Ruhleben internment camp

Coordinates: 52°31′52″N 13°13′58″E / 52.531238°N 13.2328°E / 52.531238; 13.2328
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Panoramic view of Ruhleben internment camp by Nico Jungmann, one of the detainees
Bird's eye view of the camp

Ruhleben internment camp was a civilian detention camp in Germany during

Berlin-Hamburg Railway
line in 1908.

Detainees

Detainees queuing for Christmas dinner: painting by Nico Jungman

The camp detainees included male citizens of the

To Ruhleben – And Back (1916) by Geoffrey Pyke,[1] who had successfully escaped from the camp in 1915, and Life in Ruhleben, 1914–1918 (1920) by Frederick Keel.[2] Quarters were cramped: the stable blocks averaged 27 stalls, each housing six men, and the stable block lofts each housed about 200 men.[3]

The German authorities adhered to the

Geneva Convention and allowed the camp detainees to administer their own internal affairs. Gradually, a mini-society evolved. Letters, books, sports equipment and a printing press were all allowed into the camp, and the detainees organised their own police force, magazine, library and postal service. The latter, known as the Ruhleben Express Delivery, was organised by Albert Kamps and began operating in July 1915. Soon it was handling over 6,000 pieces of mail per month, and 16 different postage stamps were issued which have since become collectors items. In April 1916, however, the German postal authorities declared the service illegal and it ceased operating. Prisoners grew flowers beside their barracks to give a bit beauty; this later evolved into the Ruhleben Horticultural Society which became a formal affiliate in October 1916 of the Royal Horticultural Society in London (subscription fee waived). Later they grew their own vegetables in the centre of the race track as fresh produce became harder to acquire.[4]
In addition, a number of independent businesses developed within the camp, including a casino.

Arts and culture

Gala performance of The Mikado: painting by Nico Jungman

The detainees arranged their own entertainment. Among them were several musicians, including Ernest MacMillan, later to become a conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Other British musicians included Edgar Bainton,[5] Edward Clark and the Australian-born Arthur Benjamin.[6][7] MacMillan was a prominent member of the Ruhleben Musical Society, formed in 1915, and directed performances of The Mikado (with orchestra and costumes) and a pantomime version of Cinderella. MacMillan transcribed the music for the former from memory with the help of four other musicians, including Benjamin Dale.[8] Among those who attended these performances were James W. Gerard, the United States ambassador. The detainees also presented Trial by Jury, The Pirates of Penzance, The Yeomen of the Guard and The Gondoliers.[8][9] MacMillan gave lectures on each of Beethoven's symphonies, which were followed by piano duet performances played by him together with Benjamin Dale.[10] MacMillan was also a member of the Ruhleben Drama Society and acted in productions of Othello, Twelfth Night, Lady Windermere's Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest.[11]

The artist

lithographs, depicting life in the camp, are now in the Australian War Memorial collection.[12][13]

Education

The British Government provided internees with books for educational purposes for free. A wooden hall erected by the YMCA which housed the library of about 5000 volumes sent over from Britain, served as a place for reading.

Detainees also arranged their own school and ′college′. A Ruhleben Camp School offered elementary and high school education to younger internees. Within the Arts and Science Union, organised by the British chemist and inventor Henry Stafford Hatfield, scholars from different fields gave lectures of university standard, organised in the open air. Among the lecturers were the physicists James Chadwick, Charles D. Ellis and Henry Brose, and the historian and author John Cecil Masterman.[14]

Sports

Boxing match: painting by Nico Jungman

Sports also played a major role in the lives of the detainees. Among them were several former professional

John Cameron; a German international, Edwin Dutton; and John Brearley, once of Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.[15]
The Ruhleben Football Association was formed with Pentland as chairman and Cameron as secretary. Cup and league competitions were organised with teams representing the individual camp barracks. Around 500 prisoners played in the football competitions. Several thousand spectators attended the bigger games. A series of exhibition and "international" matches were also organised. On 2 May 1915 an "England XI" featuring Pentland, Wolstenholme, Brearley and Bloomer played a "World XI" captained by Cameron. Towards the end of the war an international triangular tournament called the Coupe de Allies, featuring a "British XI", a "French XI" and a "Belgium XI", was organised.

Other sports such as cricket, rugby, tennis and golf were also popular within the camp. In May 1915 a "Ruhleben XI", featuring Bloomer and Brearley, played a "Varsities XI" in the Ruhleben Cricket League. In July 1916 a "Lancashire XI", featuring Bloomer, beat a "Yorkshire XI" that included Wolstenholme.

Notable detainees

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Pyke, 1916.
  2. ^ Keel, 1920.
  3. ^ Evans, Stephen (28 July 2014). "The prisoners of war who made Little Britain in Berlin". BBC News. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  4. ^ Elliott, Brent (September 2014). "A Tale of Two Societies: The Royal Horticultural Society and the Ruhleben Horticultural Society" (PDF). Occasional Papers from the RHS Lindley Library. 12: 31–76.
  5. ^ Joseph W Pegg, Newcastle's Musical Heritage: An Introduction
  6. ^ LindaJo K. McKim, LindaJo H. McKim, The Presbyterian Hymnal Companion
  7. ^ Joseph W. Lewis, What Killed the Great and Not So Great Composers?
  8. ^
  9. ^ Photo of the prisoners in The Gondoliers, 1917, accessed 30 May 2012
  10. ^ Nevins, Maureen (1994). Sir Ernest MacMillan: portrait of a Canadian musician (1893–1973), Ruhleben. Library and Archives Canada (electronic collection). Retrieved 2011-09-12.
  11. ^ Hart, Harold B. (9 January 1918). "Life in Ruhleben – Stories of Returned Civil Prisoners". The Scotsman. pp. 5, 11.
  12. ^ "Figures, 2 removing another under force". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Figures behind wire". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  14. ISSN 0727-3061
    .
  15. .
  16. ^ Sorenson, Lee (21 February 2018). "Prichard, Matthew Stewart". Dictionary of Art Historians. Retrieved 2 January 2019.

Bibliography

External links

52°31′52″N 13°13′58″E / 52.531238°N 13.2328°E / 52.531238; 13.2328