HITLER’S GUESTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23166, 2 April 1945, Page 6

HITLER’S GUESTS

Reluctant To Stay Prison Camp Incidents An Air Force officer who recently returned from a German prison camp related strange incidents and accidents, escapes and escapades. He gave a general picture of the treatment, and his summing-up was. “not good and not bad: it depends on the camp." He praised, like everyone else, the services of the Red Cross. Its section of the Bodlian Library provided amazing facilities fof study and examination. Almost any subject was available and passes and degrees were possible. Theatricals were popular, and of a very high standard; so much so that the flying officer" rather turns up his nose now at West End shows. At first the Germans provided costumes and “props," but, as the war aged, things became more difficult. However, with the wealth of talent, shoes for the “actresses" were made out of discarded boots and costumes were improvised. The "actresses” often allowed their hair to grow long, and it was waved and “set" in a barber's shop run by peacetime professionals. In the camp a man could learn any trade, study for any examination, and learn any language. Seme could sneak Russian. Every effort was made to stave off what was known as “barbedwire fever.” Treatment of Russians The Russian prisoners, however, lived under intolerable conditions, and died in thousands. At Lamsdorf camp they bad no shelter, but lived in slit trenches in 38 degrees of frost. The returned officer told of a Russian artillery officer, a surveyor in peacetime, who worked as an orderly in the hospital. "Don't you chaps fee! pretty bad about having all these rotten jobs to do?” has was asked. “Oh. not particularly,” replied the Russian, “I've seen German generals mending roads in Russia.” Russians worked on construction work next to the British camp. The British -would throw them food or cigarettes over the wire, until the Germans adopted the habit of loosing off at such offenders with a machineThe Gestapo was not treated with the respect one would expect! Every now and then, at an early hour in the morning, rooms would be searched by Gestapo officials. The British took the matter very calmly and would rise leisurely and dress slowly. On one occasion an airman was awakened, but pretended to go to sleep again, a blanket over his face. A large and rugged Gestapo man shook him firmly by the shoulder at which the prisoner swept, the blanket off his face with a loud "Boo.” The Gestapo fell back in startled surprise That “Boo” must have required some courage. After all, there are geese and geese. It is interesting to know that Gestapo agents were always searched as they left the camp! The Germans issued propaganda books and pamphlets: anti-Jewish propaganda, and such literature as Lord Haw Haw's “Twilight over England.” When the prisoners held their parade one morning, the sentries at the barbed wire noticed a small fire which grew in volume as the English piled on Mr Joyce’s masterpiece, and other inspired books. Escape Not Easy The camp was not an easy place to escape from, though some prisoners got away. There was first a warning fence beyond which it was not permitted to go. Next came a high barbed-wire fence, with anti-tunnelling detectors and a raised sentry box fitted with a searchlight every 50 metres. Two men occupied each box and a guard patrolled between. There was a boundary light, every 15 paces, and, to make doubly sure, a German marched about the camp with an Alsatian dog. But attempts were made, and some were successful. There was one brilliant failure. A man dressed in German working overalls was seen supervising two civilians who were digging a drain to carry a water pipe. The drain ran down through the camp, and eventually reached the warning fence. It crept on, and had progressed half way under the final fence when a “ferret” came round oiling searchlight parts (a “ferret” was the camp name for a workman who also carried out security duties). The ferret asked such leading questions that the game was up! On the other hand, one airman met with a brilliant success. Dressed in German overalls, he carried a ladder to the outer wire, leaned it against a sentry box, and, mounting it, pretended to be inspecting an electric device there. To make his investigations more impressive. he had constructed a formidable looking testing “instrument,,” which was in reality a combination of a meat tin. handle, and a couple of bits of wire. Whilst at work, he carried on a cheerful conversation with the sentries. Then he exclaimed, “Ach, I have left my pliers outside, where I was working before. It is too far round by the main gate. I will climb over the wire with my ladder.” And so, be climbed over the wire.