Ruhleben internment camp Ruhleben internment camp was a civilian detention camp during World War I . It was located in Ruhleben , a former " Vorwerk " manor to the west of Berlin , now split between the districts of Spandau and Charlottenburg - Wilmersdorf . The camp was originally a harness racing track laid out north of the Berlin - Hamburg Railway line in 1908 . Detainees . The camp detainees included male citizens of the Allied Powers living , studying , working or on holiday in Germany at the outbreak of World War I . They also included the crews of several civilian ships stranded in German harbours or captured at sea . There were also quite a number of fishermen captured from trawlers which were sunk in the North Sea in the first days of the war - these were mainly men from Hull , Grimsby and Boston . The camp contained between 4 , 000 and 5 , 500 prisoners , most of them British . Life in the camp has been described in several books and essays subsequently written by detainees . These include " To Ruhleben – And Back " by Geoffrey Pyke , who successfully escaped from the camp in 1915 , and " Life in Ruhleben , 1914 – 1918 " by Frederick Keel . The German authorities adhered to the Geneva Convention and allowed the camp detainees to administer their own internal affairs . Gradually , a mini - society evolved in the camp . Letters , books , sports equipment and a printing press were all allowed into the camp and the detainees organised their own police force , magazine , library and postal service . The latter , known as the Ruhleben Express Delivery , was organised by Albert Kamps and began operating in July 1915 . Soon it was handling over 6 , 000 pieces of mail per month and 16 different postage stamps , which have since become collectors items , were issued . In April 1916 however the German postal authorities declared the service illegal and it ceased operating . In addition , a number of independent businesses , including a casino , also developed within the camp . Arts and culture . The camp detainees also arranged their own entertainment . Among them were several musicians including Ernest MacMillan , later to become a conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra . Other British musicians interned there include Edgar Bainton , Edward Clark and the Australian - born Arthur Benjamin . MacMillan was a prominent member of the Ruhleban Musical Society , formed in 1915 , and directed performances of " The Mikado " ( with orchestra and costumes ) and a pantomime version of " Cinderella " . MacMillan transcribed the music for the former from memory with the help of four other musicians , including Benjamin Dale . Among those who attended these performances were James W . Gerard , the United States ambassador . The detainees also presented " The Gondoliers " . MacMillan also gave lectures on each of Beethoven ' s symphonies , which were followed by piano duet performances played by him together with Benjamin Dale . MacMillan was also a member of the Ruhleban Drama Society and acted in productions of " Othello " , " Twelfth Night " , " Lady Windermere ' s Fan " and " The Importance of Being Earnest " . Sports at Ruhleben . As well as music and drama , sports also played a major role in the life of the camp detainees . Among the detainees were several former professional footballers including four former England internationals , Fred Spiksley , Fred Pentland , Samuel Wolstenholme and Steve Bloomer , a Scotland international , John Cameron , a German international Edwin Dutton and John Brearley , once of Everton and Tottenham Hotspur . The Ruhleben Football Association was formed with Pentland as chairman and Cameron as secretary . Cup and league competitions were organised and teams adopted the names of established teams such as " Tottenham Hotspur " and " Oldham Athletic " . As many as 1 , 000 attended the bigger games . On May 2 , 1915 an " England XI " featuring Pentland , Wolstenholme , Brearley and Bloomer played a " World XI " captained by Cameron . Towards the end of the war an international triangular tournament called the " Coupe de Allies " , featuring a " British XI " , a " French XI " and a " Belgium XI " , was organised . Other sports such as cricket , rugby , tennis and golf were also popular within the camp . In May 1915 a " Rubleben XI " , featuring Bloomer and Brearley , played a " Varsities XI " in the Rubleban Cricket League . In July 1916 a " Lancashire XI " , featuring Bloomer , beat a " Yorkshire XI " that included Wolstenholme .