Bidspirit auction | Prisoner of War: The First

Prisoner of War: The First Authentic Account of the Lives of British Prisoners of War in Enemy Hands - London, 1942 – First edition – A copy from the secret MI9 department - Prisoner of War: The First Authentic Account of the Lives of British Prisoners of War in Enemy Hands, Published by Horace Marshall on behalf of the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, 1942, A copy from MI9 – the British Military Intelligence Directorate established at the beginning of World War II with the mission of rescuing British prisoners of war. One of the earliest and most authentic accounts of the lives of British prisoners of war held in German captivity during World War II. This booklet offers a detailed depiction of daily life inside German POW camps, describing the harsh living conditions: inadequate housing, constant food and medical shortages, and the treatment of prisoners by their German guards. One escaped prisoner reported that in his camp, the labor was grueling, discipline was strict, and beyond the barest minimum, “the only things the camp authorities provided were fresh air and, occasionally, permission to wash.” The booklet also includes the first reports of prisoners being sent to forced labor—something not previously associated with POW camps. It further exposes Nazi censorship of prisoner correspondence, with many letters home containing identical, pre-approved phrases. Testimonies reveal prisoners’ growing frustration, boredom, and depression due to a repetitive, demanding daily routine. Many suffered from malnutrition, untreated injuries, and acts of cruelty committed by their captors. The overall tone suggests that “something is wrong” in these camps—hinting at larger, more concealed abuses. The booklet is richly illustrated with black-and-white photographs from inside POW camps, maps, and first-hand accounts, powerfully conveying the hardships and psychological strain endured by British POWs. The Germans created a false appearance of relatively good conditions in POW camps in order to conceal their activities in the concentration camps. Since the Red Cross had free access to the prisoner-of-war camps, and the Germans outwardly appeared to respect international conventions, Red Cross officials were able to report that conditions in the camps were “adequate.” In doing so, the Germans effectively deflected suspicion about the atrocities being carried out at the same time in the concentration camps, as the impression was given that they were maintaining reasonable standards for prisoners. (In general, any German-controlled area to which the Red Cross was granted access was used by the Nazis to construct this illusion of humane treatment.) The booklet before us contains no reports of death crematoria, starvation to death, incineration of corpses, or daily executions. The author of the booklet appears to have been aware of this limitation, and noted on the final page: “Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this booklet is accurate at the time of publication, it should be noted that the conditions affecting prisoners of war change from time to time, and that alterations may occur…”. MI9 was a division within British Military Intelligence, established at the outset of World War II with the mission of rescuing military personnel—primarily downed airmen whose planes had crashed in occupied territories, but also British prisoners of war held in German-controlled areas across Europe. Its Cairo branch operated in close coordination with the leadership of the Yishuv (Jewish community in Mandatory Palestine), conducting joint rescue missions in Eastern European countries with the help of Jewish paratroopers from Palestine. The department established contact with underground resistance networks throughout Nazi-occupied Europe, enlisting their help in smuggling out Allied pilots who had been shot down and in facilitating the escape of POWs. For this purpose, MI9 deployed agents—usually via parachute—into occupied territories. These agents established essential connections, organized escape routes, and provided forged documents, money, and maps. The British Red Cross and the Order of St. John War Organization, a civilian body working in cooperation with the War Office, was responsible for delivering food parcels, medicine, and humanitarian aid to British prisoners of war throughout Europe. 28 [2] pages. Very good condition.