Ruhleben Prison Camp - Panoramic View Art

Ruhleben internment camp was a civilian detention camp in Germany during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. It was located in Ruhleben, a former '' Vorwerk'' manor to the west of

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

, now split between the districts of

Spandau Spandau () is the westernmost of the 12 boroughs () of Berlin, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and extending along the western bank of the Havel. It is the smallest borough by population, but the fourth largest by land ...

and

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf () is the fourth borough of Berlin, formed in an administrative reform with effect from 1 January 2001, by merging the former boroughs of Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf. Overview Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf covers the w ...

. The camp was originally a

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...

track laid out north of the Berlin-Hamburg Railway line in 1908.

Detainees

Ruhleben Prison Camp - Christmas Dinner Art

The camp detainees included male citizens of the Allied Powers living, studying, working or on holiday in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

at the outbreak of

. They also included the crews of several civilian ships stranded in German harbours or captured at sea. As well, there were a number of fishermen captured from trawlers which had been sunk in the North Sea in the first days of the war: they were mainly men from

Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship * Submarine hull Mathematics * Affine hull, in affi ...

Grimsby Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town and the administrative centre of North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, England. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes directly to the south-east forming a conurbation. Grimsby is north-east of Linco ...

and

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. Numbers in the camp varied between 4,000 and 5,500 prisoners, most of them British. Life in the camp was described in several books and essays subsequently written by detainees. They included '' To Ruhleben – And Back'' (1916) by

Geoffrey Pyke Geoffrey Nathaniel Joseph Pyke (9 November 1893 – 21 February 1948) was an English journalist, educationalist, and inventor. Pyke came to public attention when he escaped from internment in Germany during World War I. He had travelled ...

, who had successfully escaped from the camp in 1915, and ''Life in Ruhleben, 1914–1918'' (1920) by

Frederick Keel James Frederick Keel (8 May 18719 August 1954) was an English composer of art songs, baritone singer and academic. Keel was a successful recitalist and a professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music. He combined scholarly and artistic inter ...

. Quarters were cramped: the stable blocks averaged 27 stalls, each housing six men, and the stable block lofts each housed about 200 men. The German authorities adhered to the

Geneva Convention upright=1.15, Original document in single pages, 1864 The Geneva Conventions are four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term ''Geneva Conven ...

and allowed the camp detainees to administer their own internal affairs. Gradually, a mini-society evolved. Letters, books, sports equipment and a printing press were all allowed into the camp, and the detainees organised their own police force, magazine, library and postal service. The latter, known as the Ruhleben Express Delivery, was organised by Albert Kamps and began operating in July 1915. Soon it was handling over 6,000 pieces of mail per month, and 16 different postage stamps were issued which have since become collectors items. In April 1916, however, the German postal authorities declared the service illegal and it ceased operating. Prisoners grew their own fruit and vegetables, especially because fresh produce was hard to come by. That evolved into the Ruhleben Horticultural Society, which developed close links with the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

in London. In addition, a number of independent businesses developed within the camp, including a casino.

Arts and culture

The Gala Performance - 'the Mikado' at the Theatre of the British Civilian Pow Camp, Ruhleben, Germany Art

The detainees arranged their own entertainment. Among them were several musicians, including Ernest MacMillan, later to become a conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Other British musicians included

Edgar Bainton Edgar Leslie Bainton (14 February 18808 December 1956) was a British-born, latterly Australian-resident composer. He is remembered today mainly for his liturgical anthem ''And I saw a new heaven'', a popular work in the repertoire of Anglican ch ...

, Edward Clark and the Australian-born Arthur Benjamin. MacMillan was a prominent member of the Ruhleben Musical Society, formed in 1915, and directed performances of ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan, operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, whe ...

'' (with orchestra and costumes) and a

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

version of '' Cinderella''. MacMillan transcribed the music for the former from memory with the help of four other musicians, including Benjamin Dale.MacMillan, Sir Ernest (1997). MacMillan on music: essays on music, Carl Morey (ed.
pp. 25–29
Dundurn Press Among those who attended these performances were

James W. Gerard James Watson Gerard III (August 25, 1867 – September 6, 1951) was a United States lawyer, diplomat, and justice of the New York Supreme Court. Early life Gerard was born in Geneseo, New York. His father, James Watson Gerard Jr., was a lawy ...

, the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

ambassador. The detainees also presented ''

Trial by Jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a significant ...

'', '' The Pirates of Penzance'', ''

The Yeomen of the Guard ''The Yeomen of the Guard; or, The Merryman and His Maid'', is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888 and ran for 423 performances. This was the eleventh ...

'' and '' The Gondoliers''. MacMillan gave lectures on each of

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

's symphonies, which were followed by

piano duet According to the ''Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', there are two kinds of piano duet: "those for two players at one instrument, and those in which each of the two pianists has an instrument to themself." In American usage the former is ...

performances played by him together with Benjamin Dale. MacMillan was also a member of the Ruhleben Drama Society and acted in productions of ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

'', ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

'', '' Lady Windermere's Fan'' and ''

The Importance of Being Earnest ''The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious ...

''. The artist

Charles Freegrove Winzer Charles Henry D. Freegrove Winzer (1886–1940) was a British painter and lithographer. He lived in Paris, and was interned by Germany in World War I. Afterwards, he worked in Sri Lanka, until retirement to Vienna. He is widely regarded as a ...

was interned at the camp, and provided illustrations for the camp magazine. His detention was contested, because he worked for the

French Red Cross The French Red Cross (french: Croix-Rouge française), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public u ...

, and had been visiting his sister in Germany with permission of the military authorities there. Some of his

lithograph Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...

s, depicting life in the camp, are now in the

Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...

collection.

Sports

Ruhleben Prison Camp - slaves of the ring Art

Sports also played a major role in the lives of the detainees. Among them were several former professional

footballers A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...

, including three former

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

internationals, Fred Pentland, Samuel Wolstenholme and Steve Bloomer; a

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

international, John Cameron; a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

international, Edwin Dutton; and

John Brearley John Brearley (October 1875 – 1944) was an English association football player and manager. He played as a forward for several clubs, most notably Millwall Athletic, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur. He was able to play in at least five outfi ...

, once of Everton and

Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional association football, football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English footba ...

. The Ruhleben Football Association was formed with Pentland as chairman and Cameron as secretary. Cup and league competitions were organised with teams representing the individual camp barracks. Around 500 prisoners played in the football competitions. Several thousand spectators attended the bigger games. A series of exhibition and "international" matches were also organised. On 2 May 1915 an "England XI" featuring Pentland, Wolstenholme, Brearley and Bloomer played a "World XI" captained by Cameron. Towards the end of the war an international triangular tournament called the ''Coupe de Allies'', featuring a "British XI", a "French XI" and a "Belgium XI", was organised. Other sports such as

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

and

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

were also popular within the camp. In May 1915 a "Ruhleben XI", featuring Bloomer and Brearley, played a " Varsities XI" in the Ruhleben Cricket League. In July 1916 a "Lancashire XI", featuring Bloomer, beat a "Yorkshire XI" that included Wolstenholme.

Notable detainees

F. Charles Adler Frederick Charles Adler (usually known as F. Charles Adler) (born on 2 July 1889 in London and died 16 February 1959 in Vienna) was an English-German conductor. Adler studied with Gustav Mahler and served as chorus master at the premiere of M ...

* John Balfour *

Winthrop Pickard Bell Winthrop Pickard Bell (May 12, 1884 – April 4, 1965) was a Canadian academic who taught philosophy at the University of Toronto and Harvard. He is however perhaps best known for his work as a historian of Nova Scotia. Biography He was born in ...

* Arthur Benjamin * Steve Bloomer *

Roland Bocquet Roland Bocquet (3 June 1878 – 16 October 1956) was a British composer, pianist and teacher who for most of his career was based in the city of Dresden, and is chiefly associated with the composition of German Lieder. For the most part his wor ...

Henry Brose Henry Herman Leopold Adolph Brose (15 September 1890 – 24 February 1965) was an Australian physicist. Life Born in Adelaide, he attended Prince Alfred College and graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1910 with a B.Sc. in mathematic ...

* John Cameron *

Sir James Chadwick Sir James Chadwick, (20 October 1891 – 24 July 1974) was an English physicist who was awarded the 1935 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the neutron in 1932. In 1941, he wrote the final draft of the MAUD Report, which inspi ...

* Edward Clark *

Israel Cohen Israel Cohen may refer to: * Israel Cohen (footballer), Israeli footballer *''A Racial Program for the Twentieth Century'', a hoax document supposedly written by an "Israel Cohen" in 1912 *Israel Cohen (Zionist) Israel Cohen (1879 – 26 Novembe ...

* Benjamin Dale * Sefton Delmer *Dr Arthur Henry Douthwaite *William Huntley Drummond, 6th Earl of Perth * Edwin Dutton *

Harry Edward Harry Francis Vincent Edward (15 April 1898 – 8 July 1973) was a British runner. He competed in the 100 and 200 m 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp and won bronze medals in both events, becoming the first black person to gain Olympic medals ...

* Sir Charles D. Ellis *

Charles Fryatt Charles Algernon Fryatt (2 December 1872 – 27 July 1916) was a British merchant seaman who was court martialled by the Imperial German Navy for attempting to ram a German U-boat in 1915. When his ship, the , was captured off occupied Belgium ...

Francis Gribble Francis Henry Gribble (1862-1946) was a British writer born in Devon. During World War I, he worked in the Ministry of Information. He published a memoir called ''Seen in Passing'' (1926). He was the son of a banker and received his education at C ...

Percy Hartley Percy Wilding Hartley was an English professional association football, football manager who coached Belgian side Standard Liège in the 1920s and 1930s. Hartley was baptised on 27 September 1895 in Halliwell, Greater Manchester, Halliwell, Bol ...

Percy Hull Sir Percy Clarke Hull (27 October 1878 in Hereford, England – 31 August 1968 in Farnham Surrey)The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1995, ed. Stanley Sadie, vol. VIII was an English organist and composer who revived the Three Ch ...

* Nico Jungmann *

John D. Ketchum John Davidson Ketchum (1893–1962) was a Canadian psychologist, author, and professor at the University of Toronto. Career J. Davidson Ketchum was born in 1893. He was originally planning to become a musician but the outbreak of the First World ...

*Peter Carl Mackay, alias

Prince Monolulu Ras Prince Monolulu (26 October 1881 – 14 February 1965), whose real name was Peter Carl Mackay (or McKay), was a horse-racing tipster, and something of an institution on the British racing scene from the 1920s until the time of his death. He w ...

* Ernest MacMillan * Thomas Humphrey Marshall *

John Cecil Masterman Sir John Cecil Masterman OBE (12 January 1891 – 6 June 1977) was a noted academic, sportsman and author. His highest-profile role was as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, but he was also well known as chairman of the Twenty C ...

* George Merritt *

Michael Pease Michael Stewart Pease OBESupplement to the London Gazette
11 June 1966, p ...

* Fred Pentland *

Matthew Stewart Prichard Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * Matthew (ship), ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * Matthew (album), ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm c ...

R. M. Smyllie R. or r. may refer to: * ''Reign'', the period of time during which an Emperor, king, queen, etc., is ruler. * '' Rex'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning King * ''Regina'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning Queen * or , abbreviat ...

* Fred Spiksley *

Jascha Spivakovsky Jascha Spivakovsky (18 August 1896 – 23 March 1970) was a Russian Empire-born Australian piano virtuoso of the 20th century. He was hailed as a child prodigy in Odessa but almost murdered by Imperial Guard (Russia), Imperial Guards during the O ...

* Tom Sullivan * Samuel Wolstenholme

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * * * (contains a section on

's memories of Ruhleben) * * * *

External links

Maurice Ettinghausen Collection of Ruhleben Civilian Internment Camp Papers, 1914-1937 at Harvard Law School LibraryJohn Masterman Collection of Ruhleben Civilian Internment Camp Papers, 1914-1937 at Harvard Law School LibraryJohn Davidson Ketchum's archival papers related to Ruhleben internment camp
held at th
University of Toronto Archives and Records Management ServicesRuhleben Internment Camp - A British community in war-time Germany1936 Summer Olympics official report.
Volume 2. pp. 827–36.
The Ruhleben Story

Ruhleben at National Library of Scotland The prisoners of war who grew 33,000 lettuces
BBC News Magazine 29 July 2014
The prisoners of Ruhleben
BBC 24 August 2014
Sunday Feature: The Ruhleben Legacy
BBC Radio 3, 12 April 2020 {{Authority control Venues of the 1936 Summer Olympics Olympic modern pentathlon venues German Empire in World War I Prisoner-of-war camps in Germany World War I internment camps World War I sites in Germany Wartime association football Internment camps in Germany