Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-07
CONDITIONS in GERMAN PRISON
CAMP DESCRIBED BY MAN WHO:
SPENT OVER 3 YEARS in one

vigorously punished. There was not
enough clothing to make M ON
Portable. AS we had to work out Of
doors regardless OF, weather or sea-
through, and the next morning we
had to put it on while it was still
damp. Colds were naturally unavoid-
able. The medical attention given
us was absurd. The crazy colonel
himself made a point Of being pres
ent at almost all medical examina-
tions, and completely dominated the
physfcians, who cringed before him.
He was fond Of saying that only the
lazy ones pretended to be ill, that
the camp itself was the best sani-
torium, and hard work the best cure
all. "
In spite Of his brutality, the colonel
thad his sentimental streaks. The fol-
lowing anecdote is illustrative. A
Frenchman, 70 years Of 6 was &C.
cupied in paving the street of the
camp. The colonel passed by. and.
as the old fellow did not seem to him
stepped up and gave him a tremen-
dous, box On the a The poor old
man said nothing, but took out of
his pocket a little certificate, from
which it appeared that he was Ill and
only capable of a small amount of
work. The colonel was much moved,
almost to the point of tears. He
gave the old man eight days Of ex-
emption from all labor. But that
was rather cold comfort.
Camp Holzminden was frequently
visited b yGeneral Haehnisch and
other officials. However, they never
looked at. the prisoners quarters. 9
cept in the. most perfunctory way
They merely strutted through the
barracks. watched the laborers al
work, and then directed all their at
tention to the camp pigs. These
pigs. the especial interest Of Colonel
Gallus, were royalty treated in their
pens. and certainly LED a much hap.
pier life than the prisoners, unit,
they were slaughtered for the officers
mess.
Even the. women are not spared
Lately conditions nave become still
worse, 1 am told. The ome are
now forced to do all sorts of burden
some things. For instance, they are
put at branding and ~unbraiding fish
nets, and the only purpose of the
~taskmasters seems to be to make
their fingers sore. Every Sunday
a weird walk is undertaken, to
wood about six kilometers away
from which they bring back wood or
their backs. Hundreds of men ant
women are put at this work ever,
Sunday, although it could easily b.
done by a wagon and W horses. II
fact, the biggest part of the labor
demanded of the prisoners is almos
wholly unproductive, and serves M
purpose. save to torture. If any O.
them dare to complain, they are sub
jected to certain peculiar punish
ments, of which the most frequent il
confinement in an extraordinary eel
called .the bug ROOM" a place fillet
with old straw mattresses and sacks
which simply swarm with vermil
and lice.
For some unknown reason. Their
had been no shootings in Camp Holz
minden when I last heard. In 4 near
by camp at Binerbach, I we'll remem
Der Of the shooting of an 18-year
old French lad, in the summer o
1917, Because he for an instan
stopped work, his guard, a stupid
half insane fellow, pointed his weap
on at him and fired. The whole gar
rison was highly incensed by tn
killing. But when the general wa
told of it, he came to see the guard
slapped him on the shoulder. an,
said: "You did your duty" Shortl,
afterward, the guard received a pro
motion. : !
Amone the prisoners, none wer
more badly treated than the groul
Of young Russian students, of which
I was Their moral and physi
cal sufferings were hardly to be de
picted. For Jour years they hav
been shut out Of the world. Thei
, priceless. splendid years Of you'll
} have flown by. Joy, health, strengtl
t and education have been denied t
4. them. The war relief organization
!, would undertake a great and won
. derful work of brotherhood if the
could obtain the release of thes
l wholly innocent war captives, by put
> ting the matter before the prope
authorities.