administered centrally from Berlin. Virtually all the regulations that formerly obtained in individual States and dated from preNazi times have been invalidated and overhauled; for, of course, they originated in the humane theory of penology, which has been deserted altogether. Fundamental now is the thesis that punishment must be injurious, must serve as a means, of frightening the prisoner. Treatment harmonises with that principle. The militarist note, without which, of course, nothing may any longer | exist, plays the next important part, in women's prisons also. At present the National Ministry of Justice is preparing for publication new regulations governing management and; care of prisons and prisoners, which will then cover all prisons and every possible case. But do not think that these official regulations, which every functionary must learn exactly, will pic-, ture what 1 actually happens. For the functionary will always have to "interpret" them according to the desired aims, because official regulations must be so drawn up that in case of emergency they could be made to stand before a court of humanity. The "interpretation" is, however, often most brutal. FOOD RATIONS. According to existing instructions food rations can be quite decent; it depends on the interest, views, and purposes of the particular director. Naturally they must under no circum-. stances be better than those of the unemployed or the lowest-paid workers outside. The average per \capita cost of food per day is 42 Pfennige (about lOd). In many short-term prisons the situation is somewhat worse, because the director, usually an ordinary, uneducated ; functionary, has a "monopoly" in the sense that he is allowed a certain amount per day which he may use as he will. Naturally he is interested in 'having something left over for himself, which is possible only at the expense of the inmates' sustenance. Ordinarily each man gets about one and a quarter ounces of black bread, women usually less. Malt coffee and the noonday" soup of barley, potatoes, and cabbage are, or course, ; not very ecstatically eaten. In regular, #prisons—that is, those where long sentences are served—there is more system and the situation is better. Each person gets about a litre of soup a day. Bread is usually dry; seldom is there a little marmalade or margarine. POLITICAL PRISONERS. I know of no distinction between food for political and criminal prisoners. Of course, the director can always decide that prisoner X shall have "arrest," which means that he gets only bread and water, or that he shall be sent to the "sick station," where he gets only thin soup, with nothing solid at all. Naturally there would be no official instructions concerning this, and such measures are always covered by the institutional physician and are, indeed, "prescribed" : jby him at the request of the director. The same'holds for work and free time. In any case.jit must here be said that, institutions lodging both criminal ' and political prisoners must isolate the latter, who work in the cells alone, eat alone, and sleep alone. Only the daily walk may be taken in_company, but they must keep far apart and are under the sharpest surveillance. Every attempt to communicate with each other is severely punished. It is not always possible to enforce isolation because the prisons are so crowded. The criminals have an easier time of it, as they may do housework, which is denied to political prisoners. POWER OF POLICE. When women prisoners arrive thay are, almost without exception, ailing and dead tired" from the excitement :of the "discussions" during the period •of investigation. Into the prisons come only those who have been convicted by trial; otherwise, as prisoners on remand, they sit in detention prisons, or, if they are not to have a trial,, in a concentration camp. Concentration camps are under the jurisdiction oi the police. Prisons are controlled by the Department of Justice. Justice and police are not always at one. At first prisoners are left to themselves altogether for several .days in order that they may become' quiet and get accustomed to their surroundings. When received they are naturally treated in an extra stern way to forestall any unnecessary or unavailing resistance to( their sentence.. In a few days work is assigned; from then on 'their lot depends,for the most part on their behaviour. Admittedly the prison personnel is rough in the main, and dull and uneducated, but not in general vicious. In concentration camps it is v different. >■' - At present most political, prisoners are from the ranks of the Bibelforscher (literally, Bible Searchers). There are few Communists, but many plain citizens who could not embrace the new ideals and so became punishable. SPECIOUS OFFENCES. For the most part they were convicted of specious criminal offences with, however, a political background —perjury, offences against the national economy, sins against rules for giving work, insults, and so on. Geographically one cannot tabulate them. Justice and the police have work to do in every part of the realm. In Prussia, Bavaria, and Thuringia, for instance, prosecution is not so severe as in Saxony; in Saxony, on the other hand, there are a great many prisoners. Today, when organised illegal activity has virtually vanished, the basis of political convictions is frequently the reading of or paying for forbidden literature, and as this offence is often committed without any understanding of its significance many harmless and foolish persons are caught. Many get two years because they contributed twenty Pf ennige simply out of nature and scarcely realising what they were doing. It is the same with aiding the relatives of political prisoners and harbouring or protecting those being hunted by the law. Nobody may. help the relatives of political prisoners (including the Bibelforscher) except the National Socialist Social Welfare Division; whoever does subjects himself to punishment. The prison associations that existed up to now have had to curtail their activities. Harbouring a refugee is preparation for high treason. "PREVENTIVE CUSTODY." After release any prisoner may, if the authorities so /desire, be sent to a concentration camp for an indeterminate period of "preventive custody." Every Bibelforscher must be so transferred, women as well as men; no Bibelforscher may ever attain freedom. Communists, except party officials, may possibly be released after some years of proved "conversion"; Bibelforscher, hardly ever. A great many people are put into concentration camps before their detention imprisonment, and then after serving their regular sentences in prison, are sent |back again. Evsry f prisoner would

rather serve a long term in prison than \ a short one in a concentration camp. Any prisoner who is ill may ask to see a docto^who then "looks at him." Naturally much depends on the individual doctor, though he too is responsible to the Department of Justice and is not free to prescribe as he will. Severe cases are sent to hospital, where, of course, the employees carry out the rules on personal freedom and strict surveillance. Anyone who is ill in prison receives "sick rations." This does not mean a special diet; merely plain soup. Nourishing food is given only when death threatens. LACK OF NECESSITIES. People who arrive with stomach and intestinal ailments strive to get better; healthy ones incarcerated for longer periods usually become weak, many get "nervous stomachs," many a scurvylike disease of the gums resulting from a one-sided diet lacking fruit and fresh vegetables. The criminals include many with venereal disease, especially among the youngsters. There are virtually no measures to prevent infection. Sensible institutional doctors try to cure these people as best they.can, but they are hampered by lack of t medicines and proper food. Prisoners who are unquiet or who rage may find that the doctor will prescribe a "quieting cold shower," a "packing,'* or a "massage." Efforts are made to keep the prisons free of vermin, in the new ones successfully, but it is impossible to eradicate bed-bugs from the oider buildings. Prisoners are supposed to work and receive wages from the State. They all work gladly, for incarceration with- ' out work is much worse—is, indeed, a I form of punishment. During their free j time and on Sundays they may read a book from the prison library, which consists primarily of Nazi books. Here again much depends on the individual director. Prisoners who behave may work for themselves a little on Sundays if they can procure work materials out of their earnings (less than a penny a day), half of which they may dispose of as they choose. It is useless to send money, for they may not spend it. • Exercise in the open air for one hour daily is the express right of every prisoner; in detention prisons the time allowed is much shorter. Gymnastics are allowed, often even athletics.