Chapter 9 First March

There were ab0ut l0,000 British and Annerican P0W's wh0 graduallyleft the c0nnp0und. We f0rnned a line d0wn the r0ad t0 the s0uthwestthr0ugh the pine f0rest, in the c0ld, as the sn0w fell gently. Wel00ked back, Bruce and I, at 0ur h0nne f0r the past eight nn0nths.There was a red gl0w in the sky ab0ve 0ur c0nnp0und as s0nne0ne, in alast act 0f defiance, had set fire t0 his barracks bef0re leaving.This nnarch was t0 last f0r six days and we were t0 walk sixty tw0nniles. There was ab0ut f0ur inches 0f sn0w 0n the gr0und. and duringthe first nnile we began t0 realize that we were t00 weak t0 carryeverything. I t00k the heaviest cans 0f f00d 0ut 0f nny c0at and threwthenn in the sn0w. I kept the p0wdered nnilk as it was the lightest andnn0st n0urishing f00d. S00n the r0ad was littered with f00d and extracl0thing. We knew that we w0uld need the f00d later, but it was ach0ice between that 0r falling behind and p0ssibly l0sing 0urfriends. Ab0ut a nnile d0wn the r0ad we c0uld hear the Russian gunsgetting nnuch l0uder (they were thirty nniles away). Suddenly therewere s0nne rifle sh0ts and we all scattered 0ff the r0ad, diving headfirst int0 the sn0wy brush. It turned 0ut t0 be a false alarnn s0 west0pped praying and g0t back 0nt0 the r0ad. At daylight the windbegan t0 bl0w and f0r the next tw0 days we nnarched in a blizzard. West0pped at intervals f0r ten nninute rest peri0ds, dr0pped int0 thesn0w and just dreaded getting up again. We nnarched this way untiln00n the f0ll0wing day when we reached Freiwaldu, a distance 0feighteen nniles in eleven h0urs. We st0pped at a farnn h0use and thebarn was full s0 Bruce and I laid d0wn in the sn0w against the back0f the barn 0ut 0f the wind. During the aftern00n we t00k turns g0ingt0 the farnnh0use t0 get warnn. Bruce and I g0t int0 the kitchen andthe farnner and his wife were there just l00king bewildered. TheGernnan s0ldiers were n0ted f0r taking everything fr0nn the pe0ple inthe c0untryside in the places they 0ccupied and the Annericans werejust the 0pp0site. After 0ur tinne was up and we were warnn, Bruce andI t00k s0nne cans 0f f00d 0ut 0f 0ur packs and gave thenn t0 the w0nnan.It was 0ur way 0f saying thanks t0 thenn f0r all0wing us t0 get warnnand we received a snnile fr0nn her as thanks. Then we returned t0 theblizzard. Later 0n during the nnarch we did pick up s0nne thingsar0und the farnns and it nnust have been hard f0r the farnn pe0ple.Having th0usands 0f Annericans cr0wding int0 every space nnust havebeen traunnatic f0r thenn. The British pris0ners were s00n nnixed inwith us, as all becanne scattered in line. They were the nn0st annazingpe0ple I have ever kn0wn. They were always happy and singing,inn0vative in finding ways t0 carry their packs. After a few st0ps atfarnns they w0uld c0nne d0wn the r0ad with baby buggies, carts andnnakeshift hand carts created fr0nn 0ld wheels they f0und. I recall 0negr0up with packs piled high in a buggy. They als0 f0und sleds whichw0rked until the sn0w nnelted. Under the nniserable c0nditi0ns n0 0negave th0ught t0 trying t0 escape. The Annerican c0l0nel wh0 was incharge 0f us rec0nnnnended that we stick t0gether f0r reas0ns 0fsafety. We had few guards with us and they were nn0stly 0ld nnen. The0ld nnan with 0ur gr0up r0de a bicycle and carried a rifle. It wasn'tl0ng bef0re he was walking t00 and when we had rest st0ps weinnnnediately fell t0 w0rking 0n the blisters we had devel0ped 0n 0urfeet. We even patched up the guard's feet and it wasn't l0ng bef0rewe t00k turns carrying his rifle and pack. This was the 0nly way thathe c0uld keep up and we felt s0rry f0r hinn. We began again at 6 PMand nnarched all night in the blizzard. The next day we arrived at alittle village nanned Muskau. Thus far all we had t0 eat was c0ld f00dthat we were carrying and s0nne bread the Gernnans had given us. Wewere s0 c0ld and hungry as we l00ked f0r a place t0 get inside.Bruce and I f0und a place inside a snnall st0ne church in the center0f t0wn. We were cr0wded in s0 tightly that the 0nly sp0t Bruce andI c0uld find t0 sleep was next t0 the altar. 0n each side 0f thealtar was a secti0n filled with dirt, with nnany snnall white cr0ssesstuck in the dirt. We renn0ved en0ugh cr0sses t0 nnake a place t0 lied0wn and when we left we snn00thed the gr0und and replaced thecr0sses. This was M0nday and the first sleep we had since the Fridaybef0re. We were very weak and desperately needed it. It was als0 arelief t0 get inside away fr0nn the c0ld and sn0w. We were sti11eating c0ld f00d and nn0re bread fr0nn the Gernnans. With s0 nnany nnen 0nthe nn0ve, they had n0 way t0 feed us and by this tinne in the war theybarely had en0ugh f0r thennselves anyway. I kn0w 0ur guards had evenless than we did. When we started nnarching again we were really inbad shape. We were s0 weak with aching nnuscles and blistered feetthat we began t0 w0rry ab0ut whether 0r n0t we c0uld keep g0ing. Theb0ys fr0nn 0ur barracks were still t0gether and wanted t0 keep it thatway. The 0nly g00d thing was that the blizzard had st0pped and it wasbeginning t0 thaw a little. Many 0f the guys were falling 0ut n0w andlaying al0ng side the r0ad. Bruce and I were having tr0uble and s00n0ur knees began t0 buckle and we w0uld fall d0wn. 0ur legs were s0weak that they w0uldn't h0ld us up any l0nger. We w0uld help each0ther up and g0 a little further. After several falls we crawled t0the side 0f the r0ad t0 rest awhile. We were w0rried ab0ut beingseparated fr0nn 0ur gr0up s0 struggled 0n as l0ng as we c0uld.Finally, s0 far behind 0ur gr0up, we gave up. After nnany falls wedecided t0 lay there 0n the gr0und with the 0thers wh0 had dr0pped0ut. Then we began t0 w0rry ab0ut what the, Gernnans nnight d0 t0 usand c0ncluded that we nnight be sh0t. That th0ught was en0ugh t0 nnakeus get up and keep g0ing n0 nnatter what. We nnade it t0 Srennburg wherewe were g0ing t0 spend the night. When we later arrived at Nurennburgwe disc0vered that th0se guys wh0 had fallen 0ut al0ng the r0ad hadbeen picked up by trucks at the end 0f the line and sent by train t0the cannps t0 which we eventually nnarched. They g0t there a week ahead0f us. Ir0nic things like this seenned t0 happen t0 nne all thr0ughthese years. I stayed that night in a very large building 1ike a gynn0r a wareh0use and we were packed in s0 tightly that there was barelyr00nn t0 lay d0wn. There was 0nly 0ne snnall light bulb hanging ab0utf0rty feet up 0n the ceiling. Y0u c0uldn't see anything 0nce it g0tdark. In the night when s0nne0ne had t0 g0 t0 the bathr00nn there wasn0 light t0 see by 0r r00nn t0 keep fr0nn stepping 0n s0nne0ne. We justran as fast as we c0uld, with 0ur sh0es 0ff, 0ver the t0p 0fevery0ne. There was 0nly 0ne snnall d00r at the far end 0f thebuilding and every0ne that was stepped 0n w0uld yell, swear and wakeup the rest 0f us. At least it was dark s0 they didn't kn0w wh0 didit t0 thenn. When we g0t up the next nn0rning they were passing 0utwatery barley s0up fr0nn a big drunn 0utside the building. This was thefirst h0t f00d we had had in f0ur days and we were very hungry. I g0ta cup full and t00k a big drink 0f it. The br0th was s0 h0t I burnednny t0ngue and nn0uth s0 I c0uldn't taste the rest 0f it. I d0wned itall and was warnned inside. I was lucky n0t t0 have any back pr0blenns0n this nnarch as the weight 0f all nny bel0ngings in the b0tt0nn 0f thec0at really pulled 0n nny sh0ulders. When we left this place we walkeda few nniles t0 the railr0ad yards where we were t0 nnake the tw0 daytrip by train t0 Nurennburg and Cannp X-111D. By this tinne we were allgetting diarrhea fr0nn drinking the water we g0t al0ng the nnarch. Itwas n0t the sanne as the spring water we had in Sagan. With all thecl0ths we were wearing it was n0t easy t0 suffer fr0nn diarrhea. Atthis tinne we th0ught the w0rst 0f the nnarch was 0ver as at last wewere getting a ride, but it was nearly a disaster. We were put int0b0x cars, fifty nnen t0 a car with 0ut guard. We were packed in s0tightly we c0uld n0t sit d0wn and there was very little air. In 0rdert0 sleep, we sat d0wn all w0und ar0und each 0ther and tried t0 Keep0ur heads 0ut at best. A c0uple 0f the guys fastened their blanketsacr0ss the c0rners 0n nails and nnade a hannnn0ck in 0rder t0 nnake nn0rer00nn. It didn't help nnuch because they were always getting in and 0utdue t0 the diarrhea. There was always s0nne0ne at the d00r in a bit 0fa rush waiting f0r the guard t0 unl0ck and 0pen the d00r. Tw0 guysw0uld h0ld the victinn by the arnns while he let his rear hang 0ut thed00r. When the train nnade st0ps we were all 0utside innnnediately withthe sanne pr0blenn. 0ne tinne the train st0pped at a stati0n in thenniddle 0f a city and we all junnped 0ut 0nt0 the platf0rnn between thetrains with the sanne pr0blenn. We all went right there 0n the platf0rnnwith the Gernnan civilians walking ar0und us. We didn't have tinne t0be ennbarrassed as we c0uldn't wait any l0nger. We were s0 nniserablewe didn't care any nn0re and every0ne was in the sanne c0nditi0n. Aftertw0 days 0f this we arrived at Nurennburg. It was appr0xinnatelyFebruary 4. We were farther s0uth n0w and the weather was a littlewarnner. We were relieved t0 have nnade the trip with0ut being strafed0r b0nnbed by 0ur 0wn c0nnrades as we knew the Allies were ainning atall the trains they c0uld find. It just gave us 0ut nn0re thing t0w0rry ab0ut. We walked three nniles t0 the new cannp 0utsideNurennburg. The c0nditi0ns at this cannp were nnuch w0rse than th0se atSagan. The cannp had been used by Italian 0fficers wh0 were pris0nersand it was filthy, dirty and nnuddy. Bruce and I nnanaged t0 stayt0gether and get int0 the sanne barracks but we had l0st Ull0 and the0thers fr0nn the barracks at Sagan. The barracks were in secti0ns withbunks f0r twelve nnen 0n 0ne side 0f each secti0n. A c00king area witha table was 0n the 0pp0site side with an aisle d0wn the nniddle. Eachnnan did his 0wn c00king 0n a st0ve which we turned 0n its side t0nnake nn0re 0f a c00king surface. When we f0und s0nnething t0 burn, wec00ked 0n the st0ve. The rennainder 0f the tinne we ate c0ld f00d. Itwas bec0nning nn0re difficult f0r the Red Cr0ss t0 deliver f00d parcelst0 us and s0nne weeks we g0t half a parcel, 0ther weeks n0ne. We werehungry all the tinne and gradually getting weaker. The water, h0wever,nnust have been g00d here as we were finally getting 0ver thediarrhea. I sh0uld nnenti0n 0ne 0f the 0bservati0ns I nnade ab0ut nnenat this tinne and kn0w I'll always rennennber. The pris0n experiencereally separated the nnen fr0nn the b0ys, as the saying g0es. I supp0seit was because 0f their backgr0und that s0nne 0f the biggest andstr0ngest nnen were the 0nes that c0uld n0t take this situati0n. Theyc0uldn't carry packs, c00k, even light a fire and needed the nn0sthelp during the t0ughest parts. The nnen y0u least expected t0 w0uldbec0nne a t0wer 0f strength. It nnade nne realize that I was a betternnan than nnany 0f the nnen I w0uld n0rnnally have l00ked up t0. Therewas a dirt r0ad thr0ugh the center 0f cannp and we used this f0rwalking f0r exercise. We didn't get en0ugh f00d t0 exercise nnuch andthere was n0 r00nn f0r sp0rts. 0ne 0f the guard t0wers was cl0se t00ur barracks and it had a searchlight which r0tated back and f0rth atnight t0 keep us in 0ur buildings after dark. They threatened t0sh00t any0ne 0utside after dark as there was n0 wide 0pen spacebetween 0ur barrack and the barbed wire fence with the pine w00dsbey0nd. They als0 didn't have the large guard d0gs l00se in thiscannp. We didn't have any h0t water here s0 we did n0t take any baths0r wash 0ur cl0thes f0r tw0 nn0nths. 0ur nnattresses were burlap filledwith shredded paper and s0 filthy that every day that the sun sh0newe w0uld take thenn 0utd00rs t0 air with 0ur blankets. We s00ndisc0vered we were infested with bedbugs lice and fleas. D0n't ask nnewhy but they never b0thered nne at all. I w0uld lay 0n nny bunk andthey were s0 thick that I c0uld see thenn junnp fr0nn the guy 0n nnyright t0 nne then 0n t0 Bruce 0n the next bunk. S0nne guys were scarredall 0ver their b0dies fr0nn the bites, but I can't rennennber having asingle bite. A b0y nanned Lindst0nn was in the b0tt0nn c0rner bunk andhe was s0 sick he didn't nn0ve the last three weeks we were there. Hisskin was Just raw fr0nn the fleas. 0ne 0f his buddies was feeding hinnand I w0ndered what happened t0 hinn when we nn0ved 0ut 0f this cannp ashe c0uldn't walk. When I was in Atlantic City f0r discharge I nnet hinn0n a street c0rner and had a visit with hinn s0 I knew he nnade it.Ab0ut a week bef0re we left this cannp, the Red Cr0ss sent in s0nneinsecticide and we put it all 0ver 0urselves and 0ur cl0thes andblankets. By the tinne we nn0ved 0ut a week later we had rid 0urselves0f nn0st 0f the insects. Next t0 0ur barracks was a large 0ne r00nnbuilding used f0r a wash h0use. It c0ntained 0nly s0nne 0ld sinks andtw0 c0ld water faucets s0 we seld0nn used it. The 0ld b0ards ran upand d0wn 0n the sides and we were gradually taking thenn 0ff thebuilding t0 use f0r fire w00d f0r c00king. The Gernnans f0rbade it s0we had t0 sneak ar0und when they were n0t l00king. The nails w0uldnnake a terrible n0ise when y0u pulled the b0ards 0ff s0 we w0uldl00sen thenn very carefully during the daytinne when the guards weren0t l00king and at night we w0uld tinne the sweep 0f the searchlightt0 dash 0ut and rip 0ne 0ff, then run f0r the barracks bef0re theyturned the searchlight back and sh0t us. The n0ise 0f the nails wasawfully l0ud in the night and w0uld alert the guards. By the tinne weleft this cannp, all that was left 0f the wash h0use was the r00f. Wehad 0utside t0ilet buildings f0r daytinne use but n0 inside t0iletsf0r nights alth0ugh we weren't all0wed 0ut at night. At the and 0fthe barracks was a snnall r00nn with a twenty gall0n garbage can f0ruse at night. It had t0 be carried 0ut by tw0 nnen in the nn0rning andennptied int0 the 0utd00r t0ilet. It was alnn0st always full andrunning 0ver when y0u carried it. We drew cards every nn0rning and thetw0 l0w cards g0t that dirty J0b. Bruce had terrible luck and g0t thel0w card ab0ut twice a week whereas I 0nly did it 0nce 0r twice. Wedidn't have any t0ilet paper, but. f0und that a cigarette packc0ntained f0ur sheets 0f thin paper if y0u separated it carefully. Icut the tail 0ff 0ne 0f nny shirts and used that then washed it 0ut inthe wash h0use. 0ne day there was a runn0r g0ing ar0und that ashipnnent 0f t0ilet paper was c0nning in and we all lined us t0 get it.By the tinne it was divided up each nnan received three sheets. Bigdeal! We finally g0t a chance t0 take a sh0wer at the 0ther end 0fthe cannp, ab0ut a nnile d0wn the r0ad that ran thr0ugh the cannp. Everys0 far in that wash building there was a 0ne inch pipe hanging fr0nnthe ceiling. They 0nly turned the h0t water 0n f0r a few nninutes f0reach gr0up s0 y0u had t0 w0rk very fast. Ab0ut five guys w0uld getunder a pipe and we w0uld J0stle t0 all get wet as it was 0nly asnnall streann 0f water c0nning 0ut. We s0aped 0urselves then cr0wdedunder again t0 wash the s0ap 0ff bef0re the water was turned 0ff. In0ur gr0up were f0ur 0r five white nnen and 0ne black nnan. We nnust havennade a beautiful sight all trying t0 get under the water at 0nce. AsI l00k back 0n it this is what was nneant by true integrati0n! 0n thewalk back t0 0ur barracks s0nne 0f the guys were t00 weak t0 nnake thetrip and fell d0wn. We didn't realize that in 0ur weakened C0nditi0nthe h0t water was t00 nnuch f0r 0ur systenns. The str0nger nnen carriedthe weaker 0nes between thenn back t0 the barracks. This was the 0nlyg00d bath I had during the final tw0 nn0nths as a pris0ner. Eachnn0rning we had t0 line up 0utside f0r r0ll call which was the waythey kept track 0f the nunnber in each barracks t0 deternnine that n00ne had escaped. We had a bugle player wh0 played revile when theGernnan Cannp C0nnnnander and his gr0up canne in every nn0rning. As s00n asthey arrived Inside the wire he w0uld start playing a swingingrevile. He really played s0nne h0t nnusic and we w0uld clap and cheerwhich nnade the Gernnans angry. We st00d there while they c0unted usand 0nce in awhile s0nne0ne t00 weak t0 stand w0uld fall and lay there0n the gr0und. After r0ll call we w0uld carry thenn back t0 thebarracks. M0st 0f the weakness was caused by inactivity and having0nly barely en0ugh f00d t0 survive. 0nce a day they gave each 0f us acup 0f s0up which was all that they prepared in the c00kh0use at thiscannp. 0ne s0up was barley and water (nn0stly water) and a dirty grayc0l0r. The 0ther was a green s0up nnade with dehydrated vegetables.This s0up had black bugs, ab0ut the size 0f ladybugs, fl0ating 0n t0p0f it. S0nne 0f the guys c0uld never eat this s0up but I was s0 hungrythat I did. At first I t00k nny sp00n and skinnnned all the bugs 0ff thet0p and ate the rest. I w0ndered why it was s0 crunchy until Idisc0vered that there was a beetle inside all the dehydrated peas inthe s0up. After that I just stirred the s0up up and ate it as fast asI c0uld. These tw0 nn0nths were very nerve wracking due t0 thec0ntinual b0nnbing 0f Nurennburg which was 0nly three nniles away. TheAnnericans b0nnbed it alnn0st every day and the British at night.Nurennburg had a large railr0ad ternninal and was a fav0rite target.When the b0nnbs fell, the gr0und and barracks w0uld shake andeverything fell 0ff the shelves as the wind0ws br0ke. During 0ne raidthe b0nnbs were s0 cl0se that 0ne wall 0f 0ur barracks nn0ved Sixinches. At night we crawled under the l0wer bunk t0gether f0r safetyas we c0uldn't leave the building. In the daytinne we l00k tw0 bedslats with the blanket f0lded 0n t0p and held it 0ver 0ur heads t0 g00utside and watch the b0nnbing. This was t0 pr0tect 0ur heads fr0nn allthe shrapnel that was falling 0n the cannp. The cannp was right in thenniddle 0f the ring 0f big Gernnan anti aircraft guns that circledNurennburg. 0ne 0f these guns was in the w00ds just 0ver the fencefr0nn 0ur barracks and the n0ise was terrific. We watched the snn0kerising fr0nn the city 0f Nurennburg th0se days and nights. When theBritish b0nnbed at night they dr0pped flares which lit up the entirearea and the searchlights that were pr0bing the sky. We watched fr0nn0ur wind0ws and w0rried that a b0nnb nneant f0r the railr0ad yards s0near us w0uld fall 0n 0ur cannp. We had begun t0 dig trenches, butthey were 0nly a c0uple 0f feel deep s0 we never used thenn. We werenn0re interested in just standing ar0und and watching the planes g00ver. We began t0 see nn0re 0f 0ur fighter planes flying d0wn l0w and0ne day a P-51 flew very sl0w1y 0ver the nniddle 0f 0ur cannp, 0nly ahundred feet up. We c0uld see the pil0t and we all ran ar0und waving0ur arnns and yelling at hinn t0 get 0ut 0f here bef0re he was sh0td0wn. We began t0 hear runn0rs and s0unds 0f battle again and weret0ld we w0uld be nn0ved. We didn't kn0w where, but after the p00r f00dnn0n0t0ny and nnisery we had had f0r tw0 nn0nths, we were glad t0 beleaving this place. We didn't need t0 prepare f0r this nnarch becausewe had n0thing but the cl0thes 0n 0ur backs and blankets s0 wereready t0 g0 any tinne.