The Makerfield Archive
Report of lectures by H A Kluthe, 21-24 June 1947
Hans Albert Kluthe (1904-1970) had been a leader of the pre-war Reichsbund der Deutschen Demokratischen Jugend (German League of Young Democrats) and was accordingly targetted by the Nazis after their rise to power in 1933. In 1936 he fled to England and was able to earn a living from teaching refugee children and producing and distributing a magazine for his fellow expatriates, “Das Wahre Deutschland”. After the War he became active in the Liberal International and, in addition to lecturing, edited a digest of articles for distribution in the POW camps.
Mr Kluthe's “German Youth and the Future” lecture was delivered to approximately 150 POWs at the main camp and each of the 4 remaining hostels - Garswood, Penketh (“has now only 44 inmates”), Golborne and Bury. Observing that “This lecture, given in plain language, found great appreciation among the listeners...”, the official report of the visit is signed by acting-commandant Major (RA) John Paterson.
More interesting, perhaps, are Mr Kluthe's observations on camp life in general and the relative impact of POW fraternization with the local civilian population. Until December 1946 German POWs had been prohibited from fraternising with civilians “except in so far as may be strictly necessary for the efficient performance of the work allotted to them”. Only “near relatives and the representatives of accredited societies and organisations” were allowed to visit the camps. On 10 December 1946 Secretary of State for War Frederick Bellenger informed the Commons that “Arrangements are being made to allow well-conducted prisoners of war to take unescorted walks within a radius of five miles of their camp or billet until lighting-up time, to converse with members of the public, and, subject to permission from their commandant, to accept invitations to private houses within the five mile radius”.* An immediate consequence of the greater freedom allowed to POWs was that voluntary participation in on-camp activities reduced considerably. The prisoners quickly discovered other antidotes to the boredom of captivity which were far more effective than any number of political discussions or lectures, as Hans Kluthe writes:
“I was surprised to find such a good camp in one of the dreariest and most depressing regions of England. This has various reasons. The most important is perhaps that none of the British officers here indulges in that petty nagging which all too often poisons the atmosphere of a whole camp. Of equal importance is the friendliness of the people of Lancashire with whom the Ps/W have many contacts. This has created a pro-British feeling which, unfortunately, is not found very often these days. There is also a good number of intelligent and politically sound people, well spread over the Hostels. I often heard the sarcastic remark that things had vastly improved after the repatriation of the 'A' men.
Attendance (except at Penketh Hostel) was shockingly bad. This was largely due to the fine weather and to the many outside contacts the Ps/W have. Can one blame a P/W who prefers to walk with a girl in the open air to listening to a lecture in a stuffy room on a lovely summer evening? [At Golborne] most Ps/W had gone to a football match against a British team...
During the summer, it will probably be the rule that lecturers can only reach a relatively small elite in most camps. But it seems important to keep their interest alive and to supply them with facts and ideas. In spite of the disappointing attendance, I feel that my visit was worthwhile and was appreciated by those who listened to me...”.
Soon after his visit to Camp 50 Mr Kluthe was given permission to settle in West Germany. He eventually became one of that country's leading newspaper and magazine publishers.
*House of Commons Official Report 19.3.1946 col 336W, 30.7.1946 col 149W and 10.12.1946 cols 967-8). At Ashton-in-Makerfield, church-goers were asked to invite POWs into their homes over the Christmas period. Bert Trautmann and Camp 50 dentist Egon Rameil spent Christmas Day 1946 with “a family [the Bensons] who lived just down the road from Garswood Park”.
Document images from the originals at National Archives ref. FO 939/300 “Reports on Camp Lectures: 50 Working Camp, Garswood Park, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire”. The photograph is from Mr Kluthe's application for an entry permit to the American-occupied zone of Germany in 1948.
Report of lectures by H A Kluthe, 21-24 June 1947
Hans Albert Kluthe (1904-1970) had been a leader of the pre-war Reichsbund der Deutschen Demokratischen Jugend (German League of Young Democrats) and was accordingly targetted by the Nazis after their rise to power in 1933. In 1936 he fled to England and was able to earn a living from teaching refugee children and producing and distributing a magazine for his fellow expatriates, “Das Wahre Deutschland”. After the War he became active in the Liberal International and, in addition to lecturing, edited a digest of articles for distribution in the POW camps.
Mr Kluthe's “German Youth and the Future” lecture was delivered to approximately 150 POWs at the main camp and each of the 4 remaining hostels - Garswood, Penketh (“has now only 44 inmates”), Golborne and Bury. Observing that “This lecture, given in plain language, found great appreciation among the listeners...”, the official report of the visit is signed by acting-commandant Major (RA) John Paterson.
More interesting, perhaps, are Mr Kluthe's observations on camp life in general and the relative impact of POW fraternization with the local civilian population. Until December 1946 German POWs had been prohibited from fraternising with civilians “except in so far as may be strictly necessary for the efficient performance of the work allotted to them”. Only “near relatives and the representatives of accredited societies and organisations” were allowed to visit the camps. On 10 December 1946 Secretary of State for War Frederick Bellenger informed the Commons that “Arrangements are being made to allow well-conducted prisoners of war to take unescorted walks within a radius of five miles of their camp or billet until lighting-up time, to converse with members of the public, and, subject to permission from their commandant, to accept invitations to private houses within the five mile radius”.* An immediate consequence of the greater freedom allowed to POWs was that voluntary participation in on-camp activities reduced considerably. The prisoners quickly discovered other antidotes to the boredom of captivity which were far more effective than any number of political discussions or lectures, as Hans Kluthe writes:
“I was surprised to find such a good camp in one of the dreariest and most depressing regions of England. This has various reasons. The most important is perhaps that none of the British officers here indulges in that petty nagging which all too often poisons the atmosphere of a whole camp. Of equal importance is the friendliness of the people of Lancashire with whom the Ps/W have many contacts. This has created a pro-British feeling which, unfortunately, is not found very often these days. There is also a good number of intelligent and politically sound people, well spread over the Hostels. I often heard the sarcastic remark that things had vastly improved after the repatriation of the 'A' men.
Attendance (except at Penketh Hostel) was shockingly bad. This was largely due to the fine weather and to the many outside contacts the Ps/W have. Can one blame a P/W who prefers to walk with a girl in the open air to listening to a lecture in a stuffy room on a lovely summer evening? [At Golborne] most Ps/W had gone to a football match against a British team...
During the summer, it will probably be the rule that lecturers can only reach a relatively small elite in most camps. But it seems important to keep their interest alive and to supply them with facts and ideas. In spite of the disappointing attendance, I feel that my visit was worthwhile and was appreciated by those who listened to me...”.
Soon after his visit to Camp 50 Mr Kluthe was given permission to settle in West Germany. He eventually became one of that country's leading newspaper and magazine publishers.
*House of Commons Official Report 19.3.1946 col 336W, 30.7.1946 col 149W and 10.12.1946 cols 967-8). At Ashton-in-Makerfield, church-goers were asked to invite POWs into their homes over the Christmas period. Bert Trautmann and Camp 50 dentist Egon Rameil spent Christmas Day 1946 with “a family [the Bensons] who lived just down the road from Garswood Park”.
Document images from the originals at National Archives ref. FO 939/300 “Reports on Camp Lectures: 50 Working Camp, Garswood Park, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire”. The photograph is from Mr Kluthe's application for an entry permit to the American-occupied zone of Germany in 1948.