Text + Transcription © F.Coakley , 2021
This is the final section of a 50 page typescript translation of a letter from Edward Gerhard Müller to his wife posted in Lisbon and apparently smuggled out in the luggage of Jose Posthl who was released in October 1915. Muller had been transferred in a large party from the Southend ships was given camp number 1000 - he was transferred to Holland on 23 Feb 1918.
The earlier sections deal with his arrest at sea off Rio de Janeiro in August 15 and his journey via Siera Leone to internment in various ships before his arrival at Wakefield.
At last on Monday, the 12th April, we were transferred to Wakefield, Lofthouse Park, Yorkshire. Our sufferings were at an end.
Our journey thither, which lasted from early morning till the evening was uninteresting, and of of course we got nothing to eat. On one of the railway carriages was written in chalk "Baby killers from Berlin." The 3rd class railway carriages were comfortable, a sufficient number of guards accompanied us.
It poured with rain all day. We arrived in the evening at Wakefield, thence we had to travel for about half-an-hour with the electric tram. While during our half-hour march through Southend-on-Sea the populace had behaved themselves quietly and respectably, on the other hand, there was great excitement in Wakefield. Crowds collected together shouting and screaming and began to pelt us with eggs, hard objects etc., women held their children up to see the "Barbarians".
These angry crowds were an unpleasant sight. We could not help remembering that German women and girls had written love letters to our soldier prisoners in Germany, had sent gifts of affection to those soldiers and, God knows! would have gone further if they had had the opportunity. Disgraceful behaviour. At this very moment their brothers who were called out to fight for the safety of German families, women and children and to protect hearth and home and perhaps to lose their lives, were being treated in a foreign country as lepers, or as criminals but not as honourable enemies. For we had so often an opportunity to discuss our individual experiences. German women, you little thought that your brothers were in prison in chains and handcuffs in the same cell as prisoners and placed for exercise in prison, in the ranks of criminals, thieves and swindlers. While in the enemy's country our enemies were spitting on us and venting their anger against us, our women folk had nothing better to do than to make eyes at the soldier prisoners, English, French and Russian, and perhaps also niggers, Indians and Mongols. Shame on You what shame you bring to our Fatherland and what gratitude you women show to your brothers!
We reached the camp in Lofthouse Park in a downpour and were apportioned among the barracks. During the next week we worked hard, made roads, laid out gardens, prepared lawn tennis courts, made our barracks comfortable and did everything which would add to the general convenience. We had fallen on our feet, the authorities were always ready to meet us and permitted us to do everything that could be justified.
Alcohol was permitted and English newspapers of all kinds could be obtained. Tradesmen, such as booksellers, and dealers etc., visited the camp at fixed times and did good business. Gardeners and fruit merchants also came to the camp. The canteen with everything one could want was much in demand. Artisans, such as shoemakers, menders of clothing and barbers were chosen from among the prisoners. The English were wise enough to leave the organisation to us. They could never have made anything of it. The "Chief Captain" was responsible for the conduct of the camp according to regulations. Under the "Chief Captain" were the captains of the huts, then there were presidents and members of the Maintenance Committee, the captains of games, the Amusements and Theatre Committee, the Education Committees and ....the Camp Police. They all had to conform to the instructions and especially to avoid disturbances (Schiebungen). This word was used in all the English prisoners' camps whence it came and who first used it nobody knows.It was used for for all purposes. If an individual, when the letters were issued, was favoured with 2 or 3 letters from home, everyone called out "Schiebung". When two Prisoners of War ships met on the roads off the Isle of Wight, there was a tremendous shouting and yelling Schiebungen. The Captains Were all elected and not nominated by the Government as was the case in the"Royal Edward"
Sport had its due place, as has already been said tennis, football, jumping, hockey, cricket, etc., were played, gymnastics and exercises were practised, There was also much done in the way of instruction. Lectures on all kinds were held. Instruction was given in practically all living languages including Turkish, Arabic and Malay. Lectures were given on Law, National Economy and commercial instruction. Everyone contributed his special knowledge
The male choir conducted by a Professor of Music was excellent. Our Sunday afternoons were specially pleasant in which tea, coffee, and cakes were handed round. Poems, pieces, songs and Music appeared on the Programme. These Sunday afternoons reminded one of the pleasant Sundays spent in the Fatherland; only there were no women. The food was considerably improved. The Government provided us with the following:-
1/2 lb Meat, including bones and fat (English weight )
1/2 lb Potatoes, (old)
1/20 Tin of condensed Milk
1 ounce of Coffee or 1/2lb OF Tea.
2 oz. Sugar II.
1/2 oz Salt.
1/2 oz Pepper.
1 oz. Margarine.
3 1b of Bread (which was plenty).
Everything calculated for one man per day. This, of course, was insufficient and was not sufficient to satisfy a man. The materials were simply handed to us and we had to cook them for ourselves. Generally, we had to add some 5/ -to 6/- (including service, cooks, washing up, ete.) but even then the food was insufficient. Supper rations were only occasionally issued and accordingly, in the evening one had to live on one's parcels.
It was also a good thing that one always had to leave off hungry for bountiful and good food is not good for one in prison. Some of our very fat prisoners obiously got much thinner. One lost 70 lbs. Unfortunately, here also in the camp the pro-English feeling disturbed the harmony. It is true that such people were in the minority but they were very perservering in getting their special wishes, especially with regard to the food, though we took energetic steps when on a certain occasion an "English head" took it upon himself to ask the pardon of the commandant and to express our regret that 2 of our comrades had escaped and had actually reached Germany.
Other pro-English proposals were suppressed at once, or if they were actually carried out they were severly judged and the prisoner responsible was warned if he repeated his offence thet he would be sent to Coventry.
One could really pity the "English heads" for they were really Englishmen, married to English women, with sons brought up in England and where possible, at the front as soldiers and Officers ; they had been for many years in the country; their life and business interests and often their existence and their families lay in England or in British Colonies. They were no longer Germans. Yet England was shutting them up among us where hatred against England was being daily nourished and increasing.
This gave us our own opportunity to form our opinions with regard to the extraordinary ideas with regard to internment; the low train of thought and the civilisation of England. These people attempted from time to time to dominate the camp but we knew how to stop this. On one occasion they sent us English soldiers of German origin who had fought 8-9 months in France. They had been wounded and refused to go again to the Front. Among other stories they told us about "the splendid day of the glorious battle of Neuve Chapelle," of which we had read in the English newpapers.
The population of Wakefield and the neighbourhood we saw nothing of, but from time to time ladies were taken round the camp in order to feast their eyes on the Huns. Once we heard that the Vicar of Wakefield, not the good old classic, but the present Vicar, in his hatred of Germany, had forbidden his parishioners to read the celebrated book of Swen Heddin with the opposite result. There was of courses, promptly a tremendous demand for the book. Our guards were old soldiers who were fulfilling their military services not by inclination but of necessity
They expressed themselves about this quite freely and the heaviest punishment for them was to be sent to the Front, "You can do anything you like with us, feed us on bread and water, as long as you do not send us to France." They did us many services and earned many shillings by doing.
Many attempts to escape were made: but it is very difficult to escape from England, being an island. Apparently, too only 2 men succeeded in escaping from our camp and reaching Germany; they were especially fortunate; how they managed it we do not know. One prisoner had a box built for him in a very practicable manner and succeeded in being taken in this box from the camp at Dorchester to London, Unfortunately, the box broke on the pier near the steamer which was to take him across to Holland, and he was discovered.
We recognised the goodwill of the Young Men's Christian Association, This Association, at their own expense erected a big tent with a stage for us. The tent added much to our happiness and comfort. All lecturess meetings and performances, were held there and all instruction was given there, Our Sunday afternoon ammusements, referred to above, are specially to be mentioned.
(Here follows a description of the camp with a plan [not included in the file].)
The representatives of the Y.M.C.A. had fulfilled a great need by erecting this tent and had provided much happiness for us. What was less agreeable was to influence our views with regard to the English attitude, English policy and civilisation.The representatives of the Y.M.C.A. thought to have found in us tools for a policy of of a German-English reconciliation after the war. There were great festivals in the presence of the representatives of the Y.M.C.A. and of the British Officers. Having regard to our brothers who were fighting against England we had to be careful to avoid these festivities and when necessary to give a direct refusal.
Very little attention was paid to our spiritual needs. Three German clergymen, one being catholic and one Anerican, visited us. There was no reason to complain at the medical service; the English doctor who spoke German was very conscientious and willing. It was fortunate for us that one of our fellow prisoners was a Dentist. He very soon set up and was much in demand.
There still remains one institution to be mentioned. We established in the Camp in one of the parks a Reading room and library, In the Reading room all available English newspapers and magazines were set out, for the Library everyone had his own collection of books which he kept by himself but lent them for general use, There were some 500 books in all and the coming and going in the Library showed that much and good use was made of the books.
The prisoners themselves came from practically all countries, many Africans from our Colonies, people from North and South America and East Africa. All professions were represented, officials, officers, lawyers, professors, teachers, engineers, planters, merchants, and naturally a very large number of sailors, ships' captains and officers. The eldest prisoner was 67 years of age, a Ship's Captain, and the youngest just 17 at school, who had been spending his summer holidays with relations in England. A particularly large number were unfit for military services. Humpbacks, men with only one leg and many crippled in other ways were present; it could hardly be believed what people England hed taken from neutral ships as especially dangerous or hed arrested in the country. As already stated, the "Germans with English heads" were especially numerous, people who had almost forgotten their mother tongue.
Up to the present the following Lectures have been held:-
Dr Huelseback , "History of the World and of Life (Series).
Dr Busse, The Romantic Lyric (Series).
Dr Warnecke Politica] songs of the 19th century.
Harb Kupfer, History of the Panama canal(Series).
Dipl.Ing.Piegel The Commercial and Technical development of the
countries on the Pacific Ocean (Series).
Dr Kobbe Explosives.
The English captain v. Herbert -"Oscar Wilde"
Prof. Dr Mangelsdorff Life in Turkey in the 17th Century.
In addition two Lectures were given by gentlemen from outside: professors who
followed the example of the Germans and provided us with mental nourishment
Prof, Dr.John Oman (Cambridge University) "On Humor"
Prof. Crowther - Leeds - "In a country-Lane"
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Editor Text + Transcription © F.Coakley , 2021 |
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