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- Notes:
- These Russian prisoners of war were members of the YMCA Band in a German prison which included brass, woodwind, and percussion sections. They are sitting on the stage of a theater where they performed during theatricals. An unidentified Red Triangle secretary sits behind the big bass drum in civilian attire.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This photograph shows the reading room and library at Cassel. French, Belgian, and Russian prisoners enjoy a wide range of reading materials in the library for both education and entertainment.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Allied prisoners of war of all nationalities enjoy a restful Sunday afternoon in the prison compound at Goettingen. Colonel Bogen, the camp commandant, stands in the foreground to the left.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian sergeants and corporals enjoyed a higher standard of living in relation to the rank and file depicted in this drawing of a Russian non-commissioned officer's room in Muensingen. Not only does the non-commissioned officer have a single bed, wall cabinet, and desk, he has a number of musical instruments (a mandolin, balalaika, and accordion) and fans decorate the walls.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- An international orchestra composed of Allied prisoners performs under the direction of a German director in the prison camp at Wahn. The orchestra includes stringed, reed, and percussion instruments and the music stands appear to have been made in the camp. Musical performances helped improve camp morale and many musicians were internationally-renowned before the war.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- E.C.W. Sandes, a British officer incarcerated in the prison camp at Yozgad, posed for this photograph as "Don Sandesco," the Bandmaster of the POW band.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Two boxers square off in a boxing exposition on stage at the theater at Goettingen. A referee stands behind the boxers in front of a landscape scene to officiate over the bout.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French prisoners of war take advantage of the reading room in the YMCA hall at Goettingen. They can read books or magazines for pleasure or in preparation for courses. The Association sought to make every man's experience in prison a rewarding one.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Italian prisoners relax in the recreation room in the hospital ward at Dunaszerdahley. The Austrians equipped the room with tables and chairs and decorated the room with maps and coats of arms. Prisoners could read about war news on the wall board in the background.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Interned civilians pass their afternoon watching a game of chess between two prisoners on lounge chairs in the prison camp at Ruhleben. The camp fence is behind the spectators and a German guard watches from a stand between the wires in the background.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French and Belgian prisoners of war and interned civilians gather around the news board in the prison compound at Goettingen to read the latest news and announcements. Note the identification badges on the upper left sleeves of most of the POW uniforms.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- British prisoners practice a scene from a play on stage in the theater at Limburg. Prisoners often organized quality productions to entertain the other POW's in the camp.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Twelve Polish officers smoke, read, and converse around a table, decorated with a single flower, in cell number 10 at Marmosa-Sziget at night.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- As a propaganda camp, prisoners had access to a wide range of activities at Zossen. The Germans have provided these French prisoners with a studio to work on sculptures. There is a base relief on the floor to the right, a small statue of a French soldier sitting, and a large monument on the small table to the right.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Here are examples of two program covers from the prison camp at Doeberitz. The cover on the left is from a theatrical performance of "The Last of the Mohicans," which the prisoners presented on 23 February 1918. The cover on the right is from a souvenir program from the New Doeberitz Empire for a July 1915 production. The smiling British sailor was the symbol of the camp and lived by the motto "Always bright and merry!"
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Prisoner librarians manage the circulating library for French and Belgian POW's at Ohrdruf. Although the book collection is small, the vast majority of books are in circulation among the prison's population since books offered one of the few mental diversions available in prison camps.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- British internees at Ruhleben relax in deck chairs next to "La Boheme," a social-gathering place. Two German non-commissioned officers join the photograph to the right.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The French orchestra performs an afternoon concert for recuperating sick and wounded prisoners of war in a garden outside of the hospital ward at Goettingen. The civilian standing to the extreme left, talking to the wounded Russian soldier is probably Archibald C. Harte.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Polish General Glorecki Roman sits in his cell at Marmosa-Sziget reading at a table next to his bed. He had access to stationery and pens and a map hangs on the wall of his cell. Polish officers who refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Regency Council in Warsaw in October 1916 ended up in this prison.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A French sculptor works on a memorial in a work shop in a German prison camp. This monument will probably be erected in the prison camp's cemetery to commemorate the POW's who died in captivity. Other prisoners in the shop fill their time reading a newspaper or eating a meal at the table on the right.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The British internees could produce a wide range of plays and musicals in the theater at Ruhleben. This photograph shows internees in the middle of set construction for a new production.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Allied prisoners leave the chapel, constructed by the YMCA, at the officers' prison camp at Wiesa bei Annaberg in Saxony. The exterior of the building is decorated with bushes and trees.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French prisoners plant flowers in a small garden outside of their barracks in a wooded section of the prison camp at Grafenwoehr. Gardening provided a pastime for the prisoners and improved the appearance of the camp.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The Ruhleben Horticultural Society presented a Spring Flower Show on Easter Saturday, 30 March 1918, in the Ruhleben prison camp. British internees developed green thumbs to improve the appearance of the camp and for educational purposes.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French, French Arab, and Russian POW's mill about the camp compound at Langensalza in this drawing. This was the "main street" of the facility and the illustration shows a barrack and disinfection wagons in the background. The prisoners converse, smoke pipes, read newspapers, and play board games as they pass the time.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian prisoners created this sand and cement mosiac of a Kazak Uhlan in 1915. Outdoor art work was a very popular pastime in Koenigsbrueck. Russian and French prisoners flank the work, admiring the detailed craftsmanship.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Some prisoners of war sit on benches in the prison compound at Goettingen while others appear to be washing their clothing in front of their barracks. A German non-commissioned officer walks across the compound lost in thought. The POW's have planted a garden in the center of the compound. The town of Goettingen can be seen in the background.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The civilian internees at Ruhleben constructed elaborate trellises for their flower gardens which improved the appearance of the camp and gave the internees a hobby to pass their time. Note the clothing in the background handing out to dry on the clothes line.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This photograph shows the interior of the Association building at Crossen-an-der-Oder. Russian instructors, from the POW population, teach a class for their fellow countrymen. The YMCA strove to provide educational opportunities to prisoners of war to help them find better jobs and help their families after repatriation.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Actors participate in a scene from a French play in the theater at Koenigsbrueck. Note that the three female parts are played by male actors. The YMCA provided scripts and costumes to help prisoners stage performances and these plays provided the camp population with a source of welcome relief from the monotony of daily prison camp life.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The prisoner band at Danzig is about to perform for sick and wounded POW's under the direction of a German officer. War prisoners often enjoyed afternoon performances by camp bands.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This poster promotes the play "Handkerchiefs," which was performed in a Turkish prison camp. Theatricals provided prisoners with much needed entertainment.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The YMCA encouraged civilian internees at Ruhleben to plant gardens outside their barracks to improve the appearance of the camp and to give the prisoners projects to help them pass their idle time while in captivity. The Ruhleben Horticultural Society provided prizes to the best garden in this April 1917 competition.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This photo provides a view of the main entrance to the new YMCA hall at Darmstadt during the building's dedication ceremony. French Arab prisoners stand as a guard of honor in preparation for the event. The prisoners, who constructed the building, decorated the hall with garlands to celebrate the occasion.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The prisoners often planted flower gardens to decorate their surroundings and provide a pastime, which often included vegetables to enhance their rations. This is a photograph of a flower patch between the wooden barracks at Hameln.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This photograph illustrates the French library collection at Ohrdruf. The American YMCA provided a large number of books and pre-war magazines to stock the libraries of prison camps across Germany.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Prisoners of war at Goerlitz work in a decorative garden outside of their barracks under the supervision of a German non-commissioned officer. Gardening provided prisoners with a hobby to help break the monotony of prison camp life and improved the general appearance of the camp.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- These French prisoners of war are Protestant and live in very comfortable quarters. Two are writing letters on a table covered with a cloth and their bookcases are decorated with curtains. In addition, the walls of their room are decorated with wall paper and paintings.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- " "Onze Taal" was a newspaper published for Flemish-speaking prisoners of war at Goettingen. This is a copy of the front page of the 3 March 1915 issue. The Germans developed Goettingen as a propaganda camp for Flemish prisoners of war, in which these POW's received special privileges. The Germans sought to cultivate good relations with these men during the war in anticipation of their post-war occupation goals for Belgium.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A French band of stringed instruments (three violins, one cello, a guitar, a mandolin, and a banjo) plays a tune near the compound fence at Koenigsbrueck. At least three of the instruments were self-made by the prisoners in the camp. Skilled carpenters could produce musical instruments to provide entertainment for the war prisoners.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Scottish, Irish, and Canadian prisoners were not the only soldiers who carried bagpipes into battle. These two Serbian prisoners of war stand outside of their one-story wooden barracks at Koenigsbrueck with the bagpipes in hand. Note the identification badges on their field caps and the right breasts of their tunics.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This pen and ink drawing by a British prisoner shows the Greek school house at Kastamuni where the Turks incarcerated British POW's captured at Kut-al-Amara.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This poster promotes classes at the prison camp at Kedos. Major Saunders, a British officer incarcerated at Kedos, taught prisoners how to build automobiles at the Kchock-ee Kar Konstruction Kademy.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Entente prisoners read books, journals, and newspapers in the reading room at the prison camp at Giessen. The room is well attended and features a clock, several paintings, and two statues. All of the seats at the table are taken by prisoners who pass they idle hours by reading.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A British POW sketched the citadel on the hill overlooking at Kastamuni, showing the ruins of the old castle. Prisoners painted the unique scenes that they encountered during their incarceration in Turkey.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian prisoners-of-war stand near an artistic garden plot which depicts a German iron cross with oak leaf clusters. The garden is located near the wall which surrounded part of the prison camp at Neuhammer and a German non-commissioned officer sits on a horse. POW's could pass the time working in these types of gardens which decorated the prison camp.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- German non-commissioned officers, guards, and Russian prisoners congregate on a street in the prison camp at Aschaffenburg in Bavaria. Prisoners lived in wooden barracks, which they decorated with flower boxes under the windows. Note the child to the extreme right of the photograph, possibly a visitor to the camp.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Two Allied officers enter the entrance to the prison building at Wiesa bei Annaberg, a facility located in the Erzbirge in Saxony. The walkways are well tended with flowers and the YMCA constructed a chapel for Allied POW's at Wiesa.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This drawing shows the interior of the French theater (the Theatre de la Dรฉtente Cordiale) in the Celle Schloss (Palace). The theater's name is play on the pre-war political agreement, the Entente Cordial, between Britain and France. The theater features a stage with scenes and props. Allied officers viewed performances from the comfort of chairs.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- British prisoners designed this coat of arms to represent the prison camp at Kedos with a bit of humor. The arms depict a crowned lion, which represents England, with a chain around its neck. The coat of arms declares the French motto, "Without butter and without buns."
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This sketch shows Sherif Bey, the commandant in charge of the prison camp at Kastamuni during World War I.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A Belgian prisoner of war peruses the bookshelves in the Flemish library at Goettingen. The library is well stocked with furniture and pictures decorate the wall. The YMCA made every effort to obtain books for POW's in a wide range of languages.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A British prisoner drew this picture of a two-story house, known as the "Turkish Khan," where the Turks incarcerated British POW's in Ouchak. A minaret of the mosque stands in the background of the drawing.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Members of a Russian band stand in the snow with their musical instruments and the contents of a WPA recreation chest displayed on the ground. An unidentified YMCA secretary in civilian clothing stands on the right hand side. The Association made every effort to provide Allied prisoners with materials they needed in prison camps.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French and Russian prisoners read books and newspapers in the reading room and library at Cassel. They sit at benches and will be warmed in the winter by the large oven in the middle of the room. The rear wall is decorated with a variety of pictures. Given the large number of POW's in the room, reading was important for inmates in terms of education and entertainment during the prisoners' free time.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Two Japanese prisoners wrestle in a competition in the prison compound at Frankfurt-an-der-Oder under the supervision of a referee. This match is very popular, given the number of spectators sitting the perimeter of the wrestling ring.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Like many prison camps, the inmates at Mainz played the roles of women in theatrical productions. This is a drawing of a leading "lady" who stole the hearts of several men in a performance.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This photograph shows the cast of the Jack Harris Pierrot Troupe on stage on the theater at Rennbahn (Muenster II), which served as the basis for the British Social Club. A Pierrot is a character in French pantomine who dressed in a white floppy outfit. The performing troupe included two "ladies" from the prison camp. Theatrical performances were an important social diversion and welcomed entertainment from the dullness of prison camp life.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A British POW drew this picture of Ali of Kedos, a Turkish non-commissioned officer who served as the "second in command" in the prison camp at Kedos.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Front page of the "El Dschihad" ("The Jihad"), the newspaper for Muslim POW's at Zossen-Wuensdorf. This was issue Number 45 (31 October 1916) and was printed in Berlin. The Germans issued this newspaper as a propaganda tool in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi to influence Muslim prisoners.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- British prisoners, captured at Kut-al-Amara, designed this coat of arms for the prison camp at Kastamuni. The arms are divided into four quarters: the upper left quarter shows a veil covering pain and agony; the upper right depicts an English lion enchained on a blood red field; the lower right has a rising sun signifying the dawn of hope; and the lower right employs a cross and crescent joined in charity. A prisoner overladen with bread and other provisions is at the left, while a Turkish guard stands to the right. St. Bruno is situated above the arms, making the sign of patience with his right hand and holding an olive branch, in hope for the end of the war, in his left. The camp's motto is "Hope, Brothers!"
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This is a photograph of the exterior view of the new Association building in Crossen-an-der-Oder recently completed by POW laborers. The YMCA hut became the center of social, educational, and spiritual activities in the prison camp. Note the imperial German flag flying above the building.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French officers enjoy a game of pool in the Billiard Room at Mainz. In addition to the four billiard tables, the prisoners could enjoy drinks at the tables in the room.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Musical performances lifted spirits within prison camps and this photo shows a Russian POW balalaika orchestra at Muensingen.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The Ruhleben Horticultural Society constructed a greehouse on the grounds of the prison camp at Ruhleben so its members could continue to cultivate a wide range of flowers during the winter months.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Seven prisoners of war at Ohrdruf enjoy some refreshments outside of their barracks. French, French North African, Belgian, Russian, and British (Scottish) soldiers partake in a social opportunity early in the war.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Polish Legionnaires have some fun "flying an airplane" in the prison compound at Bustyahaza. They built the plane from a barrel, a plank, and some spare pieces of wood. Officers watch the prisoners have some fun.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The Russian prisoners in Reichenberg display the contents of the recreation chest they just received from the YMCA War Prisoners' Aid organization in Vienna. Each chest held games (Tambola, dominoes, chess, checkers, and Mensch aergere dich nicht), musical instruments (accordions and harmonicas), books, and Russian Orthodox crosses. An unidentified Association secretary, in the civilian clothing and wearing the C.V.J.M. armband), poses with the Russian prisoners. The YMCA committee in the prison camp then sent these recreation chests to POW's working outside of the camp in Arbeitskommandos (labor detachments).
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A lovely "actress" is flanked by Oriental harem guard chorus in this theatrical pantomine produced in the theater at Ruhleben. Prisoners could produce elaborate shows in the facility for the benefit of the internees.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Fighting lice was the scourge of all POW's during World War I, whether in a prison camp or in the trenches. French, Russian, and Belgian prisoners have set their mattresses in the sun to air out their bedding to help eliminate the infestation. Some prisoners are reading, playing board games, or repairing their uniforms in front of their barracks at Nuernberg. Others have taken the opportunity to wash their clothing and hang them out to dry by the building.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This was the cover of the Christmas 1916 edition of "The Ruhleben Camp Magazine." A harlequin and his dog sit in their prison room on top of an American Express box with pen in hand. Two cornucopias spew out parcels and the margins show the internees involved in a wide range of activities. The two articles featured in this 50 Pfennige journal are "Fun and Spandau" and "The Fashionable Tailors."
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This mimeographed musical program is dated 13 February 1916 for a concert at the prison camp at Giessen. The Prisoner of War Military Band provided a Sunday afternoon performance for the entertainment of the POW's in the camp.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian prisoners of war in an unidentified German prison camp perform in a prison compound. These men are members of the YMCA Orchestra. The Red Triangle provided their musical instruments and their music. By providing instruments, the Association was able to support entertainment programs, often featuring talented musicians.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Prisoners of war at Friedrichsfeld display their handicraft work at an exposition. Their work includes drawings, paintings, model airplanes and ships, the Eifel Tower, toys, chests, a violin, and a wide range of other projects. Prisoners often made some money by selling their handicrafts when these expositions traveled to neutral countries.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Four prisoners of war are hard at work on different projects in the artist studio in Stargard. Examples of their work include caricatures of soldiers, portraits of prisoners, and a Russian artist working on a painting of the Madonna and child. The bunk to the left suggests that the artists lived in their studio. Some painters offered art classes to POWs as part of the educational curriculum in prison camps.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French prisoners of war in the prison camp at Goettingen could apply for a wide variety of jobs at the camp's Business Office. They could choose employment in publicity, in the library, in the theater, etc. In the back of the room stand some interesting wooden models of the Eiffel Tower and a windmill which reflects the expertise of inmate wood carvers.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This poster promotes a field hockey match between players from Oxford University and Cambridge University. The artist pokes fun at some of the intellectuals in the prison camp at Kedos, who are slowing up the start of the match. Hockey not only kept the POW's in good physical shape, it also provided entertainment for the other prisoners.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian officers relax in their comfortable room in the prison camp at Josefstadt. Several sit a cloth-covered table reading newspapers while another stands against the stove reading a book. The room features furniture, a mirror, and wall decorations. Another group of officers sit at a desk in the next room.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A game of chess pits a French soldier against a French colonial trooper in a German prison camp. Spectators include French prisoners of war and German soldiers. A British POW naps in his chair while wearing his slippers. Board games helped improve the morale in the barracks by giving the prisoners some mental diversions.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This photograph shows the interior of the Doeberitz Empire, the original theater in the prison camp at Doeberitz. The theater was located inside a tent and the illustration shows the stage, boxes, and general admission seats (benches).
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian prisoners enjoy the reading material in the prison camp library at Purgstall. The book, journal, and newspaper collection is modest in size, but the room offers a stove, a globe on the top of the book shelf, and photographs decorating the wall. The camp library was one of the most popular places in most prisons.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- This sketch of a group of Russian officers at Torgau, enjoying the evening by drinking hot tea and caramel beer while singing hymns in the prison camp canteen. Officers had a lot of time on their hands, especially since they were not expected to work by the German authorities.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian prisoners enjoy themselves outdoors wrestling for a group of spectators, which includes an Austrian officer at Josefstadt. A Russian band plays for the amusement of the men.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A Russian prisoner of war orchestra at the prison camp at Deutsch-Gabel poses with Austrian officers (standing to the left) in the prison compound in front of a decorated Christmas tree. There is a YMCA secretary in the center of the photograph (the civilian wearing the bowler hat). The Association provided POW's with musical instruments to form bands and orchestras to provide entertainment and support religious services in prison camps.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- These Russian prisoners of war formed a singing society and performed concerts for their fellow POW's. They are standing in the prison compound of an unidentified prison camp, outside one of the barracks.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French prisoners read books and journals in the library in the prison camp at Heustadt. The shelves of the library are well stocked with a wide range of books and journals. Reading was a critical diversion for many prisoners, either to continue their interrupted school studies or simply to learn how to read.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A French prisoner plays his self-made cello in the theater at Grafenwoehr. Prisoners often exhibited their ingenuity and talents by making their own instruments or by utilizing other inmates with wood carving skills to construct needed musical equipment.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The YMCA provided most of the musical instruments and music for this Serbian boys' band in an unidentified Austrian prison camp. The boys learned to play instruments and provided the general prison population with musical entertainment.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Russian prisoners in the YMCA orchestra perform in an outdoor concert for sick and wounded POW's at Crossen-an-der-Oder. The Association provided musical instruments and sheet music to prisoners to help them form bands and orchestras to provide entertainment to the general prison population.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Three Roman Catholic priests stand beneath potted trees outside of a barrack at Landau-Ebenberg in the Pfalz. There were a large number of French prisoners in this camp and the German authorities appointed priests to serve their spiritual needs.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Photograph of a Serbian stringed orchestra, which included a brass, woodwind, and percussion section, during a performance in the camp compound in an unidentified Austrian prison camp. The YMCA provided prisoners with musical instruments to support religious services and provide entertainment to the general prison population.
- Date Created:
- 1917-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- British prisoners reenact the scene of a drama in the theater at Schweidnitz. Theatrical performances provided the actors, musicians, and stage crew with an opportunity to practice their crafts and the camp population with entertainment.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- French prisoners at Friedrichsfeld sit on benches, enjoying the sun in their garden in front of their barrack. The garden features flowers and squash in a star-shaped design. This type of gardening was very popular in prison camps and helped prisoners pass their idle time. Vegetables helped vary prison fare and would help stem hunger later in the war.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- English-speaking prisoners of war at Goettingen had access to "The Wooden City," a newspaper which carried information about camp activities as well as cultural and historical issues. In the 15 September 1915 issue, Karl Fries, the Swedish General Secretary of the World's Student Christian Federation, wrote the front page article about Archibald Harte and the YMCA's War Prisoners' Aid program.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- The stringed orchestra at Bautzen, composed of French and Russian musicians, performs outdoors for the prisoners. German soldiers are among the audience circling the orchestra. Note the white identification badge on the front of many of the prisoners' caps.
- Date Created:
- 1916-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Two British soldiers and a sailor stand outside of the YMCA Reading Room at Doeberitz. The photograph caption indicates that these men were members of the YMCA camp committee. The room is busy as several POW's look out the window at the photographer. Prisoners enjoyed the availability of books for entertainment and education.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- Representatives of the prisoners of war incarcerated at Goettingen stand in front of the new YMCA hall. The building is festively decorated with pine garlands for the inauguration and the Red Triangle symbol is mounted over the door.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A British prisoner drew this picture of a typical street scene in Kastamuni near the area where the Turks incarcerated British POW's.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- British prisoners, musicians in the Freigefangenenburger Orchestra (Free Prisoner Citizen Orchestra), pose on stage in front of a woods scene at the prison camp at Frankfurt-am-Main. The orchestra is well equipped with stringed instruments, woodwinds, and percussion and is conducted by Herr Johak Shawski (an assumed name). Most of the musicians are identified with comical names in the caption.
- Date Created:
- 1918-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries
- Notes:
- A Russian band plays music for a group of dancing prisoners at Josefstadt. A crowd of Russian POW's look on, enjoying the opportunity for some outdoor entertainment.
- Date Created:
- 1915-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Western Michigan University. Libraries