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German Prisoners of the Great War: Life in a Yorkshire Camp
In Munich in 1920, just after the end of the First World War, German officers who had been prisoners of war in England published a book they had written and smuggled back to Germany. Through vivid text and illustrations they describe in detail their experience of life in captivity in a camp at Skipton in Yorkshire. Their work, now translated into English for the first time, gives us a unique insight into their feelings about the war, their captors and their longing to go home.
In their own words they record the conditions, the daily routines, the food, their relationship with the prison authorities, their activities and entertainment, and their thoughts of their homeland. The challenges and privations they faced are part of their story, as is the community they created within the confines of the camp. The whole gamut of their existence is portrayed here, in particular through their drawings and cartoons which are reproduced alongside the translation.
German Prisoners of the Great War offers us a direct inside of view a hitherto neglected aspect of the wartime experience a century ago.
In their own words they record the conditions, the daily routines, the food, their relationship with the prison authorities, their activities and entertainment, and their thoughts of their homeland. The challenges and privations they faced are part of their story, as is the community they created within the confines of the camp. The whole gamut of their existence is portrayed here, in particular through their drawings and cartoons which are reproduced alongside the translation.
German Prisoners of the Great War offers us a direct inside of view a hitherto neglected aspect of the wartime experience a century ago.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 28, 2021
thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a free copy in return for an open and honest review
The book is partially a Phd project and an old book written after the German Prisoners went back to Germany and been translated into English. found the book very interesting and gives an insight into being a German prisoner based in the northern camp of Skipton (Yorkshire) through the hardships and dealing with British Administration
The book is partially a Phd project and an old book written after the German Prisoners went back to Germany and been translated into English. found the book very interesting and gives an insight into being a German prisoner based in the northern camp of Skipton (Yorkshire) through the hardships and dealing with British Administration
July 25, 2021
It was really fascinating to think about German POW's in Britain. I tend to spend a lot of time reading WWII related material, and so I don't often think too much about what things look like from the other side, before the Germans really became famous as captors. This was an eye-opening, if at times a bit acerbic, account of a little remembered history.
A lot of mainstream books tend to glance over this topic without going into much detail, and I appreciated that this book really went into a greater depth describing these events. The research that went into this was obviously extensive and the writing was good and had an easy to follow flow.
I liked that there were stories about individual people as well as an overall history of how these men came to be where they were. I thought the author did a good job of bringing the reader a clear picture of life in a British POW camp and allowing us to experience the sights and sounds of years gone by.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in WWI and the lesser covered topics that often escape popular view.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, Provided through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
A lot of mainstream books tend to glance over this topic without going into much detail, and I appreciated that this book really went into a greater depth describing these events. The research that went into this was obviously extensive and the writing was good and had an easy to follow flow.
I liked that there were stories about individual people as well as an overall history of how these men came to be where they were. I thought the author did a good job of bringing the reader a clear picture of life in a British POW camp and allowing us to experience the sights and sounds of years gone by.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in WWI and the lesser covered topics that often escape popular view.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, Provided through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 24, 2021
"During the First World War, nearly 9 million of the 70 million soldiers mobilised globally spent time in enemy captivity." This statistic surprised me, as did many in this fascinating and eye-opening book written about the German officers held in a prison camp in Skipton, Yorkshire. I had no clue this particular place existed. But I do now. The first officers arrived in January, 1918 to a place which was initially used as a military training camp. Evidently 916 were held over a period of nearly two years. Interestingly, structures and materials were sold after taken down in 1920.
This historical account is largely comprised of writings by the officers themselves, always compelling, often humorous. We are taken through daily activities in this POW camp through their recorded details which are thankfully now put together here. And oh, what stories! They include a witty ode to an iron bed frame, sordid food descriptions and rations, joyful letter days, putting on plays and festivals, shower rituals (including the funny fake shower officers and the infernal trumpet!), vegetable crop failures, beautiful walks in the countryside, prisoneritis (what a sense of humour!), latrines (not what you think), library book loans, temporary interior decorating a nook, church services and many officers' views on God, influenza, chicken "surprise", all superbly written.
Finally, FINALLY after what must have felt like decades, the officers were told they would be leaving after war's end. But that turned out not to be true. Not yet. Of course this affected everything from food supplies to staff. They eventually returned home but not before suffering that one last agony.
Many things will be memorable to me including the officers' illustrations and stories and also the fact that though Germans weren't exactly known for their compassion, they truly cared about their comrades, especially when several died to influenza. Still, it seems to me that this camp was not nearly as frightful as many I've read about as there was a certain semblance of freedom. This was acknowledged in this book.
Readers who are intrigued by the war, especially from the POW point of view, should read this. You will learn a LOT. Many questions I had were answered, including loads I hadn't even contemplated. Am I ever glad this was written!
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this extraordinary book in return for an honest review. Much appreciated. I love to learn and this book taught me so much about human nature.
This historical account is largely comprised of writings by the officers themselves, always compelling, often humorous. We are taken through daily activities in this POW camp through their recorded details which are thankfully now put together here. And oh, what stories! They include a witty ode to an iron bed frame, sordid food descriptions and rations, joyful letter days, putting on plays and festivals, shower rituals (including the funny fake shower officers and the infernal trumpet!), vegetable crop failures, beautiful walks in the countryside, prisoneritis (what a sense of humour!), latrines (not what you think), library book loans, temporary interior decorating a nook, church services and many officers' views on God, influenza, chicken "surprise", all superbly written.
Finally, FINALLY after what must have felt like decades, the officers were told they would be leaving after war's end. But that turned out not to be true. Not yet. Of course this affected everything from food supplies to staff. They eventually returned home but not before suffering that one last agony.
Many things will be memorable to me including the officers' illustrations and stories and also the fact that though Germans weren't exactly known for their compassion, they truly cared about their comrades, especially when several died to influenza. Still, it seems to me that this camp was not nearly as frightful as many I've read about as there was a certain semblance of freedom. This was acknowledged in this book.
Readers who are intrigued by the war, especially from the POW point of view, should read this. You will learn a LOT. Many questions I had were answered, including loads I hadn't even contemplated. Am I ever glad this was written!
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this extraordinary book in return for an honest review. Much appreciated. I love to learn and this book taught me so much about human nature.
February 18, 2021
This is a great book. It was so interesting to read about the life in a POW camp and to see the lovely illustrations.
It was also enraging to read about their "problems" in the camp when the Germans killed between 2 and 3 million Russian POW in their camps. They complained of not receiving German newspapers or as much meat as they wanted... and 20 years later the Germans tried to conquer Poland, killed millions of Jews and, as I said, POWs. It just shows how distorted their views were and not being able to realize that they were the aggressors in WWI, entering through a neutral country - Belgium - which was the reason UK joined the war. But for exactly these reasons the book is worth reading.
It was also enraging to read about their "problems" in the camp when the Germans killed between 2 and 3 million Russian POW in their camps. They complained of not receiving German newspapers or as much meat as they wanted... and 20 years later the Germans tried to conquer Poland, killed millions of Jews and, as I said, POWs. It just shows how distorted their views were and not being able to realize that they were the aggressors in WWI, entering through a neutral country - Belgium - which was the reason UK joined the war. But for exactly these reasons the book is worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews