DOI issue:
No. 301 (April 1918)
DOI article:Jungmann, Nico: My life at Ruhleben
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21356#0099
My Life at Ruhleben
"THE RACECOURSE, RUHLEBEN " (ANOTHER SECTION OF PANORAMA) BY NICO J UN GM ANN
indeed a relief when the order came for two of parcels arriving from England, after examina-
us to proceed to Ruhleben. Everything is a tion by the military in charge, and a pay-
question of comparison, and when I first arrived master to hand out the allowances sent by the
there it seemed like heaven compared with my British Government to prisoners without means,
cell at Bruges. All these administrative duties were performed
I was informed that for some time after the without pay, and I was filled with admiration
establishment of this camp the conditions were for the spirit of patriotism and comradeship,
very bad indeed—to give an instance, in wet and the resourcefulness and energy in overcom-
weather the camp would be almost one big ing difficulties, displayed by this community of
pool of water, and through this the prisoners over three thousand human beings, confined in
must wade to get their dinners, etc. ; but by this small space and entirely shut off from the
degrees the prisoners succeeded in getting the outside world.
whole of the internal organization into their As soon as I arrived at the camp I made up
own hands, so that by the time I arrived there my mind to begin work at once, and on the
great improvements had been made, and the second day I had the good luck to have a room
organization was truly wonderful. Mr. Powell, assigned to me in which I could do my paint-
whose portrait I painted, was captain of the ing; it was the bedroom of the English captain
camp, assisted by a vice-captain and a com- of the camp, a room about ten feet square,
mittee ; sub-committees were formed for special located underneath the grand stand ; here we
purposes, such as canteen, sports, entertain- took our meals together, and it was a great
ments, etc. Then there was a postmaster, with improvement on the horse-box, where I, with
assistants, . to look after the distribution of four others, slept. Still I thought I might as
93
"THE RACECOURSE, RUHLEBEN " (ANOTHER SECTION OF PANORAMA) BY NICO J UN GM ANN
indeed a relief when the order came for two of parcels arriving from England, after examina-
us to proceed to Ruhleben. Everything is a tion by the military in charge, and a pay-
question of comparison, and when I first arrived master to hand out the allowances sent by the
there it seemed like heaven compared with my British Government to prisoners without means,
cell at Bruges. All these administrative duties were performed
I was informed that for some time after the without pay, and I was filled with admiration
establishment of this camp the conditions were for the spirit of patriotism and comradeship,
very bad indeed—to give an instance, in wet and the resourcefulness and energy in overcom-
weather the camp would be almost one big ing difficulties, displayed by this community of
pool of water, and through this the prisoners over three thousand human beings, confined in
must wade to get their dinners, etc. ; but by this small space and entirely shut off from the
degrees the prisoners succeeded in getting the outside world.
whole of the internal organization into their As soon as I arrived at the camp I made up
own hands, so that by the time I arrived there my mind to begin work at once, and on the
great improvements had been made, and the second day I had the good luck to have a room
organization was truly wonderful. Mr. Powell, assigned to me in which I could do my paint-
whose portrait I painted, was captain of the ing; it was the bedroom of the English captain
camp, assisted by a vice-captain and a com- of the camp, a room about ten feet square,
mittee ; sub-committees were formed for special located underneath the grand stand ; here we
purposes, such as canteen, sports, entertain- took our meals together, and it was a great
ments, etc. Then there was a postmaster, with improvement on the horse-box, where I, with
assistants, . to look after the distribution of four others, slept. Still I thought I might as
93