HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2019
Their story is outlined in the following document found in TNA FO 383/302, Dr W. Hugo Frieberger, aged 35 in 1915 was transferred in December 1915 to Knockaloe. [The document is a traslation of a letter sent from Berlin]
Stephanistrasse 3, Graifswald, March 5, 1917.
My brother an interned civilian in England, Hugo Friedberger Prisoner of War No. 23465, Camp II, Camp 5 Hut 6B, Knockaloe Camp, Peel, Isle of Man, carried on for about 15 years and until after the outbreak of war a business for the import of German machine tools, together with a factory for making saws and parts of tools, under the name of F.M. Frye and Company, 46 Upper Thames Street, London E.C. About six months after the commencement of the war he was removed to Islington Civilian Prisoners' Camp, London.
As my brother is married to an English woman, and as security to the extent of £1000 (or £2000) sterling had been deposited by his partner's father (a Mr. Shaw), he was allowed considerable liberty, and also to visit regularly and continue to direct his business.
The aforesaid Mr Shaw is now said to have forced my brother to guarantee him in respect of the security, where upon my brother saw himself obliged , in order to pacify Shaw, to deposit in the latter's name in a bank a sum corresponding the amount of the security . This took place quite openly and on my brother's part was evidently done in the best of faith. The bank however denounced him. The British Government took the opportunity not only to seize the rest of the security, but also to seize the whole factory, together with all fixtures, such as furniture, carpets, &c. without any indemnification being paid meanwhile, by orders of the War Office my brother himself was removed as punishment to Knockaloe in the Isle of Man.
The business was wound up and publicly offered for sale; all the retail business being sacrificed. My brother's partner has acquired by purchase from the British Government for a small sum the business which before the war was flourishing and very lucrative.
My brother's health is now suffering from the prolonged stay in the unfavourable climate of Knockaloe. All efforts to bring about the removal which is said also to have been recommended by the authorities of the camp themselves were abortive.
I venture to request the [German] Foreign office to bring about through the good offices of the Swiss Government, the cancellation of my brother's transfer to Knockaloe, and his removal to a healthier and better managed camp. His removal to Knockaloe as a punishment is evidently based on a false assumption of the War Office in regard to provision of the security.
(Signed) Dr. E. Friedberger
Professor of Hygiene and Director of the Imperial Institute of Hygiene at Greifswald University.
Islington Camp was in 1915 used to house the many Germans who had significant business interests in London - they were allowed considerable liberty to continue to direct the business, often to spend the day outside of the camp and also to receive regular visits from wives and children.
By 1917 the German interests were being handled by the Swiss, who, unlike the previous handlers the Americans, took a more critical line with the British Government and were prepared to more fully investigate such complaints and in several cases bring about changes. Dr Vischer, one of the staff of the Swiss Legation German division took a special interest in the mental health of internees; it was he who coined the phrase 'barbed wire disease'. He visited the camps on the IoM in early May 1917 and spoke to Hugo's older brother Otto Friedberger, aged 39 in 1915, who had been originally interned in Knockaloe but obtained a transfer to Douglas Privilege Camp on 28 February 1917 when Madoc noted that 20 prisoners arrived from Knockaloe that day for the Privilege Camp. Otto writes to the Swiss Legation dated 24th May 1917, recounting this interview, in support of his brother's transfer from Knockaloe to Douglas, especially as Hugo's wife and four children had by then moved to Douglas so as to be nearer and thus able to visit, his brother
The Home Office's draft reply is also included in the file, dated 2 June 1917 from the Secretary, Prisoner of War Department
In reply thereto I am to acquaint you, for Lord Newton's information, that Professor Dr. Friedberger of Greifswald, whose memorial is forwarded from Berlin is evidently misinformed with regard to his brother.
Hugo Friedberger has confessed that on his own initiative he indemnified the gentleman. on whose security he was allowed out of the camp at Islington. That gentleman was not Mr. Shaw. When the fact was discovered it was necessary to stop Hugo Friedberger's leave from the camp, and to remove him to the Isle of Man as a precaution. This was not done as a punishment. Neither internment nor transfers from camp to camp are ordered as punishments, brut as precautions. The amount of the security was not seized.
In view of professor Dr. Friedberger's apprehensions as to his brother's health a special medical report has been obtained which states that Hugo Friedberger is disturbed in mind and suffers to some extent from sleeplessness and nervousness but that his weight is good and his general condition is satisfactory. There is no organic disease.
The comment about transfers to Knockaloe not used as punishments is totally at variance with the evidence in Col Madoc's [commandant of Douglas Camp] daily log where such transfers were often used as summary 'punishment' for any infraction of camp rules and were viewed as such by the internees; the transfer to Douglas was refused. As further 'punishment', British born Mrs Friedberger, who came to Douglas on the 4th March 1916 and was noted as residing at 2 Avondale Terrace in Douglas, was removed from the Island on the 9th January 1918 under instructions from the Government Office - she was allowed to return on the 9th April 1919 i.e. post departure of her husband.
Otto was transfered to Spalding 3rd March 1918, possibly for internment in Holland - Hugo remained in Knockaloe until 4th February 1919 when he was transferred to Ripon for repatriation. There is held in the records at Manx Museum under G.O. papers a Police report of an interview with Mrs Beatrice Friedberger in July 1919 as to her plans for herself and her children. She was then living in furnished apartments at 5 The Esplanade Douglas, with two of her children attending school in Dougla, and planned to remain, at least to the end of her lease in September, as she is waiting to hear from her husband who is at present in Germany but hoping to return to England, otherwise he will go to a neutral country and once he is settled she will follow him. Her name was not included in a list of alien residents dated 31st December 1919.
The 1911 census finds Hugo Friedberger, aged 32, described as Metal Merchant with his wife of 2 years, Beatrice aged 23 and two young children a daughter Geete age 18 months and a 3 month old son Clarence living at Connaught Lodge, Chislehurst Kent with a German nurse and two young housemaids.
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Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2019 |
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