Source: File: Ruhleben
Postal Stamp.jpg. [online] An original image is Available at: <http://www.rdpypres.com/uploads/The%20Ruhleben%20Civil%20Internee%20Camp%20of%20WW1.pdf>
[Accessed: 9 January 2016]
In the tale of
repatriated prisoners,
Of British
swapped for German
Detainee’s - numbers
came from
The German camp
of Ruhleben.
With relief to
be home once again,
Their news was of
conditions
Having been
improved, where
Others were still
held at Ruhleben.
While many
Britons had departed
From Germany at
the outset
Of the war,
others were too late -
Finding borders
closed to them.
In act of being
alienated overnight,
German military
police set out
To round up all
their enemy
Nationals, for
duration’s detainment.
A decision in
Berlin was Ruhleben
Racecourse - which
had been
Used as a harness
racing track,
In Berlin's
prosperous 1900's.
The venue had
three grandstands,
A club house,
casino, officers
Quarters, including a restaurant -
Re-assigned as an
internment camp.
6 November 1914, and
prisoners
Arrived - a lack
of bedding
Leading to
crammed situations,
Due to
underestimated numbers.
Used as
accommodation, stables
Had horseboxes to
hold beds
Of straw sacks -
for any that
Did not get a
bed, slept in haylofts.
Initially having
to spend each day
Solely in the
barracks, hygiene
Was issue, with
overcrowding
And rats;
facilities had to be made.
Large numbers
meant that usage
Of wash houses
were limited -
Daily exercise became
a walk
To the field
kitchen and back.
Amid the British
held at Ruhleben
Included
passengers of ships,
Trawler fishermen
and people
Having worked in
German industries.
From those
returned home, reports
Were of
improvements made
At Ruhleben camp
- while food
Improved a
society had also evolved.
From interned
talent, both musical
And drama groups
formed -
To hold
productions, while
Sportsmen formed a Ruhleben
Club.
Alongside playing
cricket, tennis
Rugby and golf -
the Germans
Kept to the
Geneva Convention,
As detainees
controlled their affairs.
A printing press
brought to camp,
Led to a magazine
- with a police
Force, library and
postal services
Emerged amid camp
businesses.
Called Ruhleben Express Delivery
The post service began
July 1915,
To have at least16 varied
stamps -
Posting 6000 letters
every month.
An organisation
had emerged,
Inevitably from 5,500
people -
From initial days
they had elected
Captains across 11
barracks.
The resulting
negotiations had
Tackled many of their problems,
To give relief
for the poorest
People; along
with supplies.
Food was brought in
from outside,
While a compulsory barrack
fee
Among those able to
pay, led
To funding cleaning
volunteers.
While imprisoned a society had
Developed, that led to operations
Of a civilian township at Berlin's
Racing Track called Ruhleben.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Released
Prisoners - Arrival at Tilbury - Red Cross Men's Experiences. The Daily
Telegraph, [online] 8 January 1916.
P.7. Col.3. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html
[Accessed: 9 January 2016].
Source: File:
Ruhleben internment camp. Online. Available at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhleben_internment_camp
Ruhleben
internment camp> Accessed 9 January 2016
Source: File:
'Cabbage soup again' - the hardships & resilience of men held in Germany's
Ruhleben prison camp. Online. Available at:
<http://www.centenarynews.com/article?id=1446> Accessed 9 January 2016
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 9 January 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered #WW1Prisonerofwar
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