Birds in a Cage

by Derek Niemann

Soon after his arrival at Warburg PoW camp, British army officer John Buxton found an unexpected means of escape from the horrors of internment. Passing his days covertly watching birds, he was unaware that he, too, was being watched. Peter Conder, also a passionate ornithologist, had noticed Buxton gazing skywards. He approached him and, with two other prisoners, they founded a secret birdwatching society.

This is the untold story of an obsessive quest behind barbed wire. Through their shared love of birds, the four PoWs overcame hunger, hardship, fear and stultifying boredom. Their quest would draw in not only their fellow prisoners, but also some of the German guards, at great risk to them all.

Derek Niemann draws on original diaries, letters and drawings, to show how Conder, Barrett, Waterston and Buxton were forged by their wartime experience into the giants of postwar wildlife conservation. Their legacy lives on.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Nature, Birds, Natural History, Biography, Historical

305 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Mark Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book.

Birds in a Cage is the story of four British prisoners of war, Second Lieutenant Peter Conder, Second Lieutenant John Buxton, Second Lieutenant George Waterston and Squadron Leader John Barrett, who, after WWII, went on to influence nature conservation practice and policy.

It’s a remarkable tale which is beautifully told. On the face of it, it might not sound like the most interesting of subjects, but it really is fascinating.

Reading this book made me think of how easy birders have it these days with great optics. and field guides, and recordings of songs, and distribution atlases etc. And it made me think about how important nature was to these men and how their love of nature helped them endure hardships that were extreme. Walking, exhausted, through a frozen landscape these were the type of folk to keep a bird list as they travelled.

And I wonder how the birds have changed in numbers in the last 70 years. Are the skylark flocks flying still over Warburg (North Rhine-Westphalia) in mid-March in numbers of up to 15,000 a day? I wonder.

I wonder too whether any similar records were kept by German or Italian PoWs in the UK? Prompted by reading this book I discover that there was a PoW camp just up the hill from my local birding patch – I wonder whether there were any captive ornithologists there.

The story is interesting and the writing is excellent. For example, the opening sentence to the second chapter is surprisingly funny.

The strong message from this book is that the existence of nature was incredibly important to these men – as was studying the natural world around them. A little thing like captivity during a World War wasn’t going to deflect them from their passion – indeed, in some ways it gave them the time and opportunity, and by chance the companions, to study more, learn more and think more. If you feel imprisoned in any way by your life then there may be a lesson for you in this book. There certainly is a message of hope and human endurance written through this excellent book.

[Deborah Mantle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine day-to-day life as a World War Two prisoner of war (POW) and bird-watching wouldn’t probably be the first activity that springs to mind. Yet, Derek Niemann’s book, ‘Birds in a Cage’, is about just that and much more.

Four British POWs – John Buxton, Peter Conder, John Barrett and George Waterston – find purpose and solidarity as ornithologists, observing birds when and where possible during their imprisonment in Germany and Poland. In spite of their situation as long-term POWs, the constant fear that one wrong step or any step could lead to a bullet in the head, the fleas, lice and dysentery and the tedious, demoralising daily-ness of captivity, the men’s interest in wildlife helps them hold on to the belief that ‘all things were not bleak and ugly’. And though psychologically and physically affected by their imprisonment, each of the four ‘amateur’ ornithologists goes on to play a significant role in post-war wildlife conservation in the UK.

‘Birds in a Cage’ presents humankind at its worst and best. It shows both the waste of war, the randomness of who gets to live and who doesn’t and the friendships that transcend social barriers, national boundaries and even barbed-wire fences. It also underlines how ‘the beauty of simple things’ can sustain people through the most unnatural and inhumane of circumstances. On a different level, the book charts the evolution in ornithology from a predominantly male activity of shooting and collecting to a discipline dominated by data collection to a pursuit enjoyed by many.

Niemann faced a difficult task in interweaving history, memoir, original material and anecdotes to tell the stories of four men, a war and the seeds of modern bird conservation. There were times in the narrative when I became confused about which man and which camp was being discussed, although looking back at the maps helped. Niemann’s writing style is, however, straightforward and injected with humour and pathos.

I know that ‘Birds in a Cage’ is a book that will stay with me. It's a book that will appeal to lovers of history and nature, and it's certain to have a wide readership in the UK, a country in which more people belong to the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) than to all political parties put together.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story from what is now long ago of young officers who were lucky enough to bring a fascination with birds with them into POW camps in Germany in WW2. Lucky to survive and escape further fighting until the USAF arrived in 1945, lucky to not have been treated worse by the Germans, and lucky to have an interest to keep their minds occupied. Makes you appreciate how awful war is, so how important military preparation/deterrence and diplomacy both are in reducing the chances of having to fight again.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extraordinary, moving account of the experiences of WWII four prisoners of war, united by their interest in the wild birds that nested and flew freely around the barbed wire enclosed camps. Their meticulous observations and study of the birds helped them cope with the degradations and privations of their imprisonment and, in many ways, helped shaped their futures when they were finally repatriated. An engrossing and inspiring read, it moved me to tears in at least three places, so horrific were their experiences and after effects of their wartime confinement. Highly recommended for birders and non-birders alike.

[Allan Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sincere and thoroughly well researched book, which I feel misses much of the opportunity to story-tell. Surprising and shocking points are merely mentioned, whilst long lists of bird observations are diligently (and really really boringly) included. In its defence, the book does get across some of the grinding frustration of captivity. A very worthy book.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birds in a Cage tells the story of four keen birdwatchers - Peter Conder, John Buxton, George Waterston and John Barrett - who met in a German prisoner of war camp and spend their days undertaking scientific research on bird migrations and behaviour. Post-war the four men each became part of Britain’s wildlife conservation movement, maintaining professional and personal relationships for the rest of their lives. As is often the case with popular history books the subtitle is somewhat misleading – “Four secret birdwatchers, the unlikely beginning of British wildlife conservation”: (1) their birdwatching was not secret either from other prisoners or guards, many of whom helped, (2) nor was it the unlikely beginning of British wildlife conservation, which was already underway pre-war, including by the protagonists, and was driven by many more actors than just these four.

Nonetheless, the book is an interesting account of both life as a British prisoner of war in Germany and the practices and comradery of birdwatching. Although isolating, demoralising and full of hardship and danger, prisoners regularly exchanged correspondence and parcels with family and friends at home, meaning that food and books made their way to the camp and poems, drawings, scientific papers went the other way. In addition, the men corresponded with the head of avian zoology at Berlin zoo, receiving homing tags and books from him. Given the long hours with little to do, the four men made pioneering, in-depth studies of certain birds and general counts and migrations. They often enrolled the help of other men, treating the whole enterprise as scientific study. Studying birds also gave them cover to act as lookouts for escape attempts, including participating in the wooden horse scheme. All four endured five years as a prisoner, overlapping in different camps, but often were alone from the others as they were moved about.

Niemann tells the tale with a sympathetic voice, drawing on diaries, letters, drawings and other secondary sources, to tell each man’s story as well as how they intertwine. The result is an engaging tale of how birdwatching suffused each man’s life, particularly during the war.

[Morag Forbes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A non-fiction book telling the story of four British men, ornithologists first and soldiers second, who are captured during WW2 and held as prisoners of war by the Germans for almost five years. In that time in the camps it was bird watching that brought them together and kept them going. After the war all four of them go on to make incredible contributions to Britain’s natural history. The human element of this story was brilliant but it was quite slow moving and detail heavy in places and the structure was quite jumpy and a little confusing. If you skim in places though it’s a very inspiring read.

[Anna Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another charity shop find that intrigued me.
Poignant. Poetic. Plenty of observations on birds and life in a POW camp for 5 years!!
These men, and all of them, are heroes.

[Fiona Monahan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not what I expected, but it was interesting initially. I thought it was a story about the men, but it's their history in the WW prisoner of war camps and how they filled their time. Got a bit repetitive

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many stories from the World Wars that it would be impossible to hear them all. But all are precious and unique journeys that deserve to be heard. Some tell of determination and cunning; others tell of stride and pain. But what we see in every story is the indisputable fact that humanity is capable of great evil but also of great good. The most significant factor in this particular book is survival. When, unfortunately for the world, Germany allowed great evil into power and caused global strife, the men sent to restore order and stop the absolutely barbaric slaughter of millions of innocent people clung to their ideals and to memories of their loved ones. Their values, ideals, hobbies and memories of loved ones, whether they be friend or family, gave these men and women strength when victory and peace seemed like a distant, if not impossible dream.

There is so much information in this book that I took thirteen pages of notes and this review box is not big enough for all the ranting I want to do. I like writing long reviews, often containing spoilers to express my disappointment or satisfaction using quotes from the book itself. But there is so much to unpack in such a book that there is no room in this review box to give enough credit and discussion on what is within these pages. But what I can say is that books like these need to be read , especially with today's politics and a look at who is in charge worldwide. Too many people are ignorant of what happened, how Hitler basically got away with it because he had a following who believed him, because he was saying what they wanted him to say. Sound familiar? Hitler invoked rage against the Jewish people and those that didn't 'fit' his ideals. Trump is invoking rage against pretty much anyone who isn't a white American. Religion invokes rage against those who don't fit a Mold or question their fantastical story. Books like this one, are a reminder that hate and dictatorship, when given free reign, can cause such pain and heartache.

The men in this book held strong, while Germany was allowing evil to rule, starving POWs, slaughtering millions of civilians and torturing Jewish people, these men were bonding and finding ways to survive barbaric conditions. Their love of birds led to them working together, and found them working with sympathetic Germans to increase their understanding of birds and to pave the way for nature reserves that we are fortunate to have today. During the war, for example, the RSPB had fewer than 5000 members. But when Peter Conder, one of the men in this book, became the Director, he made the then club a professional organisation and during his time as Director, membership rose from 20,000 to 200,000. All four men and their peers went through suffering that few of us living today could imagine, and while they were all scarred from their experiences, they went on to make a significant impact in wildlife protection. In fact, I don't think it is an understatement to say that these men fundamentally changed the way we look at nature, because before they helped change our views on birdwatching, ornithologists were shooting birds to record and stuff them so we knew what they looked like. Painters used these poor taxidermies to paint birds, meaning that nothing was accurate and a lot of birds appeared to be different species when in their winter or summer colours because they had not been observed changing.

This is not a book with a happy tale or even a happy ending, with one of our men, a poet ending up a sad and lonely figure due to being made diabetic and sterile from his time in the camps. Another had no tolerance for what he deemed as other people’s weaknesses, having endured such strife, he could not sympathise with others who had thinner skin and lower tolerances. Conder who I mentioned, had a fairly happy ending, retiring and published a book called The Wheater. But the last of four men, who was riddled with health issues before the war, eventually passed when his kidneys and a transplant failed. Despite three sad and one good ending, these men made a great impact on our view of the natural world, two going on to become wardens of land, working in the field to protect nature, and the other two, one being Conder, going on to educate others and build a reputation centred around protecting and preserving wildlife.

Although books like this can be hard to read, they are worth reading as they show the worst and best of humanity. And we must never forget what our species is capable of.

[Juliet Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As recommended by Chris Packham on BBC Springwatch, this is the true story of four British serviceman who were POWs in World War II, and found purpose and camaraderie in their love of birds. The men were Second Lieutenant Peter Conder, Second Lieutenant John Buxton, Second Lieutenant George Waterston and Squadron Leader John Barrett, all of whom later in life went on to influence nature conservation in the UK. Each of the prisoners found ways to explore the local nature around the prison camps and to keep meticulous notes on their findings (though not all the notes survived). They even met German prison guards who were willing to help them to some extent.

The book also outlines how these wartime experiences informed the men's later lives, Peter Conder became the director of the RSPB (Rpyal Society for the Protection of Birds), John Buxton wrote The Redstart, which became a model for single species monograph books on birds, John Barrett ran a field studies centre in Pembrokeshre and wrote The Collins Guide to the Seashore and George Waterstone at various points founded the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, worked for the RSPB and the National Trust and was responsible for Operation Osprey, which successfully reintroduced ospreys to the UK.

This is a fascinating story of how nature can help people get through extremely difficult times.

[Rhiannon Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting but odd read. It has a split focus and didn't quite seem to satisfy on any front - at one level, it's a book about a group of men, but there are too many of them to get to know well and too few to think of them as representative. They sometimes meet but are rarely together, have enough in common to sometimes blur together but enough differences that they can't truly be treated as a group. At another level, it's a book about birds, except that it says very little about the actual birds because it is interested in the birdwatchers instead. And at another level, it's a history of part of the war and Nazi Germany, except that it assumes rather than telling the wider story of this - possible lessons, such as the way that the awkward-to-uncomfortable conditions in the POW camps show that dire conditions in concentration camps were deliberate choices and not at all inevitable or natural, are implied but not at all brought out.

[Jdblair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say I have never been particularly interested in birding so that affects the way I view this book. To read how this group of amateur ornithologists coped with many years of being caged in German POW camps during WWII is fascinating. I was not familiar with the varieties of birds they studied but will have to do a little more reading about birds.

This group of POWs survived their captivity by focusing their efforts on studying birds instead of dwelling on the threats of their POW trials and tribulations.

When released and returned home after the war, they were key figures in the development and expansion of Royal Society of the Protection of Birds and other wildlife protection organizations.

[B A Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a Book Group read, although it was a book I had heard of and thought might be interesting. I enjoyed learning about the part ornithology played for WW2 POWs and the effect that it had on their lives post-war. Having stayed in the former Colditz Castle buildings I now have some idea about how any contact with nature would have helped their mental survival and therefore the value that birdwatching had for these men.
I found the style of the book difficult, jumping as it did from man to man in different camps and that was confusing. It was an important story to tell with good research, but I, and other members of my Book Group, felt we would have engaged with it more if it had been set out in a more reader friendly way.

[Mirandapandareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Birds In A Cage by Derek Niemann

Beautiful!! Loved it! I could read it again right away. THIS BOOK IS STRANGE AND FUNNY AND GORGEOUS AND DEVESTATING AND COMPLETELY WONDERFUL, and it has pictures 👌!!!
How nature can rescue your mind during horrific times is amazing.

This is the story of four British Prisoners of War (2nd World War) and their shared love of birds.

"Excitement and marvels were in the air, a fresh demonstration that all the stupidities of man could not interrupt the ever turning rhythm of the years."

I can't explain how wonderful this book is, it touched my heart! ❤

🐼🐼🐼🐼🐼 5/5 #mirandapandas

[Paul Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginings of the modern RSPB, can be traced back to encaged POWs, with nothing but the inclination and time to record and observe the only freedom visable. The Skylarks, the Redstarts, the Starlings, the migratery patterns, and the mating riturals.
A dedication to bird observation that can block out hunger, illness and general scenes of squaler and meance, to hold a cathartic peace over prisoners, that will go on to great careers of wildlife conservation and study. Once the din of cannons giveway to only wind and birdsong.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a few passages were tedious and it was hard at first to sort out the various names, this was a very interesting and different story of how some British POWs survived WWII in German camps (some were imprisoned for five years). Four of them went on to make their marks in the world of Ornithology after the war. It's also a very sad story - war is.

[Keven Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw a feature of this story on The One Show and thought it would be an interesting read. I am sure many bird/nature enthusiasts would find the content really interesting but unfortunately it just wasn't for me - although it did feature a few bits about life in a POW camp which were interesting.

[Chris Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent on both fronts – bird watching and the experience of being a POW. Well and simply written, often in the protagonists' own words. The more I read about war the less I can understand why anyone would think it a good option for anything other than stopping a madman.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One for the bird lovers, interesting but lazy writing in some parts. One chapter is just letters of correspondence between two brothers talking about birds. A good history of the origins of the RSPB bit too specialist for me.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual read but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lots of interesting information, not only about birds but a good insight into long term POW and how these men subsequently went on to deal with life after such a traumatic time in their lives and to read what they achieved after WWII

[Trish Hillery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account of British POW's during WWII, and how they found a common purpose in bird watching as an antidote to the drudgery of their prison experiences.

[Martin Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a compelling read that was recommend by BBC 2 Springwatch and one of my books of the year.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping book that I read in one day. This is a story of triumph over adversity through ornithological pursuits.

[Cora · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a moving book this was to read, prisoners of war trying to distract themselves from the horrors of prison camp by birdwatching.

[Carol Aldred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, but unfortunately not written by the subjects and it showed

[John Ollerton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story of the POW birdwatchers and their dedication to their field during total incarceration.

[Georgina Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars, powerful emotional ❤️

[Pippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book about POW’s bird watching in various camps in WW2. I enjoyed it very much and learnt a lot as well.

[Brian Gormley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 out of 5. I found this book in a local second hand bookstore and couldn’t believe my luck . . . A book that combined my passion for Birdwatching and WW2 military history! The men’s stories are a fascinating insight into the experiences of ordinary soldiers. Most WW2 stories are about high-profile heroic deeds. These men were no less heroic, but their war ended very quickly through capture. How they signed up, their involvement in the early part of the war, and their lives as POWs are an aspect of the war you don’t normally see. Their birdwatching stories are no less interesting. What is surprising is how, even in areas with little bird life, they made a study of individual birds or nests to keep themselves busy. (Somewhat bizarrely, I found myself envying them for the amount of time each day they could spend birdwatching!)
All the men involved later made a huge contribution to the development of birdwatching in the UK. There is no doubt that their experience in war and prison had a serious impact on their mental health and physical health - but birdwatching and their love of nature seemed to provide some relief. A great book and well worth reading if you’re interested in birdwatching.