Two days later we were captured and imprisoned. I went into a church and for the first time in my life seen an American. He was a Corporal, the same as I. we sat on the bench and swapped cigarettes, as if we weren't enemies at all, truly said we weren't. We were both Medical Corporals. 2 days later we had given the wounded, and were then led away. We were then set equal to the rest of the army. There was no difference. We were prisoners, the Geneva Convention wasn't acknowledged. We were all taken off the island to a POW camp with 10,000 to 15,000 prisoners. We were searched and had to undress, we had to lay everything on a stool watches, rings pocketknives everything that had value or meaning to us. The translator told us we would get everything back. We got nothing returned. My watch and everything what I owned was kept by them. When we took prisoners, their property was written down and when accredited by witnesses it was returned. We were taken to a camp in Belgium where there were thousands of prisoners. We layed there, 3 weeks in holes, which we had dug out. This was from September 1944 to October 1944. In October we were shipped to England. We were able to go only during the night because of the danger of submarines. In London we were transferred and went by train to Scotland to POW camp #8. After my arrival I inquired about work and was able to go help in the sick bay. For Christmas the prisoners got packages with all sorts of things in them. We from the medical unit didn't receive anything; we didn't even have cigarettes for Christmas 1944. The Salvation Army brought us some cigarettes the next day. They had a concert for us. We weren't acknowledged yet from the Geneva
Convention. The situation was getting stricter because many patrols were moving around. The patrols told us that Hitler's troupes invaded London and that we would soon be freed. This crazy talk was wide spread. The arrangement for the occupation of the cities was planned. Those that didn't believe in horseplay or mischief were punched. I was very unsure because such plans or paroles were not possible. Since I was a so-called opposer of Hitler. I was not able to cope with this and had myself moved to another camp.
During that time the acknowledgement from Switzerland for the Medical Service had arrived, I got the pay for a Corporal. We were put in an Austrian Camp. There on the May 5, 1945 we saw the end of the war. We also heard that Hitler committed suicide. We also heard that Benesch the ex-Czech leader sold Czechoslovakia to the Russians, at the cost, that all Sudeten Germans must leave Czechoslovakia by force. Only 500,000 tradesmen were to remain, and that the agreement was decided in Tehran and Potsdam. The arrangement of the world was determined and in the hands of Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. For president Benesch this wasn't fast enough, that's why he went to Russia and sold Czechoslovakia to Russians. In the view of the allies the resettlement was to be done as humanly as possible. News came through that the civilian property was abruptly taken away by force or stolen from them. This in my opinion was not human. The people had only what they wore on their backs and even their rings and watches were taken. The Czechs with whom we lived with for hundreds of years were like Hyenas; they enriched themselves from the Sudeten Germans. We could read the book from Benensch that he wanted this already in 1918, but ran into the resistance of the Americans. With his help from the Russians it was possible to set his plan into reality. We heard so many stories about the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans, that some had nervous breakdowns, some of the prisoners stepped over the warning line and got themselves shot In fact, I actually seen it happen. I said to many, that the situation was not looking good for us, and they did not want to believe it.
All of a sudden everyone became opposed to Nationalism (Nazi's). Before we weren't permitted to say one word against Hitler otherwise we were despised. The civilians had victory festivities, we seen fire works and heard of the people having a hoot. There were 10,000 men in the POW camp. One morning when we reported to be counted, on the highest tree was the Austrian flag. We were told we weren't discharged or able to leave until the flag was down from the tree. The afternoon came, and we were still standing on the spot. Many fainted and had to be carried away. Towards the evening the fire department came with a ladder and removed the flag. They had to pull the ladder out completely to barely reach the flag. They let the flag fall, and as soon as it reached the ground it disappeared. A relay race was set up, and the flag disappeared quickly, that you could barely see where it went. The camp leader and a few others were locked into the bunker. The camp leader was told that they wouldn't be permitted out until the flag was presented. The bunker punishment was the most serious penalty in the POW camp. It was in a basement without food or drink and no light. The next days we all meet by the barrack where the flag was. With the flag in the front we marched to the English Commander and gave it to him. Our camp leader was set free. It was a very large camp and the guards were increased on the camp. After a few weeks we went to another camp because in their eyes we were not Austrians. Even though I belonged to Austria when I was born. The camp had only 6000 prisoners. The calories were rationed to 1200 calories per day. They said it was the same rations what the Jew's got in the concentration camps. We prisoners were very hungry. I requested to do work. We were told that we would receive more food that way, so I was transfer to another camp.
Every time we came to a new camp, we were searched if we had carried any sharp objects. Even though we had no possibility to get anything like that. In this camp there were also thousands of prisoners. There were many officers from the army with which I was. I meet the Captain from my Medical Company. He was also against the Hitler regime. I was often with him and spoke about the past; we were able to visualize things, before it happened. He was transferred to the officer's camp. For us this camp was considered to be very unpleasant. When we were outside there were two posts on a prisoner with a bayonet ready to shoot. Our daily ration was still 1200 calories. In this camp there were many from our home area. I met one man right from home that I knew. He got sick and then was sent to the sick bay, he was then transported to a hospital. From home I still had receive no news, just rumors that it was going very bad. For us prisoner it was very hard to handle this news. Finally the situation of being strictly guarded had stopped. It was arranged that another medical officer and I were sent to a working troupe. We had to supervise and give the food portions because according to the Swiss agreement we weren't supposed to do manual labor. The other work troupe of 120 men was used at sea to take down the barbwire. Our job was to give out the food.
In the camp a prize was to be given out for the nicest exhibits. So a lot was worked on to meet the requirement for the prize. Every nail that we found outside was brought back. From the nails we made tools the prisoners could work with. So evenings and nights the projects were worked on, which took weeks. On the day before the prize was given everything was brought outside. It was connected to the water supply and so the exhibits developed in front of the barracks. Everyone had a different project. One was nicer than the next. In the barracks where I was a mill was developed which operated a sawmill. Everything was run off of water. In another a pond was made with a fountain. Another had statues of women as mermaids. When the commander went around to give his prize, he couldn't believe it that something could be developed without tools. It was whispered that if a German would be stuck on an island, the largest projects could be constructed. We had tradesmen technician between the prisoners that were able to put everything together, so they could get rid of their boredom. The boredom and doing nothing was a major problem as well as sickness under the prisoners. Shortly after I was taken to another work camp, which was newly built. The work colony had to sleep in tents, which were very uncomfortable. Another medical rank and I were given a barrack. We also got a Doctor that had control of the area. There were quite a few sick beds in the area. There were also showers and baths available. That was the first time we had a few comforts, though it didn't take long and we were put in another work camp. This camp had barracks and a big sick bay. It was now 2 ½ years that I was a POW (prisoner of war) and hadn't heard anything from home, which maybe was better for me. We had good lodging and were able to take small hikes in the area without being watched thank the head doctor. The prisoners worked for farms or in a sugar factory. Those that worked in the factory brought sugar back for us.
The controls when we entered the camp were no longer so strict. There was only a few camp police set up. Our doctor and the dentist were devoted Nazi's and could not understand that we had lost the war. Through some advice of another person we even had made a still to make schnapps. It was in a storage room with a big oven. When checks were done from the commandant in the camp there was a guard in front of the area who told us when they were coming. We quick dismantled the still and everything disappeared. We were able to get a helping doctor and the other medical helper was sent to another camp. It was a friend who worked with me in the sick bay; we had a lot of freedom. The Head Doctor had enabled a lot of this. After a while the Head Doctor meet a Corporal from his home. He wanted to have him come to our camp, which I had seen coming, so I inquired to be removed, which was permitted. So I came to the work commando and worked with a farmer. We were picked up everyday and returned every evening to the camp. Through this work I saw how the bureaucracy and life was in England. We were able to eat with them on the table. With us was an older Englishman to whom the farm once belonged. This man never stepped into the house. He only knocked on the window, when he went to get something, which really made us wonder. Later we realized a worker on a farm in England was not allowed to step into the house of the owner. He was a 2-class citizen.
In the prisoner camp we also had a few small episodes. In the barracks where I was, there was one man, who had difficulty getting up in the morning, when we were to report to be counted he was carried out with his bed. I got the flu and after was not able to work anymore at the farmer's place. I was then used in the camp at the kitchen and other work. During that time those that had medical service were sent to another camp and were supposedly released to Germany. My transfer or my name was never on the right list. Though this was because the Head Doctor was involved with this. I then spoke with the camp translator, and afterward I finally made it onto the list as well to be transferred. From this camp I meet a few friends from Sudetenland, who were also doing medical service. One of them was already in a POW camp in Egypt in 1942, as well as a prisoner in America. Then from there he was shoved off to England. He was already 6 years a prisoner of war. When we met in the other camp, we agreed to inquire for work. This was in the fall of 1946, I then got sick, and my hands got swollen. I went to a doctor who said I had Rotlauf. He asked me if I had ever anything to do with pork, which was the case. In the previous camp I worked in the kitchen and loaded pork and slightly cut my hand. I had to have my hand in a sling for 6 weeks. Once I got better I went back to work. My friend was used as a translator and I was the paymaster, where I checked the payments to the prisoners.
I was able to get contact with the outside world, with a friend in England that came in 1938 like my brother. He came 1938 to England and moved after to Canada. Close to the camp was a friend who was regional secretary at home. Christmas 1946 he invited me to his home for dinner. He got in contact with the camp commander and was able to get permission so I could come. He picked me up in a taxi. After many years I had Christmas again with some civilians, which I will never forget in my life. I was able to visit him 2 more times from the camp. A friend from the camp came along as well and we had to walk quite a few miles.
In February 1947 I got sick, I had very high fever and had to go into the hospital for a few days. Before I was taken there was another check if you belonged to the National Socialist Party and was an opposer of Hitler. So I was categorized as Anti-Hitler Category "A".
I was able to get the address of my Mother and sister, which is what gave me my eventual release. It had to be an address in West Germany; no one was released to East Germany or Czechoslovakia. After a few days when I was let go from the hospital, I was transferred to a discharge camp. On the transfer to the prison camp from the hospital, I had to walk through the city of Winchester; I wasn't able to handle the walk. In the middle of the city I wasn't able to walk anymore, and a car came to pick us up. In the camp I meet more friends, which were from my company, they were also being released. In March 1947 we were loaded into trains, where we were taken to London. From there they loaded us into a ship and took us to Hamburg we were put in a camp in Lunenburger Heide where we stayed for quite a few weeks. We were then given to the Americans and taken to maybe Tauchau, where we had a check up done by a doctor before we arrived. I was in the Tachau camp for 2 weeks, and afterwards released because we were in Category A, not belonging to a Hitler organization. This feeling I will never forget as long as I live, how I was released and was free, or better said let free from slavier. I didn't know where to go north, south, east or west because I didn't know where my family was. I was then sent by train to Munich and from there had to determine which direction I would go. I then took the last letter of my brother in my hand again in which it said that my mother and sister would be in a town named Wanfried, which was northeast. I got my courage together and then decided to get a ticket and to go there. On my trip I had seen what kind of disaster the war had done. What misery was over Germany and how low the pride and arrogance of the Germans had sunk, all because they followed a maniac.
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