No thought or provision was initially given by the Camp Authorities as to how to keep the internees occupied during their long period of internment - there were many suggestions in the local press that the internees could be used as a cheap, or even slave labour, to handle various land improvement tasks, even the Government Secretary appeared to think that the internees should be treated as civil prisoners and be required to do similar work such as sewing mail bags or stone breaking. There were debates in the UK Home Office as to whether, unlike interned combatants, they could be compelled to work, the various protocols that had been agreed pre-war had not envisaged the wholesale internment of civilians and offered little guidance. The approach adopted was that internees could not be compelled to work but opportunities to do paid work be made available - any payment to be considerably below the going rate by local labour. This decision was, it seems, based on reciprocity - if the British, with a large holding of interned Germans treated them well then the Germans, though with a much smaller number of interned British but controlling a much larger civilian population in occupied Belgium, could be induced to treat them well. A scheme of inspection of interment camps by neutral powers reporting back to the various combatant nations was adopted to provide some checks.
The internees came from a wide mix of backgrounds - many had been owners of profitable businesses or had occupied senior positions in their professions and certainly in the initial days of war felt no inclination to undertake unskilled menial tasks for negligible reward. There were however many with no ready access to money, often with dependent families, who were willing to work, though the German goverment threatened any who did with reprisals post war. As was soon realised any significant work outside of the camp was expensive in terms of the necessary guards, though was acceptable to and even popular with, many internees as they could thereby escape the confines of the camp. Some industries could be taken up within the camp or in an adjacent securable area e.g. the Brush factory at Douglas or the various industries established at Knockaloe but such industries had to avoid being in competition with and undercutting local labour..
The internees quickly organised their own entertainment - music was the easiest to organise as many had been interned with their musical instruments, male voice choirs of various sizes soon spang up. Theatre was another entertainment which was facilitated by the use of a large hut in each compound originally intended as a central dining hall. A significant number of internees had been based in academia and saw that organised classes could both occupy and provide mental stimulation for many.
Accounts survive of such school systems in Camps I and IV - inter-Camp organisation was extemely difficult as Knockaloe had been split into four separate camps to avoid any large scale organisation within the internee body - intra-Camp activities was somewhat easier to organise but this was based on the issuance of passes to those wanting to move between compounds - Camp IV with its central committee had reduced some of the problems with passes but relied very much on the sub-commandant of the camp for approval of this scheme. Camp I it seems did not organise along such centralised lines but managed to move some teachers between compounds as needed though this could require duplication of classes.
Classrooms were in short supply as no such allowance had been made in the construction of the camp - part of the large hall could be divided to provide classrooms.
The following is a translation of the report printed and distributed in early 1918 - it ran to 32 pages with many tables of which a small part is included below (much more to be added)
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Teaching The Science of CommerceLessons in foreign languages and other subjects began soon after the entry of the prisoners to Knockaloe, but the
need for instruction in the Sciences and Skills of Commerce did not make itself known until relatively late on. Lessons in Shorthand were the only ones to become really popular, and they were amongst the first in the School of
Commerce to exhibit a rather strong uptake in all the Compounds. When, with time, teaching groups had formed up, ones which for might call for instruction in national economics, whether for instructors or for learners, these groups gradually began to see that there was no doubt something ought also be done for Commercial Subjects, W. Frommann and [16] and E. Hampel set about drawing up a comprehensive programme of teaching, in which instruction in Commercial Subjects along these lines as followed by Compound IV would be available. This became possible, when on 21 October 1916 the decision was taken split the School as it then existed into three sections, and by so doing the shortage, in particular of teaching materials based on better works of accountancy and ledger balancing, would serve to overcome the deficit. Thus it was that on 1 November 1916 a School of Commerce was begun, and was open for around 30 hours per week. The proposed programme of work was extensive, and based on the Teaching Prospectus of Colleges of Commerce in Germany. In view of the lessons which had earlier been given in Balance-Sheet skills, such as the ones in Compounds I, III
and IV, where it had emerged that the prior knowledge needed for this instruction had to the most extent had not yet
been present, that the new teaching programme was lacking not only in the more advanced theoretical side of commercial
science, as well as in the elementary subjects, such as practical bookkeeping, commercial calculation etc., and these
would have to be included. At the same time, one must bear in mind that the the majority of the pupils comprised almost
solely of gentlemen who already for some time had been active in commercial professions and were able to bring in
examples of practical experience in with them. Thus it was in the new commercial college not a question of working
towards, as with other specialist groups, taking an exam, perhaps later to be completed in Germany. but of passing
on to the pupils those items of knowledge and skills, which during their apprentice years they had been unable to
gain for the profession, which they were unable to acquire, whether from financial or other reasons. For this reason,
pieces of work aimed at examinations or gaining prizes were discounted from the very beginning. On the basis of the experiences gathered together during the first quarter year of teaching in Compound IV the education
staff was at pains to set up similar schools of commerce in the remaining compounds. In Compound III, under the chairmanship of H. Wonrascheck a commercial union of around 36 members was formed, and at the beginning of January took up the teaching. The teaching programme for the first quarter years of 1917 was formed on the model of IV, but could not, because of the rather small teaching rooms, be formed up as completely; it contained around 25 weekly teaching classes. Later, Fr. Weiss, took over the chair of this organisation. Attendance here was similarly very satisfactory, and accordingly the teaching programme was extended further in the following quarter years. As regards Compounds I, II, V and VI, which have not so far been mentioned, it was not possible there to speak of systematic commercial instruction. While it is true that in Compound VI, W. Riester is concerned to set the instruction on a broader footing, but because of the lack of space our branch of knowledge could have only 12 hours a week set aside for it. Moreover, it was clear from the very first quarter year of 1917 that attendance was very low, and for this reason some of the subjects taught had to be removed from the teaching plan. The conditions are similar in I, II, and VI. As a consequence of the relatively small number of gentlemen who belong to commercial callings, instruction is limited to a few hours per week, in which book-keeping, commercial law and shorthand are taught. In Compound IV the commercial college, the directorship of which W. Frommann had taken on alone on 1 January 1917, released a report in mid-April 1917 over the events of the year just elapsed and gave a prospectus for the new semester (Summer 1917), copies of which were sent to authoritative bodies in Germany. The Specialist Textile School (director H. Kramer) was attached to the Commercial College in Compound IV. Once the need for a textile specialist school had revealed itself, steps were undertaken by some interested gentlemen to combine together all persons interested in this. After some difficulties, there was success in finding suitable specialist teachers, and in setting up the following programme of work:
The teaching hours were intended for Compound III, but were then transferred to Compound IV, where initially there
were two hours; later, however, the demand arose that the hours be increased to four; then to five; and now to eight.
Now classes in 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 are in place. Once the weaving sheds were operative, it became apparent that specialist teaching was needed with regard to the basics of Cloth Textures, Textile Dying Procedures and Textile Weave Recognition, as a result of which specialist lessons were allotted time slots for this.
The Instruction in Commercial Science
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Der handelswissensch. UnterrichtWÄHREND der Unterricht in fremden Sprachen und anderen Lehrfächern
bald nach Einzug der Gefangenen in Knockaloe begann, machte sich das Bedürfnis
für Unterricht in den Handelswissenschaften und -Fertigkeiten verhältnismässig
spät bemerkbar. Nur der Unterricht in Kurzschrift fand grossen Anklang und war einer der ersten im Handelsfach, welcher in allen Compounds eine ziemlich grosse Beteiligungsziffer aufwies. Als sich nach und nach Unterrichtsgruppen gebildet hatten, welche für den kaufmännischen Unterricht in Frage kamen, sei als Lehrende oder als Lernende, allmählich der Einsicht gelangt waren, dass unbedingt etwas für den Handel getan werden müsse, beschlossen W. Frommann und [16] E. Hampel einen umfassenden Lehrplan aufzustellen und danach den kaufmännischen Unterricht in Compound IV zu erteilen. Ermöglicht wurde dies durch die am 21. Oktober 1916 beschlossene Dreiteilung der dortigen Schule und dadurch, dass dem Mangel an Lehrmitteln besonders an besseren Werken der bilanzwissenschaftlichen und volkswissenschaftlichen Literatur, zum Teil abgeholfen wurde. Am 1. November 1916 wurde dann eine Handelsschule etwa 30 Wochenstunden eröffnet. Dem dafür aufgestellten ausführlichen Lehrplan war das Vorlesungsverzeichnis der deutschen Handelshochschulen zugrunde gelegt worden. Durch die früheren vereinzelt abgehaltenen Stunden in Bilanzkunde, so in den Compounds I, III und IV, hatte sich herausgestellt, dass die dafür erforderlichen Vorkenntnisse grösstenteils noch nicht vorhanden waren, sodass in den neuen Lehrplan nicht nur die höheren theoretischen Fächer der Handelswissenschaften, sondern auch die Elementarfächer, wie praktische Buchhaltung, kaufmännisches Rechnen usw., aufgenommen werden mussten. Gleichzeitig durfte aber auch nicht unberücksichtigt bleiben, dass das Schülermaterial fast ausschliesslich aus Herren bestand, welche bereits längere Zeit im kaufmännischen Berufe tätig gewesen waren und praktische Erfahrungen mitbrachten. Es kam also in der neuen Handelsschule nicht darauf an, ähnlich wie in anderen Fachgruppen auf eine später vielleicht in Deutschland abzulegende Prüfung hinzuarbeiten, sondern den Schülern sollten diejenigen Kenntnisse und Fertigkeiten vermittelt werden, welche sie sich während ihrer Ausbildungszeit für den Beruf, sei es aus pekuniären oder anderen Gründen, nicht aneignen konnten. Deshalb wurde auch von Prüfungs- oder Preisarbeiten von vornherein abgesehen. Auf Grund der während des ersten Unterrichtsvierteljahrs im Compound IV gesammelten Erfahrungen war man bestrebt, auch in den übrigen Compounds ähnliche Handelsschulen zu gründen. Im Compound III bildete sich am 30. Dezember 1916 unter dem Vorsitz von H. Wondrascheck eine "Kaufmännische Vereinigung" von ca. 36 Mitgliedern, welche anfangs Januar 1917 den Unterricht aufnahm. Der Lehrplan für das erste Vierteljahr 1917 war demjenigen von IV nachgebildet, konnte aber infolge des zur Verfügung stehenden kleineren Schulraumes nicht so ausführlich gestaltet werden; er enthielt etwa 25 wöchentliche Unterrichtsstunden. Später übernahm Fr. Weiss den Vorsitz in dieser Vereinigung. Auch hier war der Besuch sehr zufriedenstellend, und der Lehrplan wurde daher in den folgenden Vierteljahren weiter ausgebaut. Was die noch zu erwähnenden Compounds I, II, V und VI betrifft, so kann man von einem wirklich systematischen Handelsunterricht wohl nicht sprechen. Zwar hat sich besonders in Compound VI W. Riester bemüht den Unterricht auf eine breitere Unterlege zu stellen, aber Raummangels wegen konnten unserem Wissenszweig nur etwa 12 Wochenstunden eingeräumt werden. Ferner stellte sich schon nach dem ersten Vierteljahr 1917, dass die Teilnahme ziemlich schwach war und daher einige Unterrichtsfächer aus dem Lehrplan gestrichen werden mussten. Ähnlich liegen die Verhältnisse in I, II und V. Infolge der verhältnismässig kleinen Anzahl Herren, welche dem kaufmännischen Berufe angehören, beschränkt sich der Unterricht auf wenige Wochenstunden, in denen hauptsächlich Buchführung, Handelsrecht und Kurzschrift gelehrt wird. In Compound IV liess die Handelsschule, deren Leitung W. Fromman am 1. Januar 1917 allein übernahm, Mitte April d. J. einen Bericht über das abgelaufene und einen Lehrplan für das neue Semester (Sommer 1917) erscheinen, von dem verschiedene Exemplare an massgebende Stellen in Deutschland gesandt wurden. Als gesonderte Gruppe ist die textil-fachschule (Leiter H. Kramer) der Handelsschule in Compound IV angegliedert. Nachdem sich das Bedürfnis einer Textil-Fachschule herausgestellt hatte, wurden von einigen interessierten Herren Schritte unternommen, um alle an dieser Sache Interessierten zusammenzuschliessen. Nach einigen Schwierigkeiten, gelang es entsprechende Fachleute als Lehrer zu finden und folgendes Arbeitsprogramm aufzustellen:
Die Lehrstunden waren für Compound III vorgesehen, wurden aber dann
nach Compound IV verlegt, wo die Stunden anfänglich zwei betrugen;
jedoch später stellte sich das Verlangen heraus, die Stunden auf
vier dann auf fünf und jetzt auf acht zu erhöhen. Es wurden
bis jetzt die Nummern 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9 und 10 des Programms durchgenommen. Bei der Durchnahme der Weberei stellte sich heraus unter Bezug auf die Bindungslehre, Kalkulation und Dekomposition, dass die Grundzüge für diese Spezialfächer einer besonderen Bearbeitung bedurften, was zur Folge hatte, dass man besondere Stunden dafür einfügte.
Der handelswissenschaftliche UnterrichtGanz besondere Schwierigkeiten hatten sich bei der Herbeischaffung von Lehrmitteln in den Weg gestellt, und obgleich sofort bei Beginn des Unternehmens sich die Leitung mit den Fachschulen und anderen interessierten Kreisen Deutschlands in Verbindung gesetzt hatte und um deren Mitarbeit bat, brachten es die Verhältnisse mit sich, dass das meiste erst nach Monaten zur Verfügung der Fachschule gelangte. Vor einiger Zeit hat die Leitung von dem Friends Emergency Committee das Rohmaterial für einen Webstuhl bekommen, und G. Spalick den Bau sowie die Ausrüstung des Webstuhls kostenlos übernommen. Die laufende Fachliteratur wird von W. Peter zur Verfügung gestellt, der gleichzeitig die Zirkulation sowie die Kasse überwacht. Am 23. September 1917 erschien der erste Jahresbericht der Textil-Fachschule. Hampel |
The teaching of shorthand was initially discouraged as can be seen in a note recorded in one of the surviving Camp Letter book suggesting communication between the Commandant and the Postal Censors - letter book - 4.6.1915 - "from Postal Censor Room 465 Salisbury Hse asking if Commandant permitted shorthand books allowed to be sent to PoW in this camp - Not allowed" .
The teaching of Navigation within camps both here and in the German internment camp at Ruhleben raised questions within
the Home and War Offices as to whether necessary teaching material could be allowed.
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| Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The
Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2020 |
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