March 14, 1945 - Life at Wetzlar
The Senior Allied Officer at Dulag Luft was Colonel Charles W. Stark of the United States Air Force (USAAF). Colonel Stark had over thirty staff members including a mess officer, chaplain, gardener and orderlies with various roles. Colonel Stark was on friendly terms with the German officers in the camp and therefore was able to achieve many concessions from them.
The YMCA supplied the camp with a library of 1,500 books, board games, playing cards and outdoor sporting equipment.
The U.S. Military Intelligence Service reported that “treatment was better here than at any other American PW camp in Germany. German and American staffs seemed to cooperate with each other, resulting in favorable living conditions to both parties. The Senior Allied Officer operated Wetzlar as a rest camp where PW suffering from the harsh treatment [at the interrogation centre] at Oberursel might regain their strength and morale before traveling to permanent camps. As a result neither Germans nor Americans provoked any untoward incidents.”
Aside from their own housekeeping chores, no work was required of the prisoners.
The YMCA supplied the camp with a library of 1,500 books, board games, playing cards and outdoor sporting equipment.
The U.S. Military Intelligence Service reported that “treatment was better here than at any other American PW camp in Germany. German and American staffs seemed to cooperate with each other, resulting in favorable living conditions to both parties. The Senior Allied Officer operated Wetzlar as a rest camp where PW suffering from the harsh treatment [at the interrogation centre] at Oberursel might regain their strength and morale before traveling to permanent camps. As a result neither Germans nor Americans provoked any untoward incidents.”
Aside from their own housekeeping chores, no work was required of the prisoners.
Comments
Post a Comment