PREPARED BY
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
WAR DEPARTMENT

15 JULY, 1944

OFLAG 64

STRENGTH: 477 officers, 52 E.M., all Ground Force.
LOCATION: Pin-point, 53•00'30" North latitude 17•44'30" East longitude.

Camp is situated two miles Northwest of the railroad station in Altburgund (new German name for old Polish town of Schubin) on a cobblestone road. D224
DESCRIPTION:Camp area 300 x 200 yards, is surrounded by two barbed wire fences. It contains large, three-story, stone building formerly a Polish college and three brick and concrete barracks. Within enclosure are theater, sports field, chapel, infirmary, canteen, huts for classes and several unused barracks fenced off by barbed wire.
TREATMENT: Correct
FOOD: POW's subsist only because of weekly receipt of Red Cross food parcel by each. German rations insufficient in quality and quantity to maintain life in a person normally active. (Authority: U.S.A. Quartermaster dietitian.)
CLOTHING: German issue no clothing. Sole supply is from the Red Cross. Because of shortages and transportation difficulties, POW's suffered last winter in region's severe cold. Supply has since improved.
HEALTH: Adequate medical care is provided by the eight American medical officers and one dentist, though material is needed for permanent fillings. Bathing and washing facilities are satisfactory. Health is generally good, due largely to American Senior Officer's insistence on sports programs designed to maintain physical fitness "so that when we're released we can fight Japan." Twenty patients are in the camp's 30-bed hospital, most of them suffering stomach ulcers probably induced by the heavy German bread that forms a large part of the German ration.
RELIGION: Interdenominational as well as Roman Catholic services are conducted. There is no German interference.
PERSONNEL:

American Senior Officer:	Colonel Thomas D. Drake
Executive Officer:	Lt. Colonel John K. Waters
Adjutant:	Major Merle A. Meacham
Dentist:	Captain Paul G. Jacobs
Interpreter:	Lt. Edgar P. Moschel
German Commandant:	Oberstlt. Le Viseur

MAIL: Officer POW's are permitted to write the standard three letters, four postcards per month and E.M. two letters, four postcards. There is no limit on the number they may receive. Transit time for all letters, including airmail, from the U.S. is erratic, varying between 30 to 90 days. Airmail from camp takes six weeks, surface mail, nine weeks. Next-of-kin and tobacco parcels are two to three months in transit. Occasionally they are pilfered.
RECREATION: Athletics include baseball, basketball, football, softball, volleyball, ice skating, table tennis, ice hockey, and occasional parole walks. Equipment has been sent by YMCA. Studies in a variety of classical and technical subjects are conducted by competent POW instructors. Hobbies include painting, embroidering, woodcarving and gardening. Public address system enables POW's to stage shows and hear German music and news. Occasional movies, art exhibits, glee club, choir, minstrels, a phonograph and a few records offer additional diversion. Camp library had 1,600 books and POW's publish a newspaper.
WORK: Officers do not work. E.M. are orderlies.
PAY: Officers are paid on a sliding scale according to rank, with lieutenants receiving 60 marks a month. From this 22 marks are deducted for food and 10 for orderly services. What remains is of small value because canteen has virtually nothing for sale but weak beer.

PREPARED BY
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
WAR DEPARTMENT

NOVEMBER, 1945

OFLAG 64

(Ground Force Officers)
LOCATION: Oflag 64 was situated in Poland, 2 miles northwest of the railroad station in Altburgund (new German name for the old Polish town Schubin, 53•01'N - 17•44'E). The grounds were formerly those of a Polish college.

On January 21, 1945, 1,471 Ground force officers and enlisted men left Schubin just ahead of the advancing Russian army to travel a total of 345 miles, arriving at Oflag 13B, Hammelburg on March 9, 1945.
STRENGTH: Oflag 64 was opened on June 6, 1943, with just a handful of ground force officers. In October of that year, the Red Cross reported 224 American officers and 21 enlisted men there. Almost all of these men had been captured in North Africa and had been held in other camps prior to the opening of Oflag 64. By July 1944, the population had increased to 620 officers and 57 enlisted men. At the time of the evacuation from Poland on January 21, 1945, the camp strength was 1,557.
DESCRIPTION: The camp was composed of a main stone building and six barracks. Only three of these barracks were used until the last few months of the occupation. The buildings were 120' long and 40' wide. They were subdivided into cubicles 7' x 10' which quartered an average of eight officers. The POW's slept in double-tiered wooden bunks equipped with straw mattresses, a pillow, one sheet and a pillow case. The Germans supplied two thin blankets which were totally inadequate for the climate. a large sports ground was available within the compound. The latrines were situated in separate buildings adjoining the barracks, but were of the pit-type at first. Later, latrines equipped with cesspools and pumps were installed, but were insufficient in number.
U.S. PERSONNEL: Col. Thomas D. Drake was the SAO from its opening on June 6, 1943, until his repatriation on July 27, 1944. Col. George V. Millett succeeded Col. Drake and was SAO until arrival of Col. Paul R. Goode on October 16, 1944. From that time until the liberation, the camp administration was organized as follows:

Senior American Officer:Colonel	Colonel Raul R. Goode
Executive Officers:	Colonel G.V. Millett
Assistant Executive Officer:	Major K. Hanson
Adjutant:	Major Merle A. Meacham
Welfare Officer:	Lt. Colonel J.K. Waters
Sr. Medical Officer:	Captain F.M. Burgeson

There was also a highly organized Security Committee.

GERMAN PERSONNEL: The German personnel consisted of approximately 100 men from the 813th Infantry (Grenadier) Regiment, and four administrative officers. The administration was organized in the following manner:

Camp Commander:	Oberst Schneider
Second in Command:	Oberstleutnant Leuda
Security Officer:	Hauptman G. Zimmerman
Chief Physician:	Dr. Pongratz
Welfare Officer:	Sonderfuhrer W. Theissen

According to Col. Drake, the relations between the POW's and the Germans were quite impersonal. Hauptman Zimmermen was particularly disliked for his frequent pettiness. He was a Nazi party member of good standing and often appeared to be able to reverse decisions of Oberst Schneider.
TREATMENT: The treatment at Oflag 64 was considered better than that of other American POW camps containing ground force personnel. As the camp strength increased, the buildings naturally became more crowded, and comforts experienced in early 1944 disappeared with the shortages of fuel and food all over Germany. According to repatriates who arrived in January 1945, the Germans displayed a definite tendency to provoke incidents in the camp. It appeared that the Germans desired to have men being marched under guard to the hospital at Gneisen for treatment ordered not to use the sidewalk, but to walk in the streets of the town. They felt this was humiliating treatment and in violation of the Geneva Convention. Some POWs brought this point up to the guards and after some discussion were permitted to use the sidewalk. However, this incident was reported and the four were brought up for trial on the charge of "Obstructing the Functions of the German Reich." The trial was held in October 1944, and the men were acquitted of the charge. However, in December 1944, the four were informed that they would be retried on charges growing out of the incident. The retrial was held on January 25, 1945, and all four officers received the death sentence. They were liberated before the sentence could be carried out.

A Similar instance of this tendency to perpetrate incidents occurred on September 22, 1944, when Lt. James R. Schmitz, the Ass't Adjutant, was in the camp office alone and was approached by two Unteroffiziers about to post anti-escape posters. because Lt. Schmitz considered the posters insulting to American officers in that they accused our government "of resorting to gangster warfare up to and within the frontier of the Fatherland," he requested them to wait until he could contact the SAO. Unable to do so, he brought back to the office Lt. Col. Schaefer who discussed the posters with the Germans. As they were leaving, Lt. Schmitz stood in the doorway in token protest. When one Unteroffizier approached and touched Lt. Schmitz, he immediately got out of the way. Nevertheless, Lt. Schmitz was accused of blocking the doorway, and Lt. Col. Schaefer was accused of interfering with the functions of he German Reich. They were both tried on December 28, 1944, and sentenced to death, but were liberated before the sentence could be carried out.

The treatment grew steadily worse from the Allied invasion until winter. Then as it became obvious to the Germans that defeat was inevitable, many of the guards and camp officials became more lenient, and the treatment improved. There was a noticeable scarcity of true Nazis in the last few days.
FOOD: From the time the camp opened until the evacuation, the German reactions were very poor in both quality and quantity. the red Cross food parcel became the means of subsistence in the camp and the difference between complete misery and tolerable existence. From October 10 to December 3, 1944, no Red Cross parcels were delivered in camp and the men suffered accordingly. During the period from October 20 to November 14, 1944, all men in camp were checked for weight loss, and the average loss was nine pounds per man. The German rations during that period was as follows:

PER DAY EACH MAN RECEIVED:
Meat:	35 7/10 grams
Cooking Oil:	9 7/10 grams
Barley:	25 grams
Cabbage:	200 grams
Dried Vegs:	6 2/5 grams
Margarine:	21 4/10 grams
Cheese:	4 1/2 grams
Potatoes:	353 grams
Carrots:	100 grams

ONE ONLY OF THE FOLLOWING:
Turnips:	400 grams
Sauerkraut:	25 grams
Jam:	25 grams
Soup Powder:	3 1/2 grams
Sugar:	25 grams
Tea (ersatz):	1 gram
Bread:	318 grams
Coffee (ersatz):	2 1/2 grams

HEALTH: In spite of many hardships due to insufficient food, impure water supplies, and poor sanitation facilities, the health was surprisingly good. The "revier" itself was old, the floors unpainted, the plumbing a constant source of concern among the doctors. The 30 beds available in the "revier" were usually occupied by men suffering from stomach ailments, colds and other routine complaints. It was not equipped to handle the cases of those seriously ill or badly wounded. These cases were sent to the hospital in Wollstein.

Fortunately for the early arrivals at Oflag 64, RAF doctors who had formerly inhabited the camp left behind about 25 units of Red Cross medical supplies. These sufficed until more supplies were received from the International Red Cross. However, the flow of supplies was inadequate and undependable. By constant nagging, special drugs and emergency items were obtainable from the Germans in rare cases, but the American doctors preferred to isolate themselves from the German doctor as much as possible.
CLOTHING: Thanks to the Red Cross, clothing was adequate during 1943 and early 1944. However, by November 1944, clothing was so scarce that the Germans demanded that POW's turn in all but one uniform. They also demanded field jackets, which were refused. As a result, the guards came through the barracks with fixed bayonets and fired their rifles in the air forcing the men into giving up their jackets. The original excuse for confiscation was that clothing was needed for new POW's, but men arrived in Russian, French and British uniforms which were never replaced by American equivalents. Bed clothing was completely inadequate, and many times officers slept two to a bunk in order to "pool" their blankets. The Germans at no time provided sufficient clothing.
WORK: The officers at Oflag 64 were not required to do any work except their own fatigue details around camp. These duties were assigned by the SAO's staff. however, 33 of the enlisted men who were sent as orderlies were required to work at a nearby sawmill. Their work was not too hard, and their noonday rations were slightly better than the camp's.
PAY: In the beginning, officers were paid on a sliding scale according to rank, with Lts. receiving 60 marks a month. From this, 22 marks were deducted for food and 10 for orderly services. The balance was supposed to be used for purchases form the canteen, but since this offered nothing but weak beer and an occasional razor blade, the money was no asset. At no time was an officer permitted to have in his possession more than 30 marks and an American finance officer was assigned to keep a duplicate set of records on the financial status of each POW. He made arrangements with the German officials to disburse the amounts owed. After a visit on October 23, 1944, the Red Cross reported that camp money disbursal had stopped entirely and the amounts were credited to a special account of each officer.
MAIL: The officers received three letter forms and four postcards each month. The enlisted men received two letter forms and three cards a month. The SAO received 10 letter forms to conduct camp affairs. The Germans checked the number of outgoing letters from each officer a month in the early days. However, it was later noticed that this practice had stopped, and officers were able to borrow mail forms and write as many letters as they wished. There was never any shortage of letter forms and none was ever refused an individual as a punitive measure. The eight censors were, all except one, enlisted men and ex-residences of the United States. They performed other duties, and for this reason mail was often unnecessarily delayed, sometimes for two weeks. Transit time for letters, including airmail from the U.S.A. to the camp was erratic, varying between 30 and 90 days. Toward the end of the war the mail service grew slower as transportation facilities were harassed by Allied bombers.
MORALE: The morale of the men, especially after "D-Day," was exceedingly high. This spirit was reflected in the monthly publication know as The Oflag Item, which was issued from November 1943 to January 1945. By making light of the "Kriegie-woes" and reviewing the months' activities in the vein of a collegiate newspaper, an easy air of comradeship was developed. The "Little Theater of Schubin College" was a hugh success. POW's produced a total of eight three-act plays, eight musical reviews and one original three-act plays, all of which were former Broadway hits. They also produced seven one-act plays, eight musical reviews and one original three-act play. In addition to these activities the men took part in many types of sports. A league was formed for baseball and softball enthusiasts as well as basketball players. Thus, men kept their morale high by keeping occupied.
WELFARE: Inasmuch as the Germans were concerned, welfare consisted of only the barest necessities. all phases of welfare were handled by the International Red Cross, the Protecting Power and the YMCA. As mentioned before, the Red Cross food parcels and clothing took care of two basic requirements of POW's. The Protecting Power in its capacity of mediator made seven visits to the camp. The representatives were punctilious about interviewing the American staff in privacy and made a conscientious effort to improve situations about which complaints were made, even though their representations to the German officials were often ignored after their departure.

The athletic and recreational equipment provided by the YMCA contributed a great deal to the welfare of the men. The library at camp was well stocked with a good variety of literature from text books to murder thrillers.
RELIGION: The religious activities in the camp were very satisfactory. A room was furnished by the Germans and made into an attractive chapel by the men. At one time there were as many as eight chaplains at the camp, but because they felt they were needed elsewhere, they requested transfers to other camps. Only a Protestant and Catholic Chaplain remained.
RECREATION: In addition to the many activities mentioned in the paragraph on Morale, there was a great deal of interest in art, crafts and education. Of all recreations, reading seemed to take first place. Many officers availed themselves of numerous text books to improve their knowledge on various subjects. The school was well attended and foreign languages appeared to be favorite subjects.

Many men who had dabbled in art as a hobby took advantage of their leisure to improve their style. Cartoonists appeared from every barracks and new hobbies were developed daily. However, the favorite pastime of all was re-reading letters from home and day dreaming about the end of the war.
EVACUATION: On January 21, 1945, the SAO was informed that the camp was to be evacuated immediately, and that all able-bodied men would fall out to begin the march. The German doctor and the American medical staff hurriedly examined all of the men in the camp and, after a great deal of discussion, agreed to leave behind 86 men under the supervision of Col. Drury. These men were to remain in the hospital until the advancing Russians over-ran the camp. The other 1,471 officers and enlisted men left on foot for the 345 mile trek to Brandenburg.

After the able-bodied men left the camp, the first problem facing the new SAO was to keep the Poles out of the camp because they began a systematic routine of looting. During the first 24 hours, several small groups of Germans passed the camp on the same road taken earlier by the column, but they did not enter the camp. Late that evening the Poles reported that Russian tanks had been in the town but had passed on again before they could be informed of the Americans' presence. On the morning of January 22, 1945, both American and Russian flags were raised over the camp and shortly afterward the first Russians appeared on the road. The SAO was told by the tank commanders that they must move on, but that the rear echelon would give POW's the best of care. as more and more trucks passed, and not one seemed to have authority to begin the evacuation, the SAO decided to commandeer a truck and driver and return to the Corps headquarters. After sending six telegrams from that headquarter and discussing the problem at length with the commanding general, Col.Gen. Blov, Col. Drury mad evacuation plans.

On January 28, 1945, the men left Schubin by truck and were taken to Rembertow, arriving January 31, 1945. At Rembertow, the Russians had taken over a former Polish military school and turned it into a refugee processing center with approximately 5,000 tired, hungry and frightened people of mixed nationalities. In spite of many promises of assistance, it was not until February 22, 1945, that the group boarded a train for Odessa. Meanwhile, several impatient officers had left the camp and proceeded on their own to reach Moscow where they were given air passage back to the United States. The group reached Odessa on March 1, 1945, and were evacuated to the United States by plane and boat.

The 1,471 officers and enlisted men under the command of Oberst Fritz Schneider marched to Exin, Poland (24 kms.) where they were supposed to entrain for a new camp in Brandenburg. However, upon their arrival it was discovered that no arrangements had been made for the journey and the group continued on foot to an estate just outside of Exin where they were quartered for the night in cow barns. The weather was below freezing and the ground was covered with snow. The day's march had been grueling and 186 men decided to hide in the hay lofts and make their way back to the Russian lines. All of these were successful in their escape, and were able to reach Rembertow where they joined Col. Drury's group.

During the entire 45 days of the march the quarters were, with few exceptions, hay barns, stables, cow sheds or machine shacks. They were often overcrowded, and many were lofts with only one ladder for entrance and exit, thus presenting a great hazard in case of fire. Despite continued protests on the part of Col. Goode, it was not until February 2, 1945, that the Germans sent a quartering party forward in advance of their arrival. Prior to this time, POW's would arrive at their destination at dusk with wet and cold feet and be forced to stand around while hasty arrangements were made for quartering. Frequently fires were not permitted so that shoes and socks could not be dried nor could food be cooked.

The camp sites often lacked adequate drinking water and no shaving or washing facilities were available. No provisions for baths were made during the entire period.

Medical supplies were not provided at all by the Germans until February 17, 1945. After that date only a very limited amount was given.

There had been continuous trouble in providing transportation for the sick and no effort was made to provide proper places for sick call. the ration provided on the march was inadequate. The German ration office stated that they were receiving the same ration as the German guard company, but this was not true. The average ration for the day was one bowl of turnip soup, a few potatoes, a cup of ersatz coffee or mint tea, and a half a slice of brown bread. The only supplement to this diet was an occasional barter with the farmers along the way who wanted cigarettes, soap, fountain pens, etc., until finally 500 Red Cross parcels were obtained on February 17, 1945. These had to be shared by 1,023 men.

The table below gives the number of kilometers the men marched each day.

Date	Distance	Date	Distance
January 21	24	February 11	14
January 22	23	February 12	24
January 24	7	February 13	7
January 25	21	February 14	13
January 26	0	February 15	0
January 27	18	February 16	23
January 28	17	February 17	27
January 29	7	February 18	8
January 30	12	February 19	10
January 31	14	February 20	20
February 1	3	February 21	0
February 2	18	February 22	16
February 3	0	February 23	19
February 4	17	February 24	23
February 5	21	February 25	21
February 6	22	February 26	0
February 7	20	February 27	16
February 8	20	February 28	11
February 9	13	March 1 - 5	0
February 10	13	March 6	9

[boarded train arriving at Hammelburg 9 March 1945]
Only 423 officers and 67 enlisted men completed the trek to Oflag 13B, arriving in a state of exhaustion.
LIBERATION: On March 27, 1945, Col. Goode was notified that camp 13B would be evacuated that afternoon at 1600 hours. At 1300, American tanks appeared and after a brief consultation, the Germans agreed to surrender the camp immediately. Three of the staff officers and one German officer were selected to carry the white flag of surrender to the American tank column. As they marched out of the gate, an SS private shot Lt. Col. John K. Waters, seriously wounding him. Immediately the tanks started firing and the spearhead was not prepared to transport so many officers, and it was impossible to remain there and defend the area. many of the men climbed on the tanks and attempted to get back to the lines that night, but road blocks and mines hampered their progress.

The following two days saw nearly all of the men returned to the camp under German guard. meanwhile the Germans had returned to evacuate the remaining prisoners to southern Germany, and about 500 men were sent to Nuremberg by train. Two days later, the remaining men were marched to Stalag 7A, Moosburg. This trip was approximately 90 miles and it required 15 days to march because of the weakened condition of the men and the constant bombing of the Allied air forces of stallations along the way. Many men escaped during this march during the confusion. Upon their arrival at Stalag 7A, Col. Goode organized the camp of 30,000 POW's for their final rescue which occurred April 29, 1945.

 

Author: Becky Driscoll
E-Mail: bdriscoll@dcccd.edu