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Camp
Clinton
December 25, 1945
From:
Hermann Bernard Raimcke,
General i/c Parachute Troops,
last Commander of the fortress of Brest,
P.O.W. No.18878 Camp Clinton (Miss.)
To:-
Mr. Byron Price,
The Capitol,
Washington, D.C.
Dear
Sir,
In
deep grief over the utter collapse of my Fatherland and its hopeless
future, and the tears shed by my ill-fated countrymen, I feel the urge
of writing to you on this Christmas Day spent in the emptiness and frustration
of a prisoners-of-war camp.
I
know that this is forbidden, but the consequences of such an action
will be little as compared to the suffering caused to me by the fate
of my country.
The
reason for this letter is your partly published report on your trip
round Germany, in the capacity of a special delegate appointed by President
Truman.
Deeply
shaken by the terrible conditions prevailing in Germany you demand in
your report that the Morgenthau plan, which was called "a sadistic
Plan" in Senator Eastland's (Miss.) speech of December 4, 1945,
be entirely abandoned.
Thus,
for the first time in a world full of hatred, taking its revenge on
a nation beaten to the ground, we hear a voice against the present policy
aimed at plundering and complete destruction of Germany; a voice that
points out the dangers threatening the Christian culture of the Western
World should the Morgentbau Plan be carried out.
Needless
to say that this cruel treatment of a completely defenseless nation
- after the cessation of hostilities will create new, deeply rooted
hatred which will poison the souls of an 80 million nation so much that
unavoidably they will embrace communism and nihilism. Also, I do not,
need to stress the point that the sowing of such new hatred will not
bring the durable peace so very much desired by all the nations of the
world.
You,
Mr. Price, know these problems and from your high post can the danger
better than the others.
In
his speech in the Senate on December 4. 1945, Senator Eastland said:-
"Germany and Western Europe must be kept by all means within the
folds of democratic, freedom-loving Christian people who follow the
private enterprise system". It is demanded by the U.S. Government
that, as a preliminary condition for a final peace in Europe, the whole
of the German nation be re-educated and converted to democratic principles.
But
is the lesson given to the German nation, after the hostilities have
ceased, appropriate to w1n the people's hearts for this idea?
Once
already, in 1919, we had the Weimar Republic, founded on democratic
principles and by free elections, following President Wilson's wish.
Why,
keep the Germans asking, was the very much hailed Weimar-Germany refused
help or support by the Western Democracies. Why did not they breathe
into it the life the Republic needed to make this form of government
survive in Germany?
Instead,
the democratic Germany was strangled by the Allied power economically
for 13 years, so that, owing to increasing poverty and unemployment,
there were only two possibilities left:-"Either communism or national-socialism!"
Was
not that irresponsible refusal of any help or support to the Weimar-Germany
by the Western Democracies the seed and the cause of the abandoning
of the Weimar system by the German nation in 1933 and thus the cause
of World War II?
"A
burnt child dreads the fire", and the present methods of plunder
causing general poverty and hunger, will not persuade the Germans of
the advantages of democracy!
But
this short-sighted policy,'condemned by you, is adopted not only in
occupied Germany. It is applied even here, in your free country, with
regard to the 440,000 prisoners of war,.whose treatment is entirely
wrong psychologically.
I
dare say I express the feelings of the prisoners of war, since, I being
one of the people myself and having, during a 40 year long service,
risen from a bare-footed Mate of the German Imperial Navy to the rank
of General Commander-in-Chief of the Parachute Troops of the 3 Wehrmacht
weapons, I am familiar with service of all ranks and have trained and
brought up thousands of soldiers of all trades and professions and of
all ages and classes, and led them, In peace as well as in war.
This
is why l consider it my duty to call your kind attention to the following
facts:-
To
comply with the requirement that the German nation be re-educated insofar
as its political views are concerned and that
they be made familiar with the real meaning and principles of democracy
and its blessings, courses are held on the subject of the American Constitution
and democratic principles for the German prisoners of war. These courses
are diligently attended by the German soldiers, who are eager to learn.
Offsetting
these courses there are, however, the bare facts of the much more impressive
reality. These facts are as follows:-
(1)
The terrible conditions in Germany - after the hostilities have ceased
- such as the death of large numbers of the weak, children and infants,
as reported by the daily press, and plundering, rape and mass deportations
from districts (i.e. East Prussia, Silesia, the Sudeten) where the Germans
have been living for the last thousand years. In addition to the taking
over of state property, there sanctioned plundering of private property
such as a spinning factory, of a peasant's horse, a Piece of art inherited
throughout generations, or the equipment of a ladies' hairdresser's
shop (sent home by a G.I. as a souvenir).
(2)
The distasteful reports in the Press, complete with photographs, on
the shooting of General Dostler, who, following an order received from
the Fuhrer and according, to an ancient international custom to kill
franctireurs, ordered to shoot 14 American soldiers for acting as saboteurs
In civilian clothes behind the lines.
On
the other hand, the same press reports on an American
solder of Italian origin, by the name of Bertucci, who - after the cessation
of hostilities last simner - broke* into a barrack. full of German prisoners
of war, while the latter were asleep, and killed 8 men instantly, wounded
mortally six and caused severe wounds to other 8 men.
The
abovementioned soldier, who, as reported by the
newspaper, has never been at the front except as a member of a
ground crew at an airfield in England, cynically declared that,
being a sworn enemy of the Nazis, he would gladly do it ail over
again. This cynical declaration was reported by the Paper as a sort
of justification of his crime. Nothing Is known about a judgment having
been passed on the matter. And he has even been set free, according
to the latest reports.
"Where
Is the democratic Justice they are teaching us ? - ask the German prisoners
of war while comparing the above two cases.
*
carrying a machine-gun
(4)
The stopping of all correspondence between the prisoners of war and
their families - after the hostilities have ceased - and the withholding
of long-arrived mail from Germany. The above measures which are contrary
to the Geneva Convention, are regarded by the soldiers as measures of
torture, the terrible uncertainty about the fate of the families being
the greatest grief in the bard-to-bear life of a prisoner of war. The
explanation given that the absence of mail was due to damages in the
transportation system in Germany does not hold good anymore 8 months
after the war came to an end. Innumera soldiers (prisoners of war since
the summer of 1944) have not received any mail at all, from districts
which were not affected by the war.
5)
After the collapse of Germany, the prisoners of war were officially
informed that they would continue to be regarded as such and treated
accordingly. However, a few days later, in the beginning of May 1945,
the following severe measures were announced:
(a)
A cut in food rations during the months May - October 1945 to an extent
that, on the average, ail the prisoners lost 25-41 1bs in weight and
can scarcely stand on their legs while working hard on the Mississippi
project. Those Generals who are more advanced in age have become mere
skeletons. The little meat supplied consists of waste only. The negro-drivers
who bring in these supplies say it is a shame that such waste meat is
offered to prisoners of war in the rich America. It is only before the
visit announced by representatives of the International Red Cross for
the beginning of November that conditions improved.
(b)
Complete deprivation of tobacco and cigarettes from
May to June, and the cutting of tobacco rutions from then on until December
to 2 ozs. a week.
(c)
Deprivation of all luxuries and objects or daily use, as well as of
refreshments, whose lack was partIcularly felt in the hot Summertime
and in a climate to which the prisoners are not used.
(d)
Probibition of all sports and games for a period of 4 weeks.
The
followind question arises:-
Are
all these events and measures an adequate means to make the 440,000
prisoners of war become supporters of the democratic principles, whose
apostles they are Intended to be on their return to Germany from the
free America, the land in which Democracy was born ?"
The
contrary is being achieved.
Do
not be misled by the fact that the majority of the prisoners of war
have already taken the above mentioned course in American History and
Constitution and received their certificates.
Most
of them take up this study because they are eager to learn and as a
passtime, and also because they are afraid they might haye to remain
in the camps even longer if they do not attend. On the other hand, those
few who, seeing the shameful treatment of their country, the abandonment
of all pride, and the disgrace to their bomes, "still trim their
sail according to the wind" with assurance of reverence and respect,
are, as experience shows, the weaker and always unreliable characters
whose assistance or collaboration will not serve the cause of the occupation
authorities or that of humans for the duration.
And
as far as I am concerned, may I state that the Americans taken prisoners
in the fortress of Brest which, faithful to my oath I defended to, the
last (like your General Wainwright did in the Corregidor), were treated,
decently. The medical personnel that crossed our lines in foggy weather
was sent back, accompanied, by an officer. Wounded Americans were attended
to the same as our own soldiers, and the property of the dead was returned
by an officer. In order not to leave them under the fire of their own
countrymen, we transported our 400 prisoners of war from the fortress,
around which a battle was raging, under most difficult conditions and
even disregarding our own requirements, to our hospital village by the
name of Le Fret and supervised by the Red Cross. It was General Middleton,
U.S. Commander of the Brest Troops, who personally expressed his thanks
to me.
I
am deeply convinced that ail other German commanders have acted in the
same way and that the American prisoners or war in Germany were treated
according to tho regulations of the Geneva Convention insofar as this
was possible under the circumstances. However, after the destruction
of all means of transportation by military action this may have proved
impossible as it was not possible to supply German nationals.
In
describing our attitude, which Is the only one of which I approve, I
do not want to speak ‘pro domo' but only to express My surprise
at the way Gernan soldiers, who did, nothing but their duty, are treated
in the free America after the cessation of hostilities.
In
the report published by you You ask your fellow citizens to change the
policy of oppression adopted In Germany and based on the Morgenthau
Plan, so that Western civilization, can be saved from utter destruction.
In
deep grief and having the desire to co-operate in my modest capacity
in order to bring about understanding among the nations, I feel I am
called upon to let you know on this Christmas Day about the feelings
of the German prisoners of war, who, as a result of short-sighted measures,
are put into a mood and attitude constituting a danger to general co-operation
in the work of reconstruction and preservation of peace in the Western
and Christian world.
I
wish that the above could serve you as a suggestion of what should be
done here in this country to put an end to the "eye for eye and
tooth for tooth" policy, to bring about a blessing to Christians
and a peaceful future to the nations, so well expressed in the old Christmas
message: "Peace on Earth and Happiness to the People.
Yours
faithfully,
Ramcke
General
i/c Parachute Troops
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