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Ruhleben internment camp was a civilian detention camp in Germany duringWorld War I. It was located in Ruhleben, a formerVorwerk manor 10 km (6.2 mi) to the west ofBerlin. This area is now split between the districts ofSpandau andCharlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. The camp was developed on the site of aharness racing track laid out in 1908 north of theBerlin-Hamburg Railway line.
The camp detainees included male citizens of theAllied Powers who were living, studying, working or on holiday inGermany at the outbreak ofWorld War I. They also included the crews of several civilian ships stranded in German harbours or captured at sea. There were numerous fishermen captured from trawlers which had been sunk in theNorth Sea in the first days of the war: they were mainly men fromHull, Yorkshire; andGrimsby andBoston, Lincolnshire. Numbers in the camp varied between 4,000 and 5,500 prisoners, most of themBritish.
Life in the camp was described in several books and essays subsequently written by detainees. They includedTo Ruhleben – And Back (1916) byGeoffrey Pyke,[1] who had successfully escaped from the camp in 1915; andLife in Ruhleben, 1914–1918 (1920) byFrederick Keel.[2] Quarters were cramped: the stable blocks averaged 27 stalls, each housing six men, and the stable block lofts each housed about 200 men.[3]
The German authorities adhered to theGeneva Convention 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 collector's items. In April 1916, however, the German postal authorities declared the service illegal and it ceased operating.
Prisoners grew flowers beside their barracks to give a bit beauty; this later evolved into the Ruhleben Horticultural Society, which became a formal affiliate in October 1916 of theRoyal Horticultural Society in London (subscription fee waived). Later they grew their own vegetables in the centre of the race track as fresh produce became harder to acquire.[4] In addition, a number of independent businesses developed within the camp, including a casino.
The detainees arranged their own entertainment. Among them were several musicians, includingErnest MacMillan, later to become a conductor of theToronto Symphony Orchestra. Other British musicians includedEdgar Bainton,[5]Edward Clark and the Australian-bornArthur Benjamin.[6][7] MacMillan was a prominent member of the Ruhleben Musical Society, formed in 1915, and directed performances ofThe Mikado (with orchestra and costumes) and apantomime version ofCinderella. MacMillan transcribed the music for the former from memory with the help of four other musicians, includingBenjamin Dale.[8] Among those who attended these performances wereJames W. Gerard, theUnited States ambassador. The detainees also presentedTrial by Jury,The Pirates of Penzance,The Yeomen of the Guard andThe Gondoliers.[8][9] MacMillan gave lectures on each ofBeethoven's symphonies, which were followed bypiano duet performances played by him together with Benjamin Dale.[10] MacMillan was also a member of the Ruhleben Drama Society and acted in productions ofOthello,Twelfth Night,Lady Windermere's Fan andThe Importance of Being Earnest.[11]
The artistCharles Freegrove Winzer was interned at the camp, and provided illustrations for the camp magazine. His detention was contested, because he worked for theFrench Red Cross, and had been visiting his sister in Germany with permission of the military authorities there. Some of hislithographs, depicting life in the camp, are now in theAustralian War Memorial collection.[12][13]
The British Government provided internees with books for educational purposes for free. A wooden hall erected by the YMCA, which housed the library of about 5000 volumes sent over from Britain, served as a place for reading.
Detainees also arranged their own school and ′college′. ARuhleben Camp School offered elementary and high school education to younger internees. Within theArts and Science Union, organised by the British chemist and inventor Henry Stafford Hatfield, scholars from different fields gave lectures of university standard, organised in the open air. Among the lecturers were the physicistsJames Chadwick,Charles D. Ellis andHenry Brose, and the historian and authorJohn Cecil Masterman.[14]
Sports also played a major role in the lives of the detainees. Among them were several former professionalfootballers, including three formerEngland internationals,Fred Pentland,Samuel Wolstenholme andSteve Bloomer; aScotland international,John Cameron; aGerman international,Edwin Dutton; andJohn Brearley, once ofEverton andTottenham Hotspur.[15] 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 theCoupe de Allies, featuring a "British XI", a "French XI" and a "Belgium XI", was organised.
Other sports such ascricket,rugby,tennis andgolf 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.
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