1919-01-30 — Page 7

THE HONGKONG DAILY

TORTURE OF PRISONERS EN but were kicked and knooked about, patil

GERMAN MINËS.

and salt mines of Germany.

whose fint there was no appeal.

of.

The

THURSDAY, JANUABY 30TH, 2018.

GERMANY'S ROYAL HOUSES

twenty they included four kingdoms, six gfand

bours

cipalities. In addition, it may be added, lightest punishment was

in the open om for the sake of completeness, that the the usual stillstand snything. of this were enough to make anyone do chice, five duchies, and seven prin

also included the " "Empire" two to eight hours.

Westerholt is very bad, but hardly. ex- ceptional. Here is an extract from an towns" of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck, English soldier of a coal-pit at Lünen and the "Reichsland" of Alsace-Lon (parent camp, Munster 1), where he was

raine. The rulera of these different

"Tho

March, 1018:-

too weak and still

they were

+ put

the worst and most dreaded fate provided brought up to the surface at eight a During this time no food from Ho

by German frightfulnese for prisoners of war, for what those condemned to it had to endure was, in the words of the reporty nothing less than a singularly ernel It is and dangerous form of elavery. not, therefore, surprising to learn that British prisoners were sent to the mines as a matter of course British birth was in itself a standing liability to punish

inent.

week longer some of the British refused to work, but they got so knocked about and beaten that they gave in and went The British prisoners continued to be brutally treated.

Their spirt of resistance in the face of oppression and injustice has been uncon- from the ouutide world and without meada

the outside of effective appeal, have, of course. been powerless against systematic violence.

KINGDOME.

PRUSSIA-Wilhelm, born January 27th, 1880; married Princess. Victorin Friedrich Wilhelm (Crown Prince); five other sana and one daughter. BAVARIA-Ludwig Ill born January 7th, 1845; married Archdachess Maria Therese of Austria Este; heir, Crown

Princess

Prince Rupprecht; eight other children. MES

25th, 1666; married Louise of Tuscany (marriage

dis- Solved):

heir, Prince George; five other children. WURTTEMBERG-Wilhelm 11., born Fehru. ary 26th, 1848; married (1) Princess Marie of Waldeck-Pyrmont, died April 30th, 1882, (2) Princess Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe; one daughter.

GRAND DUCHIES.

A. TERRIBLE ORDEAL they were forced to give in. There has

There was also confinement to cells, and

Now that Germain Chrones are falling been a constant repetition of auch sooned; this was or might be a very cruci ordeal'; either on the arrival of a fresh party for the cella were under the bot water under the influence of the revolution, it YEARS OF SLAVERY

of some parti- prisoners or in consequence

pipes which fed the baths, and some of We give them were almost anberably hot. If the is interesting to recall a few details about Yet another chapter is added to the cular. outrage or imposition.

description by private of the Royal

man they

would put him in the hottest pice. Of these there were twenty-two a long tale of German barbarities by the Warwickshire Regiment, of a typical guards had a special grudge against the Royal houses comprised in the issue of a further report of Sir Robert incident of this kind, which took place the rule for a few hours, sometimes cording to the Constitution of 1871, and.

salt mine neatz for a couple of days. Men so confined camp, Hameln)

suffered terribly from the beat Younger's Committee dealing with the January, 1917, at a treatment of British prisoners in the coal Barstedt (parent onera refused to go of there expresses th The thirteen

day By order The Coin- down the mine the first

the presence of the commandant, the mittee's recent account of the sufferings of Blamer (a German private),given in of our soldiers behind the enemy firing entries started knocking us about the line is more than matched by this new body with their fists and the butts of their rifles. They drove us to an under-ground record. Surely nothing could exceed the cellar and kept us there for three days and every morning came and knocked us misery of the lot of these unhappy men,

on about. The floor of the cellar wasnt work tirutal treatment complained of States, with some particulars of their compelled to work underground

was that sick men so long as they were families, are set out below:- starvation diet, and subjected to every and there was no light and no air, and we had to sleep on the damp flour. They form of cruelty and indignity which the gave me each a small piece of bread and

every day. On the fourth day able to stand were compelled by the some water

Anyone Entries to continue working. we were lined up in the mine yard and who refused was beaten with rifles and means at hand permitted and the in

asked whether we would go down. We bayonets until he began again, or if this genuity of their capturs could devise,

In the larger camps the prisoners had refused. Then the soldiers (nine in num- falled he was forced to stand at atter of Schleswig-Holstein; heir, Prince

ber) struck us with their rifles, and about tion in front of the sentry on the misin gate until the shift had returned from at least the opportunity of making som twenty-five civilian workmen chased plaints, but the isolated groups at the till we were driver to the shaft more work, a period of anything up to eight

refused Sentries into the cage and sent down, mines were absolutely at the mercy of dend than alive: thest we were pushed or ten hours. If they fainted or became their immediate guardians, from whore stood over us and kicked us while we into a cell behind some big ovens, where brutalities there was no escape and from worked, and said we should not go up the air was extremely bad and the beat Saxony Friedrich, August 111., bor till the work was done. We were taken fearful. They were sometimes kept in daya in this It was down about 7.30 or eight a... and this place for two or three

p.m., terrific heat until they

agreed to and had no food all that time. For

parce was allowed, the German food being the only kind, and the only way of quenching thirst was the allowance of two bottles of water n day. Every time food or water I myself was brought in to them they were asked il they would agree to work. experienced this cell for five days on end; and it was impossible to wear one's clothes in such heat. My offence had been that I had

presented the complaints of bad

the treatment of privates of another Whatever may have happened since.

kommando to the camp authorities at there is evidence that the conditions described continued right up to the ressa

warded report (to Lünen) with an ordertoria of The nature of the work to which they my previous camp, and they had for The report is dated tion of hostilities.

state are thus driven is roughly the same in that I was to be given five days' arrest November 2nd, and the Committee at all the mines, coal or salt, of which we for telling lies. The punishment for at that from the latest testimony in the have information more than fifty in tempted escape varies i

from seven to four- month old, there

teen days in this cell. possession, scarcely a is no sign of improvement whatever, and number. It consists in loading the

It is not surprising that attempts to which has been dug from the seams (on the of the German

part

in spite of the war MERLENDUR frequent no intention on

which which the prisoners are not employed. as ascape are authorities to correct the system allows such places to exist. The disgrace a rule) on to tracks or wagons; and remov. penalties which fall on the unsuccessful edly denounced, the only possible infer tale of so many trucks has to be completed simply fourteen days' cella but besides open and Bagrant, and has been repeating them for transport to the surface. A The officially recognised punishment is by each man in the course of the the fact that the cell may be such is

he ence is that Berlin deliberately approves.'

io Below are the principal passages of the hour (sometimes twelve-hour) shift; if described above there are other methods

fails,

he has to remain with the succeed-of

of aggravation. One, practised far back it has never been doubting shift to finish it. All accounts show of the salt, mines, is to ordain that the ful which of the various regular tasks that the task is a heavy one, even for men fourteen days shall be worked off on Sun- Week might be assigned to a prisoner was in full vigour, for weakened and emaciat days only, with extra labour on

nout (as one o of them puts days, thus ensuring that the offender is

of any hour of in every respect the worst and most to be cu prisoners, harshed about" from mora. deprived

spibe for four- respite by being

But more teen weeks,

commonly dreaded. The evil frame of the komit) by ↑

the mandos organised for work in coal and ing to night, it is often an impossible

the double shift is kommandoführer" takes the oppor cluses the salt mines quickly spread among

the one, and in

very severe experience indeed. There tunity of wreaking a kind of personal camps, and it has become notorious that the men on whom this particular lot has is also work of a miscellaneous kind at revenge: for to permit an escape is, of have endured, in some cases for the pit-head, and in some mine yards this course, the one offence for which he stands fallen have

the At be dreaded. is even more to

openly condemned in the eyea years, a singularly cruel and dangerous notorious Augusta Victoria coal mine, for superiors, and it may doubtless be a seri- form of slavery.

instance, of which the parent camp is ous master for him. He accordingly adds and strong protests have to Münster 11, the work on the coke ovens to the official arrost an informal thrash

the ed to the German Government, reports from one after another of the at the surface-sprinkling the coke with ing and battering, administered by

water, as it scosses red hot from the fur sentries. This has been the rule, mining camps have reached this country.

the where the subject of investigation by the British not less than a form of torment, and is (parent camp, Hameln); Government, who have done all in their habitually ubod as a further stage of method of Sunday arrest is also enfareed. power to get these evils renodied, and we punishment. It is thus described by one Westerholt again figures disgracefully in this connection: We have descriptions of have reason to know that certain specific of the sufferers:

in The punishment was putting men to me taken in attempted escape, who were battered black and blue by Wolkie! abases have been iceened or removed consequence here and there. But the fol- work on big coke ovens, where, they were lowing pages will show that the real nearly roasted by the hent. The men had and the sentries. "

shifts of from balf an hour to an trouble

inherent IN

in the detestable sys-to tem on which these camps are organised. hour unless they dropped out before, It is a system which leaves each of them which they frequently did. The heat was intense, and I liave seen men with their as an isolated

of prisoners, power- fees

inces ecorched and blistered heard except by Jess to make ves

in Most of Englishmen working rare and it is this mine

been Pe had

work on placed to practically system which places them

coke-ovens some time or other. at the mercy of men who have a direct work was shifting thirty-two tons of coke fine ourselves to two more quotations, both

excessively. interest in working them both respects the mining camps generally, in twelve hours, sometimes it was quite of which will sufficiently speak for them-

and impossible to do this in the time and still as they were three years ago, It is a life of severe and even dangerous men simply had to work

that

"A FORM OF TORMENT."

Worn

Buck

Stutt

T

many

of his

camong

BABEN-Friedrich 11, born July 9th

1867, married Princess Hilda Nassau, no issue, Hesse-Erust Ludwig, born November 23th, 1888; married (1) Princess Vic-

(3) Princess Elepore of Bolme-Hobensolms-Lich; two sons, MECKLENBURG SCHWERIN Friedrich- Franz IV., born April 9th, 1882; mar ried Prince Alexandra, daughter of the Duke of Cumberland; two sons.

-STRELITZ-Friedrich FranL (of Mecklenburg - Schwerin, sco above) SAXONY.-Wilhelmi Ernst, both June 10th, 1870; married, (1) Princesa Caroline, of Reuss (died 1008), (2) Duchess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningenį three sons, dhe daughter. OLDENBURG-Friedrich August, born No

riage x Coburg and Gotha (mur-

vember 16th, 1852; married, (1) Princess Elizabeth of Prussia (died 1895), (2) Princess Elizabeth of Mecklenburg- Schwerin; eldest daughter (Sophia) married Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia; one son and two other daugh-

DUCHIES,

{

ters.

BRUNSWICE. Ernicat Augustus, born No vember 17th, 1887 married, May 24th, 1013, Princess Victoria Louisa, daughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II; two sons and

one

Every ease of ill-treatment has formed naco, and shovelling it into trucks other places, at the salt mine of Batenrode AXE Arnherd, born" April

toil, though that is not the worst of it. Harder to bear is the the atmosphere of

and

done."

and

KICKS, BLOWS, AND INSULTS.

The record of daily and promiscuous violence might be much further illustrat ed; to the scores of men who have given. evidence concerning the mining compi, kicks, and blows, and insulte have become We cond part of the normal routine.

The

&

was

1st, 1881

Princess Charlotte of Prussia (daughter of Emperor Fried rich one daughter. BAXE-AZIZNBURG. Ernst 11, born August 31st, 1873 married Princess Adelheid of Behaumburg-Lippe; two gods, tivo daughters. SAXE COBURG AND GOTRA-Charles Ed- ward (Duke of Albany); married Princess Victoria Adelheid of Schleswig- Holstein; two sons, two daughterë. ANHALT-Edward, born April 18th, 1861: married Princess Louise of Saxe-Alten- burg; three sons, one daughter.

PRINCIPALITIES. SCHWARZBURG-SONDERSHAZEEN, SCHWARZBURG-RUDOLSTADT.

A

WALDECK.

Recss (elder liner). REBS (younger line). SCHAUMBURG LIPPE LIPPE

the selves

The first is from Eima, one of Hameln salt miner

mines:- In January, 1918, I refused to com The prisoners in the mining camps are plete my task, as it was a physical im hired out by the German Government to

possibility I was taken but of the mine, private firms, a military guard, under a dressed only in a shirt and drawers (it rom all non-commissioned officer, being attached is too hot in the mine to wear anything and injustice, from which there is no escape until some to each kommando to maintain discipline. else), and put for the night in the arrest

is not weather-proof, LI bed; except for narrow passage about than tisual, or some quite Special precaution is obviously necessary hat, which

circumstances to ensure that the morning it was half full of snow.

11002ft. wide between the beds, there was no N 1.0.0., or

is fully next day

taken

the mine again room to move about. The beds were full

against

-wil

theed harshness

accident

Was

Stabling illness, makes a man useless for in these Commando superior at the land beaten until I had finished my task. of vermin, and there were a large num-

to his military

further work in the mine.. Sucky chancea are bailed us fortunate, and men who responsible to his what he has no I received nothing to eat from, the time ber of blackbeetles and other insecte on have once been through the experience of parent-camp, nad also a mining camp, are ready to run any risk mediate interest in over-working the when I went down the mine the Atrikes them is measured by the fact that tions, have elementary considera-before until two p.m. the next afternoon the walls and floor. Owing to the crowd-

* WORKED TO DEATH."

men.

work na

prisoners la

The

out of the prisoners.d

A civilian doctor visited three times

and

being

ers with work in the salt mine at Ehren, must be recognised as deliberately, cruell him the rifle. Two of them drag roundings to which

that the British are sent there and violent: and, indeed, it is so rare ing and half being dragged orders at ouled by

men

system itsell

ย

ed condition it was impossible to keep to repeating it. How that prospect

ignored by the German

The following is by an English soldier the place clean. The blankets were very kommandoführer" who was at Ehmen salt mise (parent dirty. There were no windows and no they have been willing to face trial for authorities. refusing to obey the order to return, fully and his subordinates are openly bribed camp, Soltaa) from March, 1916, till means of ventilation of any sort except

1917:--

the door. It was almost pitch-dark dar knowing that the penalty might be death by the contracting firm to get a

Novile I won

Bussian prisoner was bad.' on the other works ring at the surfacing the day, and the atmosphere was very

SICK DENIED TREATMENT. la divided, at any rate in prac shot in cold blood for trying to cocape.

And, as a last extract, showing that There is no doubt that in foot, though tice, between the military command and As we were coming out from the works at not ostensibly, work in the mines is in the civilian foremen who direct the work six o'clock in the morning the other party mine-work is not even reserved for un- ficted as a punishment, and that when in the pit. These latter are actually arm were going to the works, and was halted wounded prisonera, we select the follow- the selection of prisoners for these komp-ed with revolvera, and in some of the at the gate get the rope taken off (weing reference to Eima mandos is made at the parent camp, the coal-mines they appear to take over, durused to march to work and back again choice falls first on those who have in ing the working day, the fall powers of with a rope round the outside of the week, either at noon or at 5.30 p.m. curred the

the displeasure of the comman the military guard, which remains above party, which the men on the flanks were Thus one: shift always wisses him, and obliged to hold). As soon as the rope was a man whose eyes are bad may wait with- dant or his subordinates. A very formid, ground. able weapon is thus placed in quite

irrea

out treatment.I only know of four cases the hot or barrack, somewhere removed the Russian started to run.

A(in three years) where he was specially ponsible hands, and the manner in which net the entrance the mine, where the Bentries and dogs ran after him. it is used against the British is shown prisoners, often several hundreds of all civilian stopped him until the sentries sent for. He was very brutal with his with deep (though unconscious) irony by

One sentry hit him on lance; boils are cut and men sent back one of them, who describes how he heard brealities, are crowded during their got up to him.

bours of leisure, is entirely condithe the German Staff at Soltan (June, 1917)tioned by the character and temper of the thithing with the-butt end of a rifle, to the pit with the wounds still spen.

splitting his head

There is no detail hore which is pecu- and breaking the open

lint threaten the French and Belgian prison-kommandoführer. Many of thes

butt

to Neuhof. Such are the kind of sur- ba back by the arm. He was half

of the men have adds

the had to aconstam

themselves t

for years with- The hut itself is always break an the

ordinary course

sentry, without any urse English birth to hear of a reasonable or considerate cool ground in itself

barbed wire enclosure, standing liability to mandant that it may be the

walked up to him and fired point punishment. And here is an extract from is largely to blame. A typical case is blank at his chin. The bullet entered his usually so narrow as to leave no space a letter dated May 10th, 1917, which some that of Westerholt coal mine (parent chin and blew away the back of his head.for free movement outside, and it is

letter cheer Manon from a neighbour camp, Friedrichsfald), of which we have The body was left lying on the road Eussian Sunday walic. Sometimes, as at

for the

the rare exception to hear of

of an occasional ing salt mine, the writer being an Erg full information, down to the summer mattor of half an

of 1918, Hern a violent, but про badly prisoners were then ar lish private soldier, lately sent there:

is not even the piretenca to fetch ordered We have had nothing to rent, ouly disposed, non-commissioned alleer has stretcher and remove it. The Gefreiter accommodation in the hut for all the

We been much dominated by his swedes, since we left Hameln.

in second said: I any of his mates want to bee Bana the alternating shifts have to appro lack of commend, a very brutal have lost all ambition through

and zualevolent him they had better go and do

do so now.N priate each

each others beds Everywhere it food. Do try and get us back, if only in, with a particular spita

spite against the Nearly every mining camp enn

on recalls the story of dirt, discomfort, and British prisoners.

is phonetic occasional outbreake of sheer barbarism foul drainage to hospital with broken arms, and the to ally hoorded Rs.

and bouch ne this. How many prisoners lives any places the doctor is clearly

boch with out heads and responsible for the hideous fans which suffering

which have

sacrifled thus it is impossible convicted of carelessness and perfunctory bruises, the result of a flogging got Westerball has acquired among them to say, for, until more evidente is not, fres, treatment; but what is much worse, is at the Inst place, Saturday just fell Under him Bloggings have been frequent the circumstances, in most cases romain that the arbitrary power axercised by the in a faint, pinable to work any longer, and severe, lengtus of rubber tubing being in an obscurity which the German autho komandoführer makes it easy for and tho nian in

civilian) Kicked used for the purpose. charge (

Apart mal that thoro have been overal deathe of

from the tities are hot ongor to, dispel. It is known this solutely to prevent the men from and beat me inak to my sonson, and kept constant and more or less.

exoop me down the mine for 10 hours after all treatment to which the then were exposed, British prisoners in the mines, officially tionally full on this matter; there is no

expe of reported a there were three recognised forms

doubt whatever accidental.

that in the average min me the boys here, they all look like dead

For picture of the accommodation ing camp a prisoner who wishes to soo Atopping of all Convinced, ne they might well

elink.

malader pre

numbers

I

bes

His

correspondence,

thero D

· ·

my gang had gone up. If you could to punishment. Thero was first the gear which awaits the mon on their return the doctor can only do so by favour of en they are all worked w dorthi at smoking, and anusomanis of any kind far from the day's work, we tako the follow the N.6.0 in charge, and a constantly | such work in such conditions ought not certain number of weeks, This haping account of the prischors but at refused permission. All accounts agree to be demanded of any prisoner, the men petted several is probably in reprima Neuhof Balt mine (parent cap, tint the plague of holls contracted in the ht Brat tried to stand out agains: It. for attempte to escape: but in conse Giessen) :- Before the end of 1915, however, trent quence of a strong protest from the Bri We were very overorowded, and slept ment grow much more harsh, Friminers Lial Government, directions were given in triple-deck bode, with two inen in each wild would not work below, ground were that collective retallation of this work (Oontinued de foot of nest column.) notically punished by the earlier motile should one. LOUIS Censura

salt mities is widespread : in the hospitals of the main enings the condition to which sterers may be reduced by neglect at the Kommando is forolar night Daily #elegraphsby

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