Prisoner Number…………….
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| Spandau Prison,W. Berlin-entrance. |
Never having been inside a real prison (some vicious tongues would say through pure luck),
I have no idea of the general routine there.
Not that “Spandau Gefangnis” wasn’t a real
prison.
 |
| Spandau Prison & Smuts Barracks. |
It was, and had been built for some hundreds of prisoners, before finally becoming
the landing place for higher ranked Nazi war criminal prisoners.
Although they were not
only in their hundreds, but rather millions, only very few of those caught, tried and sentenced to jail terms, found their way here.
Here it was that they were guarded by the various “winners” of the WWII, mainly the USA, G.Britain, France, Holland and a few smaller, not represented in Berlin, Nations.
There were never a
lot of Prisoners, so the prison premises were greatly underused, and by the time I arrived there
with the “Squadron B of The Royal Dragoons” in 1966, there was only one solitary
occupant of the whole prison. Herr Rudolph Hess,
one time Nr 2 in the Nazi Party, and one
time Hitler second-in-command.
He was always referred to as “the prisoner number 7…….” Even although he was the only
one!
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The Lone Prisoner-Rudolph Hess.
in 'His garden'. |
Whether tradition, or simple military tomfoolery, I can’t tell you, but I do know that
this “prisoner number 7” had requested this number years earlier, when the prisoner
officially known as “Hitler’s inheritor”
 |
Admiral Karl Dönitz.
(Successor to Hitler) |
(the last “Fuhrer”) had been released.
This title had, apparently, always rankled in Herr Hess’s mind, as being, by right, HIS title,
and not some fly-by-night.
He therefore demanded to be moved to Cell nr 7 which had been
occupied by the “false Fuhrer”. This request had been allowed, particularly because it
made the job of guarding him simpler!
Hess, whose history is well recounted by other more competent authors, was mad - mentally afflicted.
Somewhere between typing Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” in the Bavarian prison, as his
Secretary, years before the 1933 events, and his ill-fated flight to the Scottish moors to
“arrange matters between two great Aryan peoples” a fuse, or many fuses had burnt
through!
All this was in the past now, but these attacks of madness came and went, even in prison.
He had the right to a small garden, where he could dream of the IV Reich, he had paper
and pen to write his version of events in the past and in the future.
We were there to guard him, an elderly, frail, useless madman!
When the Russians came for their period of 3 months guard duty, they took out the bed
frame, the table, the chair, and amused themselves watching Hess arrange the mattress as a
sort of chair during the day, pushed up against the wall, and letting it down every night.
When the French had their 3 months, Hess complained that the white bread served by the
French gave him “wind”!
When the USA came around for 3 months, he complained at their 'complete and utter naivety', as a
“younger country, which could have become great, with National Socialism”.
When our turn, the British, came around, he complained about everything, from the fact that
such a “great race could have contemplated becoming traitors to the Aryan cause” to the
fact that he had a belly-ache and wanted to go to hospital. We were the only ones who took him to the Hospital, because it was in our part of W. Berlin.
I recall one such episode, when a sympathetic you corporal of the guard offered him a
cigarette.
Hess was a non-smoker, but he accepted it, and asked for a light.
The light having
been given, Hess demanded the Officer of the guard, and on his arrival, complained that
this young corporal had “breached the rules by giving a cigarette and, even worse, a light,
to a prisoner.
Said prisoner could have set fire to things with said lit cigarette”.
He demanded the punishment of the corporal!
Effectively the Corporal WAS punished as charged, but no action was taken other than to
return the corporal to his main Unit in West Germany!
Such things went on all day, every day, and when the 3 months were over, we were all
mental wrecks, but had another 9 months to recuperate! (At that time, we were responsible
for the Admin of the prison because it lay in our part of Berlin, but NOT responsible for the
prisoner.) Two periods of guard duty were normal as a part of the British permanent staff,
therefore a period of some 15 months represented, normally, the posting period. Of course
leave and other things had to be taken as normal, but never in the Prisoner Guard Duty
periods. Then, and only then, were we at complete full strength.
As though prisoner
number 7 was going to revolt, or break out or something worse!
Political and Military
pride, determined elsewhere, in London,Paris,Moscow, Washington etc, had to be fulfilled
and forcibly backed-up!
A financial and human nonsense.
The ritual in prison, under our control, was simple - rise and shine at 7am (Hess was
already 'up and about', well before this time), breakfast, cell inspection, recreation (mainly in
the small garden in the central well of the prison) lunch, rest in the afternoon, teatime
(supper or evening meal), lights out at 2100hrs (Hess invariably had already gone to bed)!
This was the routine, and sprinkled into this were any urgencies, emergencies, visits,
checks, controls, investigation of complaints, etc…..
Time passed, but those three months felt like 3 years.
I don’t think there is any point in my continuing to talk about the prison and its inmate (or
if you count us, its inmates!). The only really exciting things happened generally when
transports to the British Military Hospital had to be arranged, because representatives of
ALL occupying forces had to be present!
It was hilarious!
So was life in West Berlin!
West Berlin life in the 60's.
I have already described, a little, the outings to the Eastern part,
but of course, most of our time was spent in the Western part, and that was quite
something!
Berlin was always “Eine Reise Wert”, (worth a trip) as the German Tourist industry
announced, and we welcomed the chance of seeing and using all the possibilities.
We were relatively well off, with the extras paid for “active”
duty, for “duty abroad” with the enormous profits made by us from Drinks and tobacco
“arrangements” with the locals.
Civilian prices in West Berlin were kept to a minimum by
the powers that be, as proof to East Germans, Russians and anybody else, that the West was
RICH!!!
Everything, and I mean everything, was available at most reasonable prices.
In the early days, an enormous store had opened in down-town West Berlin.
Called the
“KA-DE-WE” (Kaufhaus des Westens – meaning The Superstore of the West) it grew and
grew. Each department had its own sort of everything! Each Department had its own
attractions, like fashion shows, perfume shows and beauty demonstrations, wine-tasting
and food tasting events – just about everything, and everything of the highest quality, some
things being even a little on the “unsure about the legality” side. As an example, I recall
that the butchers department, had, for some months, the sale of “Lion meat” and “Bear
meat” on the programme, and this meat was openly shown, together with an example of the
animal, in the chilled compartments. This was not too great to look at, but was proof of
what the West could do!
On the other hand, one could spend a day, without any problem, and without spending any money in this enormous place.
Tastings of food and wine, coffee and liqueurs, all free, were
liberally dosed, and of the highest quality. The place was subsidized by the Occupying
Allied Forces and their Governments, which meant things like fresh daily imports of bread
from Paris, oysters from Brittany, game from Scotland, fish, shellfish from everywhere,
cheese from France, Italy, everything of the highest, freshest quality. The proud motto
was:” If KADEWE hasn’t got it, and can’t get it in 24 hours, it doesn’t exist!”
Imagine, the
hit of the period was Hamburgers!
This was before McDonald's etc set up their monopoly of
the world’s diet!
The cinemas all had the latest films, before anywhere else in the world, and they were ALL
in their original languages, with subtitles for the Germans!
The Opera house (although I didn’t go at this period), only entertained the idea of WORLD
performers, concerts were by the most well-known groups and bands of the period, the
bars, cafes, nightclubs were all extra-ordinary. West Berlin did not “close” - it was open
24 hours a day, as the Tourist Industry again impressed upon the Tourists, 'Berlin ist Eine Reise Wirt', and WE LIVED
THERE!
Young soldiers, with money – by god, that was a time - and a half!
The sports facilities, for the servicemen and their friends, were second to none even those of
today.
They were ALL free, even the golf courses, even the glider or small plane flying
courses.
Of course, the soldiers had to be kept occupied, because you couldn’t just take a car and go
off for a drive!
We were prisoners as well, surrounded by E. Germany, with only 4 road
corridors and 2 railway corridors allowed for entry and exit for individuals or groups,
military or civilian. Closely guarded areas, all people and all vehicles (apart from trains)
were inspected before entry, and before exit, of the E. German territory, by East German
and Russian troops and dogs.
Military had to have “exit” visas from their British Units in
Berlin, or “entry” visas from their Regiments in West Germany.
A minimum distance of
some 250 kilometers of “enemy territory” had to be covered to reach the nearest “friendly”
country!
Some soldiers did get “homesick” but were always returned, under heavy military
escort, by the Russians, and an “official protest” was made.
Actually, for the Russians, it was all an excuse to
visit West Berlin, and do some Shopping!
Oysters,French bread, you name it it's there...!
Anyway, it may be that I will return, occasionally, to this theme of West Berlin, or
West/East Germany of the epoch. I think that for now the reader has been given an inkling
as to what sort of life We had access to at the time!
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| and more food...! |
Berlin was like that, in the 60's, and stayed like that when We went back as civilians in the 80's, it was still the same - or better...!******************
The final part will deal with my farewell party to Berlin, and with my last travel out in the
“Berlin-Helmstedt Express” – the only British Military train I know of which surprised all
ranks with “waiter-service” at meal times!! Drop in and have a read - whenever!
Ian Mitchell with Kate Odell-Mitchell
his deceased wife, in the 70's
in Lunel, France.
