Attention of the Swiss Commission, acting as Protecting Power
The start of the march was at Bankau, Stalag Luft VII in Upper Silesia and it is very difficult
to retrace the route to Luckenwalde, Stalag 3-A because much of the route was in
what is now Poland and Czechoslovakia. Names have been changed and villages have disappeared.
For example, Bankau is now called Baków, Opole Voivodeship in Poland. What is apparent is that
this was a brutal march in winter sub-zero temeratures by undernourished POWS - ed. note
On January 17, 1945 at approximately 11AM we received one hour notice in which to pack our kit and be ready to leave the Camp by marching. At the same time we were informed by Ober Feldwebel Frank that for every one man who fell out of the column on the march, five men would be shot. This order was never given in writing.
The start was postponed until 3:30AM on January 19th. During this interval sixty-eight sick men were evacuated to the civilian Ilag (internment camp) at Kreuzberg. We believe they were later taken to Stalag 344 at Lansdorf,
Each man was issued with two and a half days marching rations before leaving. When the march began at 3:30AM on January 19th no transport was supplied for any sick who may have fallen out on the march and the only medical equipment carried was that carried by the Medical Officer and three Sanitators on their backs.
January 19th
We left Bankau and marched to Winterveldt, a distance of 28 kms. This was done under extremely trying weather condtions and severe cold. The only accomodation at Winterveldt were small barns.
January 20th
Marched from Winterveldt to Karlsruhe arriving at 10AM. We set off at 5AM and marched a distance of 12 kms. At Karlsruhe we were housed in an abandoned brick factory.Here for the first time we were provided with two field kitchens for cooking for 1,550 men. Each field kitchen was actually capable to cook for 200 men. The Medical Officer was also provided with a horse and cart for transport of the sick. The cart was big enough to hold six sitting cases. Coffee was provided and after a rest period of eleven hours we were again ordered to move. The Camp leader and Medical Officer protested against further marching until the men were adequately fed and rested. We were told by the German Abwehr Officer that it was an order and we must comply . The same night we left Karlsruhe and marched to Schonfeld arriving at 9AM on January 21st covering a distance of 42 kms. The conditions during the night were extreme, the temperature during the night being minus 13 centigrade.The Medical Officer,s wagon was filled after the first five kilometres and from then onwards, men were being picked up at the roadsides in a collapsed and frozen state and it was only by sheer willpower that they were able to finish the march.
January 21st
At Schonfeld we were accomodated in the cowsheds and barns of a farm. A room was provided for the sick at Lossen. Rations issued were about 100 grams of biscuits per man and half a cup of coffee.
January 22nd
At 3AM orders were given by the Germans to prepare to march off at once. It was dark and there was some delay in getting the men out from their sleeping quarters because they could not find their baggage. The German guards thereupon marched into the quarters and discharged their firearms. The column was marching again by 5AM. Twenty-three men, it was ascertained at this stage were lost and their whereabouts were unknown. They may have been left behind asleep or they may have escaped. Also, thirty-one men were evacuated (we believe) to Lamsdorf, but nothing further had been heard of them. We marched to Jenkwitz, a distance of 34 kms. and were housed on a farm in barns. Here we were issued with a total of 114 kgs. of fat, 46 tins of meat, barley, peas and three-quarters of a pig. Soup was issued, the ration being about a quarter of a litre per man. No bread was issued.
January 23rd
We left Jankwitz at 6AM and marched 20 kms to Wanzen.
January 24th
We were rested that day at Wanzen, sleeping in barns. The revier(sic) was in a cowshed.Thirty-one were evacuated to Sagan. Four hundred loaves of bread were issued.
January 25th
We left Wanzen at 4AM for Keidersdorf. Covered 30 kms.
January 26th
We spent the day at Keidersdorf. Issued with 600 loaves of bread to last for two days.
January 27th
Left Keidersdorf and marched 19 kms to Pfaffendorf where we arrived at night.
January 28th
Left Pfaffendorf for Standorf at 5AM and marched a distance of 21kms.We were issued with 24 cartons of knackerbrot, 150 kg. of margerine and 50 kgs. of sugar. Twenty-two sick were evacuated to Scheidnitz and eventually arrived at Sagan.
January 29th
Left Standorf at 6PM and marched to Peterwitz a distance of 22kms. We arrived at 4AM the folowing day. This march was carried out in darkness under extreme conditions, with a blizzard blowing the whole time. The men arrived at Peterwitz in an utterly exhausted condition. Before leaving Standorf we were promised that we would have to march no further as transport would be provided from Peterwitz. At Peterwitz we were isssued 104kgs. of meat, 1 sack of salt, 25kgs. of coffee and 100kgs. of barley.
January 30th
At Peterwitz 30 men from Stalag 344, who had been left without guards, joined our column. 296 loaves of bread were issued along with 50kgs. of oats and 25.5kgs. of margerine.
January 31st
We spent the day at Peterswitz. We were told that we would have to march to Goldberg before we got transport. We were issued 300kgs. of oats, 50kgs of coffee and 40kgs. of margerine.
February 1st
We marched from Peterwitz to Prausnitz a distance of 12kms. only part way to Goldberg. However we remained at Prausnitz from February 1st to the 5th. On February 1st we were issued with 680 loaves of bread and 37.5kgs. of margerine. On February 3rd we were issued with 112.5kgs. of margerine, 250 loaves of bread, 100kgs, of sugar, 200kgs. of flour and 150kgs. of barley. On February 4th the issue was 150 loaves of bread. At night on February 4th the Commandant (Oberst Leutnant Behr) visited the farm and read out an order from OKW to the effect that five men were to be released and would be liberated at the first opportunity. The purpose of this we were unable to understand.
February 5th
Before leaving we were issued with 500 loaves of bread, 95kgs. of margarine and 530 tins of meat. We were marched from Prausbitz to Goldberg a distance of 8kms. On arrival at Goldberg we were put into cattle trucks, an average of fifty-five men in each truck. By this time there were numerous cases of dysentry and the facilities for men to attend to personal hygiene were inadequate. When the men were allowed out of the trucks to relieve themselves, numerous of the guards ordered them back inside again and we had to be continually getting permission for the men to be allowed out. The trucks took us to the train. We were on the train from the morning of February 5th until February 8th. The majority had no water on the train journey for two days. Before commencing this journey we were issued with sufficient rations for two days. The total distance marched from Stalag Luft 7 to Goldberg where we had some transport was 240kms.
As a result of this march and the deplorable conditions, the morale of the men was extremely low. They were suffering from an extreme degree of malnutrition, and an outbreak of dysentry. There were numerous cases of frostbite and other minor ailments. They were quite a few unfit for any further movement. Food and better conditions were urgently required. We left Bankau with no Red Cross supplies and throughout the march all the rations were short issued, the most outstanding being bread, which when totalled amounted to 2,924 loaves for 1,550 men over 21 days.
February 15, 1945
D.C. Howatson, R.A.M.C., Captain
Camp Medical Officer
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