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Rules and Regulations |
| OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL ARMY
SERVICE FORCES The German prisoner of war regulations translated in this volume were located by a member of the Provost Marshal General’s Office shortly after the termination of hostilities in Europe. They have been translated and issued through the efforts of the Liaison and Research Branch of the American Prisoners of War Information Bureau. B.M. BRYAN Brigadier General The Provost Marshal General ABBREVIATIONS OF GERMAN MILITARY TERMS Abbreviations Translation
Abw Counter Intelligence Ag.E.H. Section for Replacement Training and ~Army Matters AHA General Army Office Arb.Ndo. Work detail AWA Section for General Armed Forces Armed Forces Matters B.d.E. Commander of the Replacement Training Army Bkl. Clothing Ch.H.Rue_t Chief of Army Equipment Dulag Transit camp for prisoners of war Gen.D.Pi. General of the engineers Gen.Qu. Quartermaster General Genst.D.H. Army General Staff GVF Fit for garrison duty in the field GVH Fit for garrison duty in the interior H.D.St.O. Army Disciplinary Regulations H.Dv. Army Service Regulations H.P.A. Army Personnel Office HV Army Administration H.V.Bl. Army bulletin In.Fest. Inspectorate of fortresses Kriegsgef. Prisoner of War Department Ky. Fit for war service Of lag Officers’ prisoner of war camp Ob.d.L. Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force O.K.H. Army Supreme Command O.K.M. Navy Supreme Command O.K.W. Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht (Armed Forces) P.A. Personnel Office P.U. Mail censorship R.d.L. Reich Minister of Aviation S.D. Security Service S.S. Elite Guard of the National Socialist Party Stalag PW camp for enlisted men VA Army Administration Office VO Decree Warn. Guard detail W.A.St. Information Bureau of the Wehrmacht W.F.St. Armed Forces Operations Staff W..Pr. Wehrmacht Propaganda W.V. Army administration Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht Berlin-Schoenberg, 16 June 1941 I. Chief group 1. Prisoners of war of alien nationalities in enemy armies. Frequently recurring doubts in determining the nationality of alien prisoners of war are now definitely resolved in the that the uniform is the determining outward factor in establishing the fact of the prisoner’s belonging to the respective armed forces. German orders Accordingly, Polish prisoners of war captured in French uniforms will be considered Frenchmen, while Poles captured in Polish uniforms will be considered Poles. 2. The title “camp officer” instead of “camp leader”. The title “camp leader” is not accepted in any of the regulations. It is therefore no longer to be used, and is to be replaced by: “first camp Officer” and “second camp officer.” 3. Reward for the recapture of escaped prisoners of war. The 0KW has requested the German newspapers to publish the following: In view of the increase in the number of escape attempts by prisoners of war commonly occurring in the spring, the military and police services will welcome the cooperation of the general public. Persons off eriüg effective aid in apprehending escaped prisoners of war may be granted financial awards, applications for which must be directed to the respective prisoner of war camp. The reward herewith provided for are to be paid out of Reich funds... The reward of one individual shall not exceed 30 marks even when several prisoners of war are apprehended. The amount is fixed by the Commander of Prisoners of War having jurisdiction respective prisoner of war camp. II. Group I. 4. Personal contact of prisoners of war with women. Certain inquiries addressed to the 0KW make it necessary to point out the following: The prohibition of 10 Jan 1940 applies only to association of prisoners of war with German women. It is therefore not necessary to submit a detailed report in cases of illicit traffic of prisoners with women of foreign nationality, unless certain circumstances make it a penal offense (rape, intercourse with minors, etc.). The question as to the prisoner’s liability to disciplinary punishment is left to the discretion of the disciplinary superior officer. The inquiry of the Army District Command V of 29 April 1941 I 3330 is thereby settled. 5. Questionnaires for French officers. The French Armistice Commission had some time ago requested, in connection with the reconstitution of the French army, that newly arrived French prisoner of war officers in all the camps fill out questionnaires. Since the work is now finished, the questionnaires need not be filled out any longer. 6. Transfers to officers’ camp IV C Colditz. Several officers’ camps frequently transfer to officers’ camp IV C prisoner of war officers who have not yet completed disciplinary sentences pending against them. As the few guardhouse cells in officers’ camp IV C are currently occupied by prisoner of war officers serving sentences imposed by the headquarters of the camp, the transfer of officers to officer’s camp IV C may be undertaken only after they have completed their previously imposed disciplinary sentences. 7. Jews in the French Army. A transfer of the Jews to special camps is not intended; they must, however, be separated from the other prisoners of war and, in case of enlisted men, must be assigned to work in closed groups outside the camp. Jews are not to be specially marked. 8. Punishment of prisoners of war by the suspension of mail service. Several cases have been recently reported where camp commandants have suspended prisoner of war mail service as a disciplinary measure. Attention is called to Art. 36, sec. 1 of the Geneva Convention of 1929 prohibits the stoppage or confiscation of incoming or outgoing mail of prisoners pf war. Article 57, sec. 2 merely provides that packages and money orders addressed to prisoners of war undergoing disciplinary punishment may be handed to them only after the completion of their sentence. The decision as to whether mail is to be handed out to prisoners of war under a court sentence rests with the competent penal authorities 3. English books for training in radio broadcasting to foreign lands. (Talk work). In camps occupied by British prisoners of war several copies of the books named below will probably be found in possession of the prisoners: Field Service Regulations, vols. 1 & 2 Cavalry Training Manual of Organization and Administration Artillery Training Field Service Pocket Book Infantry Section Training Infantry Training, vols. 1 & 2 Engineer Training It is requested that one copy of these books be procured & forwarded directly to the OKW/W Pr (IV h 1) Berlin W 35, Bendlerstr. 10. Should other books of similar nature not mentioned above be found, it is requested that one copy of these, too, be forwarded. No statement as to where the books are being sent is to be made to the prisoners of war. 14. Questionnaires on cases of death of prisoners of war. In case of death of a prisoner of war, in addition to the report to the Information Bureau of the Wehrmacht, a special questionnaire must be immediately filled out and submitted to the German Red Cross, Berlin SW 61 Bluecherplatz 2, so that the relatives of the deceased can be notified without delay (0Kw file 2 F 24. 62a. Kriegsgef. Vi No. 135/11 dated 7 Jan 1941). Direct notification of the next of kin of the deceased is not permitted. Double reports are to be avoided. Should the prisoner of-war die while in a hospital, the camp is to be informed of the date on which the questionnaire has been forwarded to the German Red Cross. No questionnaires are to be filled out in cases of death of Russian prisoners of war. 4. Religious functions at prisoner of war camps. In view of the general lack of interpreters, it will be sufficient ‘for a specially selected, qualified guard to be present at divine services in which only the Sacrifice of the Mass is performed and Communion is given in order to see to it that the minister does not add anything in the way of a special sermon. 11. Guard personnel in Officers’ camps. Complaints have been repeatedly made that guards, who are entirely unfit for their task by reason of physical disabilities (club-foot, impaired bearing, marked nearsightedness, etc.) or low intelligence, are being used for the surveillance of prisoners of war officers. For the sake of the prestige of the German Wehrmacht, officers’ camps are to use only such personnel as are physically and mentally unobjectionable and who are thus not liable to produce an unfavorable impression on the prisoner of war officers. An appropriate exchange of personnel within the guard battalions is to be undertaken immediately. 14. Supplying camp canteens with rubber collars for Yugoslav prisoner of war officers. The firm “Rheinische Gununi & Celluloid Fabrick”, Mannheim, was exporting before the war considerable quantities of rubber collars to Yugoslavia, for use by officers of the Yugoslav army. The firm still has on hand about 700 dozen collars, left from an order which could no more be delivered and otherwise disposed of. The Chamber of Industry & Commerce in Mannheim has approached the 0KW with the request to be permitted to sell the collars to canteens of those camps where Yugoslav prisoner of war officers are interned. German orders Since the disposal of these collars, usable only by Y~s’cs~av officers, is in the interest of our national economy, the prisoner of war camps in question are being informed of the opportunity to purchase rubber collars from the firms ~einische Guxmui & Cellulois Fabrik Mannheim. 7. Re: Tin boxes of British fliers British fliers brought down have been found to carry with them tin cans containing a small saw made of steel, a map of Northern France and of the North-German coast, Chocolate, and concentrated food tablets. These tin cans presumably are to help the Britishers to avoid capture or to escape from imprisonment after capture. Such special equipment has been repeatedly found on British fliers. It apparently belongs to the “iron rations” (emergency kits) of the British air force. Special attention is to be paid to this when capturing British fliers shot down or delivering them to a prisoner of war camp. 8. Re: Informing newly arrived prisoners, of war of camp regulations. There are cases on record where prisoners of war, newly arrived in a collecting camp to be released, and unfamiliar with the regulations of the new camp, were severely wounded or killed by warning shots or by deliberate fire. Since the same regulations governing order & discipline in camps do not apply in all camps, care must be taken that newly arrived prisoners of war be immediately made familiar with the new regulations, even if their stay at the camp is to be temporary. Posting alone on blackboards and in the halls is not sufficient. A reliable prisoner of war non-commissioned officer or the camp spokesman may be entrusted with this task. 5. Re: Marking of Jews The Jews in Germany are specially marked with a star, as a measure of the German government to identify them in the street, stores, etc. Jewish prisoners of war are not marked with a star, yet they have to be kept apart from the other prisoners of war as far as possible. 23. Re: Cases of death of prisoners of war. Reports to the Information Bureau of the Wehrmacht on deaths of prisoners of war and the corresponding notices to the German Red Cross through questionnaires are to be drawn up in such a way as to obviate the necessity of further time consuming inquiries. The following is therefore to be observed: 1. The report of the death of a prisoner of war to the Information Bureau of the Wehrmacht must indicate the cause of death in exact accordance with the facts, and also give the place of death in a way to make the competent registrar’s office easily identifiable. It is not enough, for instance, to state: “Shot”. Rather must it be worded: “Shot while trying to escape”, or “Shot in execution of sentence pronounced by . . . dividion on . . . “ It is likewise not enough to give as place of death merely “Camp ErlE~nsbusch”, but rather “Camp Erlensbusch near Village X. The exact location of a work detail in a death report is essential even when such detail is located near a stalag, as it cannot be automatically assumed that the 2 places belong to the same registrar district. 2. The report on the death of a prisoner of war to the Presidency of the German Red Cross constitutes the basis for the notification of the family of the deceased. The death notice is prepared by the German Red Cross and is transmitted to the next of kin through the local Red Cross office of the latter. The questionnaire proper is then forwarded by the German Red Cross to the International Red Cross in Geneva. In preparing the “death-notice questionnaire” the following is to be observed: a. The questionnaire must be speedily & fully filled out and promptly forwarded to the Presidency of the German Red Cross, Berlin S W 61 Bluecherplatz 2. Only this agency is competent to receive such questionnaires. Sending same to any other agency is not permitted, even though the questionnaire was made up by the International Red Cross in Geneva. b. Careful formulation of the cause of death in case of unnatural death, as the questionnaire is to be sent abroad (International Red Cross). c. The nationality of the deceased must be given right after the name, and the name of the country after the address of his next of kin. d. The last question must be answered in the greatest detail, in so far as there are no objections to the answer becoming known abroad. 3. For the time being no questionnaire is to be filled out for deceased Soviet prisoners of war. 4. Deaths of prisoners of war are not to be reported to the Protecting Powers either by camp commandants, or by the spokesmen. 46. Re: Poaching by prisoners of war. The Reich Master of Hunting reports a recent increase in cases of poaching by prisoners of war doing farm labor--particularly French. Prisoners of war are to be told that violations of German laws are severely punished. 56. Re: Polish soldiers belonging to the French Army. The nationality of a soldier is determined by the uniform he is wearing at the time of capture. In doubtful cases, the place of residence of the prisoner of ‘ear before the war and the present residence of his next of kin will determine his nationality. 59. Re: Engagements for work by British noncommissioned prisoner of war officers. British noncommissioned officers who signed a pledge to work but are no longer willing to do so are to be returned to the camp. Their unwillingness is not to be considered -as a refusal to work. The employment of British noncommissioned officers has resulted in so many difficulties that the latter have by far Out-weighed the advantages. The danger of sabotage, too, has been considerably in-creased thereby. 75. Re: Contact between French & Soviet prisoners of war. Soviet prisoners of war must be strictly kept apart from prisoners of other nationalities, particularly Frenchmen. They should also be permitted no opportunity for establishing such contacts at their place of work. Strictest measures are to be taken against contractors who fail to comply with the above security requirements. 79. Re: Position of prisoner of war officers with respect to German personnel. A particular incident has moved the Fuehrer to emphasize anew that, when considering the relationship between prisoner of war officers and German camp personnel, the most humble German national is deemed more important than the highest ranking subject of an enemy power. 81. Re: Smoking by prisoners of war. Complaints are voiced by the Reich Conservator of Forests that prisoners of war smoke in the forests and thereby increase the danger of forest fires. Reference is made to Sec. 15 of the Compilation of Orders No. 5, dated 10 Oct 1941. Attention of the prisoners of war is to be particularly called to the fact that smoking in forests is forbidden and that any infringement will be severely punished under German law. 85. Re: Beards of prisoners of war. Prisoners of war wearing beards for religious reasons, e.g. Indians & orthodox clergymen, may continue to do so. Individuals enjoying a non-prisoner Status, such as medical officers, army chaplains, and medical corps personnel may also keep their beards, if any. 109. Re: Subjecting enemy prisoners of war to the operation of the Military Penal Code. The order of 10 Jan 1940 forbidding association with German women and girls is to be made known also to French medical corps personnel taking the place of, or about to take the place of the former medical personnel by way of exchange. 110. Re: Handling of medicines. The provision contained in section 22 of the Compilation of Orders No. 5 concerning the handling of medicines sent in packages to prisoners of war is hereby cancelled. The order 0KW 2 f 24, 82 u Kriegsgef. Aug. (A) AbW III (Kgf.) remains in force. The latter provides that packages found to contain medicines, restoratives, etc., are to be confiscated and their contents disposed of in accordance with section 3 of the order. Medicines, etc., are to be destroyed. lii. Re: Prisoners of war as blood donors. “For reasons of race and hygiene, prisoners of war are not acceptable as blood donors for members of the German community, since the possibility of a prisoner of war of Jewish origin being used as a donor cannot be excluded with certainty.” 114. Re: Killing & severe wounding of British prisoners of war or civilian internees. Every case of the killing and severe wounding of a British prisoner of war or civilian internee must be reported immediately. An investigation is to be initiated by a judicial officer or an otherwise qualified officer. Where comrades of the prisoner of war or the civilian internee were witnesses to the incident, they, too, must be heard. The result of the investigation and the minutes of the depositions are to be forwarded to the IKW/Kriegsgef. Allg. for notification of the Protecting Power. 167. Re: Poison in possession of prisoners of war. Narcotic poisons such as “Kif”, “Takrouri”, & ItSouffi~t, have frequently been found in parcels addressed to Arabian prisoners of war under the guise of tobacco packages. These poisons are extremely harmful to health and are therefore forbidden in the French Army. When searching parcels, particular attention is to be paid to these substances. They are neither to be delivered to the prisoners of war, nor to be kept by the guards. The packages are to be immediately destroyed. 171. ~e: Display of flags in prisoner of war quarters. Since the British government has forbidden the display of German flags in prisoner of war quarters, British flags are to be immediately withdrawn in all German camps. The prisoners are to be notified of the above reason during the roll call. 176. Re: Reparation for willful destruction. Prisoners of war proved guilty of willfully destroying or damaging state or other property as, for instance, in connection with tunnel construction, are to be punished and, in addition, made liable for damages. Should the actual perpetrators not be discovered, and should the prisoners of war involved be British, the whole camp community may be collectively held responsible for damages - which is the customary practice in England & Canada (canteen funds). 179. Re: “Warning” wire: testing of wire enclosures in prisoner of war camps. Experience has shown that weeds growing within the stockade seriously obstruct the view of the enclosure. Several escapes in day time may be attributed to this fact. Since the removal of the weed is in most cases not feasible, a “warning” wire is to be strung within the camp - if this has not been done already - at least 2 meters away. The space between the warning wire and the main stockade is to be kept free of weeds. Several escapes have recently been made possible by the fact that the wire fences, more than 3 years old in most camps, were damaged and rusted through. These wire fences must be carefully inspected for reasons of security and existing defects corrected. Reconstruction or repairs should be proceeded with only within the limits of the available supplies of barbed wire. A new supply of barbed wire over and above the fixed quota is not to be reckoned with. 189. Re: Treatment of Soviet prisoners of war refusing to work. Cases have been observed in some places where Soviet prisoners of war did not receive their prescribed food rations or received rations of inferior quality. This was due in part to shortages of supplies in some areas (e.g. potatoes), and in part to faulty organization in delivery of food (dinner at 8 p.m.). The resulting drop in efficiency was frequently interpreted as a deliberate refusal to work and was punished accordingly. Commandants are again directed to pay close attention to the feeding of Soviet prisoners of war and to remove any difficulties of local character. Should the contractor not be able to supply the prescribed food rations, the prisoners of war must be withdrawn to preserve for the Reich this valuable manpower before it has been rendered useless. 190. Re: Withdrawal of boots and trousers from prisoners of war. The Commanders of Prisoners of War may direct within the military districts that boots & trousers of prisoners of war may be left with the latter for the night: In large work details to save time; In work details exposed to air raids; For working noncommissioned officers. 191. Re: Money rewards for recapture of escaped prisoners of war. Supplementing the reference order: Rewards may also be paid for successful prevention of escape. The decision as to whether the action of a person not qualified to belong to the army, the police, or the frontier guard may be considered as having foiled an escape lies with the camp commandant. - 199. Re: Handling of tin cans for prisoners of war. In a few camps it has lately become common practice, when issuing tin cans to prisoners of war, to be satisfied with the opening of the can and a superficial examination of its contents, and then to hand the open can and contents to the prisoner. When under way, even unopened cans are issued as marching rations. It is again pointed Out that, for reasons of security, only the contents of the tin can may be issued to the prisoner of war. Deviation from this rule may be permit ted only in exceptional cases, as when other receptacles are not available. In such cases the tin cans themselves must be examined as a security measure prior to their issuance. 202. Re: Sports events in prisoner of war camps. Since sports contests between prisoners of war of different nationalities have resulted in brawls, such contests are prohibited in the interest of good discipline. 223. Re: Shooting & severe wounding of prisoners of war & civilian internees (except Poles, Serbs, and Soviet Russians). An inquiry by a court officer or any other qualified officer is to be initiated in each case of fatal shooting or wounding of a British, French, Belgian or American prisoner of war or civilian internee. If comrades of the prisoner of war or civilian internee were witnesses of the incident, they, too, will be heard. The result of the inquiry and a copy of the examination proceedings are to be submitted immediately to the 0KW Kriegsgef. Aug. (Ia), reference being made to the file number below. This report is to be designated as “Report on the use of arms by soldier X”. A detailed report against soldier X will be necessary only when there is a suspicion of the latter having committed a legally punishable act and when an immediate court decision appears desirable. 2. Re: Casualties of British, French. Belgian, and American prisoners of war resulting from enemy air raids. Deaths & injuries of British, French, Belgian, and American prisoners of war resulting from enemy air raids are to be reported in writing immediately after the raid to the OKW/Kriegsgef. Alig. (V), giving the file number below. The following are to be stated in the report: 1. First name and surname 2. Rank 3. Prisoner of war number 4. Date of birth 5. Wounded or dead 6. Address of next of kin. In addition, the camp headquarters are to send carbon copies of the reports directly to: the Bureau Scapini, Berlin W 35 Standarten strasse 12 -- when French prisoners of war are involved, and to the Belgian prisoner of war Committee, Berlin W 8, Hotel Adlon, Unter den Lindenwhen Belgian prisoners are involved. A report is also to be submitted to the Information Bureau of the Wehrmacht. The reports concerning special incidents to be submitted in accordance with the order 0KW file 2 f 24. 83n Kriegsgef. Alig. (Ia) No. 71/42 of 17 Feb 1942, are not affected hereby. 228. Re: Prohibition of the so-called “Dartboard Game.” The so-called “dartboard game” is forbidden, as the darts needed for this game are to be considered as weapons and may be employed in acts of sabotage. The game is to be confiscated. 239. Re: Transport of recaptured or unreliable prisoners of war. A certain case where a guard was murdered by 4 recaptured Soviet prisoners of war during transport after dark makes it appropriate to point out that recaptured prisoners of war or prisoners known to be unreliable should, as far as possible, not be transported after nightfall. Should the transport after dark be unavoidable, at least, 2 guards must be assigned to the detail. 240. Re: Association of prisoners of war with German women. There are several cases on record where judicial prosecution and punishment of prisoners of war for association with German women was frustrated by the fact of their having been already punished disciplinarily, the matter -being apparently considered as but a slight offense. The camp commandants must apply the most rigid criterion in deciding whether the case is a mild one, as the association of prisoners of war with German women must be prevented at all costs. 243. Re: Consumption of electricity by prisoners of war. In order to assure the most economical consumption of electricity, all lighting installations in the prisoner of war quarters are to be examined again; all superfluous lights are to be eliminated. Lighting installations are allowed, where necessary, within the limits of the quota of Win. Verw. V., part II, appendix 14, same as for squad rooms in barracks. The following are thus allowed in officers quarters: In rooms occupied by 1 to 4 men 40 watts In rooms occupied by 5 to 8 men 75 “ For every additional man - additional 10 “ Quarters of non-commissioned prisoner of war officers and men are allowed ~ of this quota. For the use of electric utensils for cooking gift food etc., written permission of the camp headquarters in each individual case is necessary. 246 Re: Securing prisoner of war camp-s against escape attempts. 1. Fencing in of the camp. - The wire entanglements between the inner and outer fences must be so constructed that an escaping prisoner of war will be able neither to climb over them, nor to crawl under them. Anchor posts should just only slightly out of the ground. 2. The foreground of the stockade, as well as the space between the warning wire and the fence must present an open field of view and of fire. It is therefore to be kept free of brushwood and all other objects impeding vision. 3. Watch towers. -There are no generally applicable detailed instructions for the construction of watchtowers. It depends on the topographic and climatic conditions of the camp and must provide the best possible field of view and of fire. The functional shape of the watchtower is to be determined by the camp commandant. 252 Re: Repair - of private apparel of prisoners of war. Prisoners of war are permitted to repair their private apparel (including shoes) with materials from collective gift shipments. Such repairs are to be made primarily by the prisoners of war themselves. In case they are not able to do so, the repair job may be performed in the camp repair shops. 259 Re: Supervision of enemy ‘army chaplains and of prisoner of war chaplains. 1. Enemy army chaplains and prisoner of war chaplains have repeatedly abused the permission to minister to the spiritual needs of the prisoners of war by creating unrest among the latter through inflammatory speeches. All chaplains are to be advised that they must, in their contacts with prisoners of war, refrain from exercising over them any inciting influence. They must be given emphatic warning and their activity must be strictly supervised. Chaplains engaged in inciting prisoners of war are to be denied the right to perform their pastoral functions and are to be called to Strict account; the military district is to be notified of the matter simultaneously. In critical times visits to several work details by one chaplain (traveling preacher) will be forbidden on short notice and. for a limited period. 2. Attention is again called to the reference orders stipulating that sermons may not be preached by field chaplains and by prisoner of war chaplains except in the presence of an interpreter. 3. In the event the divine service for a work detail can be held neither -in the quarters, nor in the open it is the task of the Stalag to provide a suitable room. The contractor may request, but not demand, that such a room be placed a-t the disposal of the prisoners of war. 271 Re: Raising rabbits in prisoner of war camps. In the future, the raising of rabbits in prisoner of war camps will be governed by the provisions of reference order 2 above. The 0KW decree - file 2 f 24. 20 Kriegegef. (II) NO. 1261/49 is cancelled. The cost of raising rabbits will hence forth be charged in all the camps to the Reich. Angora rabbits, warrens, tools, etc., till now maintained with canteen funds, are to be taken over by the Reich at a price fixed by an agricultural expert of the Military District Administration. The proceeds of the transaction are to be turned over to the prisoner of war canteen. 272 Re: Procuring wrapping paper for Soviet corpses. The camp headquarters will henceforth report the amount of oil paper, tar paper, and asphalt paper needed for the burial of dead Soviet prisoners of war directly to the nearest paper wholesaler. The latter will then apply to the competent Army Raw Material Board for an army paper ration certificate. The further procedure is familiar to the wholesalers. In view of the scarcity of the above kinds of paper, they may be used only for wrapping corpses. Their use is to be held to the barest minimum. 278 Re: Internment of fallen or deceased members of the enemy armed forces. To remove any doubt as to whether prisoners of war shot during-flight or in acts of insubordination are entitled to burial with military honors, the following is ordered: I. As a matter of principle, every honorably fallen enemy is to be buried with military honors. II. Flight is not dishonorable, unless dishonorable acts were committed during such flight. III. Cases of insubordination must be individually examined as to whether acts reflecting on the soldiers honor have been committed. Where such violations of the soldiers code of honor have been established without question, military honors during burial are to be excluded. 279 Re: Accepting bribes by guards. A private first class on guard duty in a certain camp has on several occasions accepted bribes of cigarettes and chocolate from prisoners of war and permitted them to escape without interference, instead of reporting them to his superior at their very first suggestion. He was sentenced to death for dereliction of guard duty, for willfully releasing prisoners of war, and for accepting bribes. All guard personnel entrusted with the custody of prisoners of war is to be informed of the above with the appropriate comments. The announcement is to be repeated at least every 3 months. 307 Re: British prisoners of war. The instructions contained in the 0KW memorandum: “The German soldier as prisoner of war custodian” outlining the duties of German guard personnel assume a particular importance with reference to British prisoners of war, whose frequent display of arrogance toward guards & civilians is not in keeping with the discretion expected of a prisoner of war. The guards are to be instructed to severely repress any attempt of British prisoners of war to evade their full work duty or to associate with civilians beyond the limits set by the circumstances of their employment. Only British noncommissioned officers who exert a beneficial influence on their British subordinates may be used in supervisory capacities. British noncommissioned officers found unsuitable for this task are to be replaced. Unless they volunteer for a job, they are to be transferred to Stalag 383, Hohenfels. 313 Re: Death sentence of a prisoner of war guard member of a regional defense unit. The private first class Jungmichel, assigned to a guard detail-at a officers’ prisoner of war camp, entered into personal relations with a Polish officer interned at that camp. He supplied the officer, at the latter’s request, with various tools, maps, and other items intended to facilitate the escape of this and other prisoners of war. Jungmichel was sentenced to death by the Reich Court Martial for war treason. The sentence was carried out on 5 Marsh 1943. The above sentence is to be made known to all the members of the administration headquarters and the guard units. 324 Re: Use of identification tags by prisoners of war. To prepare and to conceal escapes, more and more prisoners of war use the device of exchanging identification tags with other prisoners, or of getting rid of them altogether. Such practices are to be prevented by the imposition of heavy penalties, if necessary. When calling the roll, a check of the identification tags must not be neglected. 325 Re: Prevention of escapes through the gate in officers’ camps. The entrances and exits in officers’ camps - where this has not yet been done -must be shaped like sluices and provided with a double control. At least one of the 2 consecutive gates is to be occupied by a qualified noncommissioned officer, thoroughly trained for the task, from headquarters. 397 Re: Taking winter clothing away from prisoners of war during summer months. No objections may be raised to the practice of leaving overcoats with prisoners of war, even in summer months, in areas subject to air raids - a practice designed to enable the prisoners to take these along to the air raid shelters during an alarm for protection against colds and to lessen the danger of the coats being destroyed by fire. For all other prisoners of war doing outside work and exposed to the inclemency of the weather, the unit leaders are to decide on their own responsibility whether the overcoats are to be taken along to the place of work or are to remain in storage. The use of overcoats for additional blankets is forbidden. 404 Re: Preventing escape by taking away trousers and boots. When establishing new work details, an appropriate room is to be set aside for the safe storage of trousers and boots taken from the prisoners of war for the night. 409 Re: Transfer of prisoners of war. To reduce the number of escapes, prisoners of war scheduled for transfer to another Stalag are to be notified as late as possible of such transfer, and not at all of their new place of internment. 421 Re: Sale of cellophane envelopes & China ink in prisoner of war camp canteens. Effective immediately, the sale of cellophane envelopes and China ink to prisoners of war is forbidden, since these have been misused to prepare and carry out escapes. 422 Re: Thefts from bomb-wrecked homes. When prisoners of war are assigned to wreckage clearing jobs after air raids, their attention is again to be called to the death penalty as provided by the reference order. 429 Re: Escape of-prisoners of war in civilian clothes. - Escapes of prisoners of war in civilian clothes are on the increase. Frequently civilian clothes are kept hidden in the barracks. The latter, therefore, as well as all other premises and spots accessible to the prisoners of war (corners under staircases, basements, attics) are to be constantly searched for such hidden articles. The contractors are to be urged to proceed in like manner in places accessible to prisoners of war during working hours: 431 Re: Malingering by prisoners of war. Recent reports indicate that French prisoners of war frequently claim to suffer from stomach ulcers, the effect of which is produced by swallo6nng small balls of tinfoil showing under x-rays as black spots, similar to those produced by ulcers. The possibility of malingering must be kept in mind by the chief surgeons and camp physicians when prisoners of war are suspected of suffering from stomach ulcers. 462 Re: Timely use of arms to prevent escapes of prisoners of war. In view of the increasing number of individual and mass escapes of prisoners of war, it is hereby again emphasized that guards will be subject to the severest disciplinary punishment or, when a detailed report is at hand, to court-martial, not only for contributing to the escape of prisoners of war through negligence, but also for failure to use their arms in time. The frequently observed hesitancy to make use of firearms must be suppressed by all means. Guard personnel must be instructed in this sense again and again. They must be imbued with the idea that it is better to fire too soon than too late. 504 Re: Use of firearms against prisoners of war. The service regulations for prisoner of war affairs do not provide for any warning shots. Should the occasion for the use of firearms arise, they must be fired with the intent to hit. 513 Re: U.S. prisoners of war in British uniforms. Prisoners of war of U.S. nationality captured as members of the Canadian armed forces are considered British prisoners of war regardless of whether they joined the Canadian services before or after the entry of the U.S. into the war. Ii The uniform is the deciding factor. 517 Re: Fuel -To stretch the supply of fuel, experiments are to be made in the use of a mixture of coal dust (507.--757.) and clay, formed into egg-shaped bricks, for the heating of prisoner of war quarters wherever local conditions permit. The result of the above experiments are to be reported by the Military District Administrations not later than 15 June 1944. 522 Re: Pay of American prisoner of war noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel. The American authorities pay to all German prisoner of war noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel an allowance of 3 dollars per month regardless of whether they are employed or not. As a reciprocity measure, all American prisoner of war noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel are to receive, effective 1 Nov 1943, 7.50 marks per month. The American prisoner of war noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel are to be notified of the above through their spokesmen. 534 Re: Transport of prisoners of war in motor busses. In accordance with the existing regulations of the German Post Office Department, the transport of prisoners of war in motor busses is not permitted. No motor-bus vouchers may thus be issued for prisoners of war, nor may the latter be allowed to use motor busses accompanied by guards. In view of the special operating conditions of the motor busses, it is not possible to relax or cancel these regulations. 546 Re: Enemy leaflets in possession of prisoners of war. -Prisoners of war must immediately deliver to their military superiors (camp officers, leaders of work details, etc.) all leaflets, weapons, munitions, and other prohibited articles found by them after enemy air raids, or obtained in some other way. This, together with the punishment to be expected for disobedience in more serious cases, is to be made known to all the prisoners of war. 565 Re: Reports on British and American prisoners of- war. For reasons of reciprocity, each capture of a British or American prisoner of war must be reported by the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht by telegram to the respective enemy powers. The camp commandants are responsible for’ the immediate submission of a written report to the 0KW/Chef Kriegsgef. Alig. V on all new British -or American prisoners of war upon their arrival in the first Stalag. Such report must contain the ~o1lowing data: Last & first name, rank, date and place of birth. The report to the Information Bureau of the Wehrmacht is not affected hereby. 572 Re: Mail for British & American prisoner of war airmen. All incoming mail for British & American prisoner of war airmen is centrally examined in Stalag Luft 3, Sagan. The prisoners are to be instructed to indicate camp only, under the heading “Sender”, on all outgoing mail, so that the incoming mail is forwarded directly to Stalag Luft 3. A further examination of the mail in the individual prisoner of war camps is unnecessary. 573 Re: The prisoner of war camps must do everything within their power to prevent the theft of gift shipments for prisoners of war, and to have such thefts uncovered immediately. Particular attention is to be paid to the shipment of gifts from camps to work details, carried out on the responsibility of the military services. Pilfering of gift shipments by the prisoners of war themselves is to be reported to the 0KW, giving the name of the offender. 576 Re: British & American parachutists, airborne troops, & anti-aircraft personnel. Parachutists, airborne troops, and antiaircraft units are constituent parts of the British & American armies. Prisoners of war from these troops categories do not thus belong to the “prisoners of air force proper” in the sense of the “Provisions Concerning Prisoners of War of 30 May 1943. They are therefore not quartered in the prisoner of war camps of the Luftwaffe (air force), but in those of the 0KW. German orders They are put to work in accordance with the rules in force for prisoners of war of the respective nationality. However, paratroopers are to be assigned to work in closed groups and under special guard. Since the above service branches within the German armed forces are parts of the Luftwaffe, the questioning of newly arrived prisoners of war for intelligence purposes is the task of the Luftwaffe. Newly captured British & American parachutists, airborne troops, and members of air defense units are therefore to be sent for interrogation to the “evaluation center”, West Oberursel/Taunus where only small units are involved (up to 20 prisoners). Where the number of such prisoners brought in at one time is 20 or more, arrangements are to be made in each case over the telephone as to whether the prisoners shall be taken for interrogation to Oberursel/Taunus, or whether the evaluation center West should send an interrogation detail to the spot. At the end of the interrogation the respective prisoners of war are sent to the prisoner of war camps of the 0KW. 583 Re: Return of prisoners of war, recovered from illness, to their old place of work. Complaints are heard from management quarters about the slow return of prisoners of war from hospitals to their old place of work after recovery. The prisoners of war, again able to work, are kept too long in the camps after their release from the hospital. It is the duty of the camp commandants to see to it that prisoners of war, released from hospitals as fully able to work, be sent back in the quickest possible way to their former places of work. 584 Re: “Stepping out” by prisoners of war during work. Since the prisoners of war misuse the unauthorized “stepping out” for the purpose loafing, it may be recommended - as has already been done in some plants that fixed time be set for such practice. Exceptions are to be permitted only for reasons of health. No generally binding rule is possible in view of the varying local conditions, the strength of the work details, etc. However, the Stalags are to keep an eye on the problem, since uniformity, wherever possible, ii~s greatly desirable as a means of avoiding the above stated difficulties. Appropriate rules might be incorporated in the plant regulations applying to prisoners of war. The Stalags are to instruct the leaders of the larger work details to communicate with the plant managers in regard to the above matter. 589 Re: Gate control of incoming and outgoing vehicles. Reports on escapes of prisoners of war indicate that the control of incoming and outgoing vehicles at the gates is not always carried out with the proper care. There are cases on record where prisoners of war have left the camps undisturbed, hidden under loads of sand, linen, etc. Care is to be taken that the vehicles are always closely scrutinized. 590 Re: Quartering of mentally ill prisoners of war or internees. There is occasion to point out that prisoners of war or internees suffering from mental disorders but not requiring confinement in a closed institution must be kept in camps or hospitals in such a way as to avoid, under all circumstances, the possibility of mishaps (such as entering the area outside the warning wire without permission). 591 Re: Organization of the Bureau Chef Kriegsgef. The Bureau Chef Kriegsgef is organized as follows: I. Chef Kriegsgef: Colonel Westhoff
Staff Group: Central processing of all basic matters and of those afMajor Baron V. Bothmer fecting in common the divisions Kriegsgef. Allg. and Kriegsgef. Org., with the a. Paymaster: Administration, salaried employees, and - workmen. b. Registry.
II. Chef Kriegsgef. Aug.: General & Political affairs of the prisoner of war set-up. Col. Dr. V. Reumont
Group Allg. I: Treatment of prisoners of war and effects of the prisoner Lt. Col. Krafft of war problem on national policies. -
Group Allg. II: The prisoner of war problem in its foreign-political aspects; Major Roemer escorting of representatives of the Protecting Powers, of the I.R.C., etc., on their visiting trips.
Group Alig. III: German prisoners of war in enemy lands and members of the Major Clemens Wehrmacht interned in neutral countries. Group All’g. IV: Problems of administration of the prisoner of war set-up. Oberstabsintendant Dr. Fuchs
Group Allg. V: Welfare of prisoners of war in Germany, and mail & parcel Captain Laaser service. Co-operation with German Red Cross & I.R.C.
Group Allg. VI: Exchange, furloughs, & release of prisoners of war. Problems Captain Recksiek of minorities. III. Chef Kriegsgef. Org.: Organization of the prisoner of war set—up. Col. Diemer-Wiliroda
Group Org. I: The functioning of the German prisoner of war bureaus and Major Dr. Hausz custodial forces. Distribution of prisoners of war (planing); statistics.
Group Org. II: - Officer personnel matters (commanders of prisoners of war, Lt. Col. Reinacke prisoner of war-district commandants, camp commandants and their deputies. - Group Org. III: Labor service and transpprt. Col. Lossow -
Group IV: Camp management, index-files of prisoners of war. Maj. Eickhoff 595 Re: INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS FOR ENEMY CLERGYMEN FOR PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS. Individual requests for enemy clergymen are no more to be submitted. Requests for enemy clergymen ar~ to be collected and presented quarterly at a fixed date by the Military District Commands, as per model I and II contained in order 0KW, file 2 f 24.
596 Re: SPIRITUAL CARE IN ARMY PRISONS. 1. In accordance with the reference order, no religious services are to held for prisoners of war in army prisons. Army chaplains, civilian and prisoner of war clergymen may render spiritual aid to a prisoner of war only when the latter is gravely ill or under death sentence.
2. The reference order is relaxed in that prisoners of war in military prisons may hold religious services among themselves provided they request it specifically in each case. 619 Re: SECURING OF PRISONER OF WAR TRANSPORTS AGAINST ESCAPE - The frieght cars for the transport of prisoners of war frequently carry boards in the sliding doors, -arranged so as to pass in stove pipes. These boards are to be removed before shipping the prisoners of war, since they render the barbwiring of the doors difficult and can easily be forced.
To better secure the sliding doors of these freight cars, not only the bolts, but also the door casters may be wired.
- 14 - 640 Re: REWARD FOR CAPTURE OF FUGITIVE PRISONERS OF WAR The Reichsfuehrer and the Reichsminister of Interior have authorized the Criminal Police, in the decree of 14 Dec 1943--S--v A 1 NO. 978/43, to pay a reward of up to 100 marks for assistance in apprehending fugitive prisoners of war or other wanted persons. In case more than one person participated in the capture, the reward is to be divided proportionately. Should the amount of 100 marks not suffice to properly reward all the participants for their cooperation, the matter of increasing the amount is to be submitted for approval to the Reichsfuehrer and the Reichsminister of Interior.
Rewards for capture of fugitive prisoners of war are not to be paid anymore by the prisoner of war camps.
646 Re: CONFISCATION OF GIFTS FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS BEARING PROPAGANDA LEGENDS. Gifts of tobacco supplies have recently arrived from the American Red Cross bearing propaganda legends on the wrappings. Most characteristic are packages of cigarettes with the word “Freedom” printed thereon. These articles were confiscated on several occasions because of this legend. It has been found that smokes with these legends were sent to the prisoner of war camps with no malicious intent, but that it was a form of propaganda for American consumption only commonly used in America. Such articles with propaganda legends should not be confiscated, provided the legends are- not of outspoken anti-German character and provided there was no malicious intent on the part of the sending agency. The tobacco articles are to be released upon removal of the wrapping. In case of doubt the 0KW is to be consulted.
The American Red Cross has been notified and has promised to make sure that fur- - ther gifts to prisoners of war are free of all propaganda; it has, however, requested that shipments already packed be accepted.
647 Re: HANDLING OF PRISONER OF WAR MAIL FOR AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR & CIVILIAN INTERNEES. Letters and parcels arriving front USA for American prisoners of war and civilian internees have in a number of cases not been released by the camps for distribution because the -US post-mark stamps contained advertising matter. These stamps were placed on the prisoner of war mail for no special purpose; they are the same used in the postal service within the USA. The US government has promised henceforth to refrain from placing on prisoner of war mail any legends relating to the present war. Mail is therefore to be released for distribution provided the postmark starnsp and other legends are not of an outspoken anti-German character and where no malicious intent is discernible.
677 Re: SUPPLYING PRISONERS OF WAR WITH BEER. The reference order is hereby modified to the effect that henceforth not more than 5 liters of beer may be released monthly for prisoners of war and military internees in prisoner of war camps (Polish and Soviet-Russian prisoners included).
679 Re: FIXING OF BAYONETS WHILE GUARDING PRISONERS OF WAR. It is in order to call attention to sec. 475 of the Compilation of Orders 30 of 16 Oct 1943, whereby guards are to stand with their rifles loaded and placed at “safe”, and their bayonets fixed, unless the camp commandant, for special reasons, orders a deviation from that rule. This order is extended to provide that guard details accompanying prisoners of war on transports or on their way from and to work have their bayonets fixed. French bayonets, which are too long, can be ground down to the ‘standard size of German bayonets.
685 Re: USE OF SIDEWALKS BY PRISONERS OF WAR. it is in order to point out that prisoners of war conducted through cities by guard details, singly or in groups, are not permitted to use the sidewalks but - must use the roadway, like the smallest troop unit on the march.
Prisoners of war from broken ranks of work coim-nandos marching alone from and to work are permitted to sue the sidewalks, but must, when same are crowded, step off into the roadway.
687 Re: PRIVATE CONVERSATION BETWEEN GERMAN SOLDIERS AND PRISONERS OF WAR.
- 15 - All conversation between German soldiers and prisoners of war mot justified by the needs of the service or the work assignment is forbidden.
It is the primary responsibility of the company commanders to educate their subordinates to the importance of maintaining the proper distance between themselves and the prisoners of war and to put a stop to all attempts of the prisoners to start unauthorized conversations. 692 Re: ASSAULT ON GUARDS
Lately several guards have been attacked and killed while transferring prisoners of war after dark.
Prisoners of war are to be moved on foot after dark only in case of utmost necessity, and only under particularly vigilant surveillance.
Attention is to be directed continually to this prohibition and to the danger of attack. 713 Re: INSTRUCTING GUARD PERSONNEL IN THE GUARD REGULATIONS. There is reason to point out that guard personnel engaged in guarding prisoners of war must be given coninuous instruction in guard regulations. It does not suf fice to hand the guard personnel a copy of the regulations and to expect them to study its contents by themselves. 714 Re: TAKING AWAY BOOTS AND TROUSERS FROM PRISONERS OF WAR IN WORK DETAILS.
In order to render more difficult the escape of prisoners of war assigned to and quartered in work details, their boots and trousers are generally to be taken away for the night and stored in such a manner as to make their recovery by the prisoners impossible. 715 Re: AIR DEFENSE MEASURES IN THE PRISONER OF WAR SERVICE.
During an air raid alà~m~’pii-soñers of wa-i may be assigned to the defense of their own quarters and workshops in exactly the same manner as the German employees.
After the all clear signal they may also be assigned to damage control work in other places, but, in this-case, must be kept under safe, regular surveillance.
716 Re: DISPOSAL OF TIN CANS SENT TO PRISONERS OF WAR.
The regulations contained in the, above reference, Ia so far as they concern the handling of tin cans sent to prisoners of war, are summarized, ‘changed as follows:
1. Tin cans of all kinds, with or without their contents (from parcels received from home, from love gifts, from rations supplied by the army or the manager of the plant) may be left in the hands of individualprisoners of war in strictly limited quantities and under strict supervision.
Purpose of this regulation: a. To prevent the accumulation of larger amounts of food stuffs to facilitate escape. b. To eliminate empty tin cans as -means of escape, such as in the construction of tunnels, the preparation of imitation buckles, etc. c. To prevent the smuggling of forbidden messages and of objects useful in escape, espionage, and sabotage.
2. The individual prisoner of war ~aay be allowed a maximum of 6 tin cans for the storage of his food supplies (meat, spread on bread, sugar, tea, etc.), provided no other means of storage are available in sufficient quantities and provided there is no danger of the wrong use of these cans.
Before a filled tin can is issued, it must be examined before and after opening; such examination may be limited to random sampling in the case of tin cans (and tubes) sent by the British and American Red Cross in standard packages.
3. When new tin cans are issued, the old ones must be withdrawn.
- 16 - Used tin cans must be emptied, cleaned, and stored in a place out of reach of the prisoners of war. They must be sent every 3 months to the- scrap metal recovery place, together with tin- cans used by the German troops.
4. Compliance with regulations 1, 2, and 3 is to be enforced by orders of the camp commandants; these are to reach down to the smallest labor commandos.
718 Re: BEHAVIOR OF PRISONERS OF WAR DURING AIR RAIDS.
1. - GUARDING OF PRISONER OF WAR LABOR COMMANDOS. In work shops which, according to the air defense regulations, must be vacated by their crews during air raids, provisions must be made, ‘in agreement with the shop management, that the prisoners of war be kept at all time under surveillance by the guards and latter’s assistants while leaving the premises and remaining outside of same, as well as while returning thereto. Alarm plans are to be prepared fixing the place of the air raid shelters and the ways of reaching same.
2. MARSHINC PRISONERS OF WAR SEEKING PROTECTION IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AIR RAID c SHELTERS.~ No objection may be raised against prisoners of war on march seeking protection in public air raid shelters in a sudden air attack; private shelters, too, may be used by prisoners of war in an emergency, provided the number of the prisoners is small. -
It is presumed that the German civilian population will take precedence and that the prisoners of war will be kept close together in one room or one place. Dispersal among the civilian population is forbidden. In case of need, the prisoners of war may be distributed under guard in smaller groups in several parts of the aire raid shelter. -
Details are to be fixed in agreement with the local air raid authorities.
729 Re: CIVILIAN CLOTHING CONFISCATED FROM INDIVIDUAL PACKAGES SENT TO PRISONERS OF WAR.
Civilian clothes sent to prisoners of war by their next of kin are not be be placed in safe—keeping, but must be-confiscated. Relatives of prisoners of war well know that civilian clothes are not allowed to be sent to the latter. Conf iscated civilian clothes are to be treated like ciothes of recaptured escaped prisoners. Civilian clothes must not be sent to receiving camps for safe-keeping when prisoners of war are transferrred (also when they are delivered at army prisons).
738 Re: AIR RAID SHELTER TRENCHES
In a number of cases prisoners of war have declared through their spokesman their unwillingness to work on air raid shelter trenches. Such a refusal on the part of a group of prisoners of war, in view of the internationally binding provisions of the Convention of 27 July 1929, is to be ignored.
The construction of temporary air raid trenches must therefore be continued without fail.
739 Re: USE OF CONFISCATED GIFT PACKAGES. -
When gift packages of collective shipments are confiscated on the basis of the above order, or for some other compelling reason, the confiscated items are to be disposed of as follows: 1. Confiscated articles of food from gift packages are to be used in the preparation of meals in the kitchen; in that case the food rations supplied by the Reich may be correspondingly cut.
2. Confiscated articles of consumption like coffee, cocoa, tea, etc., are likewise to be used in the community kitchen in the preparation of breakfast and supper.
3. Confiscated soap is to be used in laundries servicing prisoners of war, or to be given to prisoner of war hospitals for use in their respective laundries.
4. Confiscated tobacco supplies may be distributed as a reward for good work to prisoners of war of all nationalities, including Soviet Russians. A receipt is to be issued and entered on the records of the respective camps.
Care must be taken that members of the German armed forces and other German nationals have no share in the confiscated gift packages, and that the assignment of the confiscated items for the sole use of the prisoners of war may be conclusively proved to the representatives of the Protecting Powers or the International Red Cross. 743 Re: WORKING TOGETHER OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND CONCENTRATION CAMP INTERNEES.
The working together of Prisoners of war and concentration camp internees has repeatedly led to difficulties and has unfavorably affected the efficiency of the prisoners of war. Employment of prisoners of war and of concentration camp internees on the same job at the same time is therefore forbidden. They may be employed in the same shop only when complete-separation is assured. 745 Re: CIVILIAN CLOTHES IN PRISONER OF WAR BARRACKS.
Attention is again called to the regulation which forbids prisoners of war to have in their possession civilian articles of apparel, except properly, marked work clothes. Such articles of apparel arriving in packages for prisoners of war are to be confiscated. Prisoners of war are allowed only pull-overs and underwear, in so far as the latter cannot be used as civilian apparel. Sport clothes, especially shorts, are to be handed Out only after they had been specially marked as prisoner of war apparel. The way of so marking if left to the discretion of the camps. The prisoner of war quarters are to be checked again and again for civilian articles of clothing.
784 Re: ECCLESIASTICAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS OF WAR.
Ref 1. Order 0KW file 31 AWA/J (Ia) No. 24-11/41 of 12 May 1941 paragraph IV. 2. Order 0KW file 2 f 24. 72 f Kriegsgef. Aug. (Ia) No. 10/44 of 10 Jan 1944, section 3.
In order to clear up certain doubts concerning the use of enemy clergymen in pastoral- capacity- at- -prisoner of war reserve hospitals, attention is called to the following:
1. In accordance with reference order 1, surplus prisoner of war clergymen--enlisted men or noncommissioned officers (i.e. members of enemy armed forces who were clergymen in civilian life and were capturedas soldiers with arms in the hands) are to be assigned, as far as possible, to prisoner reserve hospitals as medical corps personnel. There they will perform their ecclesiastical duties in accordance with the provisions in sections 7 and 8 of this order.
(the next page has been received from the archives missing a part so will pick it up as they, have it)
allowed to perform their pastoral duties in: Stalags for enlisted men prisoner of war hospitals Prisoner of war construction and labor battalions, provided they assume these duties voluntarily.
b. The same applies to enemy field chaplains, provided they volunteer for service. -
c. The use of these clergymen in accordance with 2a and b is contingent upon their steady residence at the place where they are employed.
810 Re: PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF INK & COLORED PENCILS IN LETTER WRITING BY PRISONERS OF WAR & MILITARY & CIVILIAN INTERNEES.
Several cases are on record where prisoners of war have dyed their uniforms, blankets, and underwear with ink & colored pencils for the purpose of escape.
Ink & colored pencils in possession of prisoners of war and military and civilian internees are therefore to be confiscated immediately. Ink and colored pencils are no longer to be sold in camp canteens, and the issuance of same in all private shops for prisoners of war is to be prohibited.
- 18 - Outgoing mail written with ink & colored pencils before this order was announced is to be forwarded. Such mail received for delivery after the announcement is to be destroyed. --
Colored pencils may be acquired from time to time in the open market in limited quantities for drawing and instructional purposes; these are to be taken away every day after use and kept under lock and key. Strict control is necessary to avoid misuse.
Oil ftc: fOltbWDiIVl~, OIV~&~ Of WAK 10 PKODUG~ GLIDIIK MODIILS
Prisoners of war are for security reasons forbidden to produce models of gliders.
822 Re: WORKING TIME OF PRISONERS OF WAR: HERE: ON SUNDAY
As a matter of principle, prisoners of war are to work the same number of hours as the German workers on the same job. This principle applies also to Sunday work; it is to be noted, however, that prisoners of war, after 3 weeks’ continuous work, must be given a continuous rest period of 24 hours which is not to fall on Sunday.
When a plant which normally works on Sunday is closed for that day, the right of the prisoners of war to a continuous period of rest is still to be respected. However, no objection can be raised to prisoners of war working beyond the usual working day and on free Sundays on emergency jobs when German workers or the German population are required to take part in such emergency projects.
However, the rest period thus lost on the emergency jobs must be made up for,--even on a week day--if the last continuous rest period was taken at least 3 weeks back. - In special emergency cases prisoners of war may be called upon to work for the relief of same even when the services of German workers or the German population are not required. The decision in the matter lies in each individual case with the respective camp commandant, in agreement with the local authorities, the competent Labor Office arid the agency in need of assistance. 837 .Re: VERIFICATION OF PERSONAL DATA SUPPLIED BY ESCAPED AND RECAPTURED PRISONERS OF WAR. Recaptured prisoners of war often falsely give to the camp authorities, to whom they have been delivered, names and identification numbers of other prisoners of war of their former camp and of the same nationality, known to them as having likewise escaped. Now and then they try to hide behind the name and the identification number of prisoners of war .whose approximate description and circumstances of whose escape they had learned at the very time of their own escape. Such attempts at camouflage are made particularly by escaped and recaptured prisoners of war having a court suit pending against them at their former camp. Security officers of prisoner of war camps are to verify in each case the personal data supplied by recaptured prisoners of war from other camps. 838 Re: DEATH PENALTY FOR PRISONERS OF WAR FOR ILLICIT INTERCOURSE WITH GERMAN WOMEN. The Serbian prisoner of war Pvt. Pentalija Kabanica, identification number 104325YB, was sentenced to death by a court martial for the military offense consisting of illicit traffic-with a German woman, combined with rape. He had rendered defenseless the peasant woman in whose farm he was engaged as laborer, and then used her sexually. The sentence was carried out on 14 Sep 1944. The sentence is to be made known in this version to all the prisoners of war. 840 Re: KILLINGS AND SERIOUS INJURIES OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND CIVILIAN INTERNEES (EXCEPT POLES, SERBS, AND RUSSIANS.) The reference order has often not been observed, with the result that the 0KW has had again and again to learn of cases of violent deaths of prisoners of war through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Protecting Powers. This situation is unbearable in view of the reciprocity agreements with the enemy governments. The following additional orders are therefore’ announced herewith: To 1. Every case of violent death or serious injury is to be promptly reported through channels to the OKW/Kriegsgef. Alig. (lib) (for exception see 2). In cases involving the use of arms, written depositions of the participants and witnesses, including prisoners of war, are to be attached; action is to be taken by the camp commandant and the prisoner of war Commander (“Kommandeur”). The name, camp, identification number, and home address of the prisoner of war involved must b-e given. Should a long search for these be necessary, : a preliminary report is to be submitted at once, and the result of the search reported later. Reports are also necessary, in addition to cases involving the use of arms, in cases of accidents of all kinds, of suicides, etc.; written depositions of witnesses will be mostly unnecessary here. To 2. Losses due to enemy action are to be reported immediately to the OKW/Kriegsgef. Allg. (V) in the form prescribed by reference order to 2. 848 Re: RENDERING PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS RECOGNIZABLE. Prisoner of war camps in the home war zone are not to be made recognizable for enemy air forces. 851 Re: TRANSPORT OF ENEMY FLIERS BROUGHT DOWN, OR PRISONER OF WAR OFFICERS. In view of the present state of transportation, especially in Western and Southwestern Germany, no more railway compartments may be ordered or used in the trains of the public railway system for the transport of enemy fliers brought down or prisoner of war officers to and from prisoner of war camps (also camps for interrogation and classification of prisoners of war). In agreement with the competent Transport Command headquarters (“Transport Kommandantur”), freight cars are to be requisitioned instead and attached, as far as possible, to passenger or fast freight trains; in order to economize on rolling stock in small transports, the number of pri~bners of war on each trip must be correspondingly increased. In particularly urgent cases troop compartments may be used in FmW, DraW, and SF trains (Eilzug mit Wehrmachtabteile; Durchgangszug mit Wehrmachtabteile; Schneller Frontzug. 853 Re: PRISONERS OF WAR MUSTERED INTO WAFFEN SS (VOLUNTEER GROUPS) Prisoners of war who have voluntarily reported for service in the Waffen SS have had their lives threatened by their fellow prisoners of war for their friendliness to Germany and their willingness to serve. Representatives of the main SS office engaged in recruiting prisoners of war for the Waff en SS in the prisoner of war camps are to be reminded by the camp commandants that the security of these prisoners of war requires that steps be taken to have them speedily removed. Should the enlisted prisoners of war not be able to take their physical examination at the SS, the representatives of the main SS Bureau must, when taking the prisoners away, report those turned back to the original camp in order that they maybe assigned to another camp. 876 Re: TREATMENT OF JEWISH PRISONERS OF WAR. Ref 1. Compilation of Orders No. 1. of 16 June 1941, sec. 7. 2. Compilation of Orders No. 11 of 11 March 1942, sec. 5. The combined above reference orders provide as follows: 1. The bringing together of Jewish prisoners of war in separate camps is not intended; on the other hand, all Jewish prisoners of war are to be kept separated from the other prisoners of war in Stalags and officers’ camps, and--in the case of enlisted personnel--to be grouped in closed units for work outside the camp. Contact with the German population is to be avoided. Special marking of the clothing of Jewish prisoners of war is not necessary. 2. In all other respects Jewish prisoners of war are to be treated like the other prisoners of war belonging to the respective armed forces (with respect to work duty, protected personnel, etc.). 3. Jewish prisoners of war who had lost their citizenship by Regulation 11 of the Reich Citizenship Law of 25 Nov 1941 (R.G.B.I. 1941 I p. 722), are to be buried--in case they die in captivity--without the usual military honors. 894 Re: REPORTS ON ESCAPES OF PRISONERS OF WAR Mass escapes, escapes of small groups or single officers--from colonel upward--as well as of prominent personalities represent such a menace to security as to render the disciplinary handling of the matter in accordance with paragraph 16a K St Vo entirely inadequate, in view of the possible consequences of such escapes. Detailed reports must under all circumstances be submitted concerning the activity of the custodial agencies which made such serious flights possible--whether through dereliction of duty or through mere carelessness. 895 Re: STRICT HOUSE ARREST AND PRELIMINARY (INVESTIGATION) ARREST OF PRISONERS OF WAR, INCLUDING PRISONER OF WAR OFFICERS. A concrete case makes it appropriate to point out the following regulations: 1. An increase in rations through delivery of food and other articles of consumption by all outsiders, including the International Red Cross, is absolutely forbidden. 2. Additional food and other articles of consumption may be obtained by prisoner of war officers only through purchase, contingent upon good behavior, and in moderate quantities. In each individual case the approval of the camp commandant is necessary. 3. Tobacco may be obtained in quantity within the general limits provided in the smoker’s card, but only when the danger of fire or disturbance of discipline is absent. Note-to 1-3: Prisoners of war under preliminary arrest, in order to obtain additional items of food and of general consumption, must also secure the consent of the investigation officer (leader) or the state attorney. 897 Re: ESCAPES DURING TRANSPORT. There is reason to point out that prisoners of war during transport sometimes try to use the toilet for escape. The guards must therefore, as a rule, accompany the prisoner of war to the toilet on transports and must keep their eyes on him with the door open. Should the prisoner of war close the toilet door with the intention to escape, the guard must fire on him through the door without warning.
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