Work Camp 10029 GW

Date of visit: 29 August 1941

Location: Weidmannsdorf (Klagenfurt)

Man of Confidence: Sergeant Major Allan Stockfeld

Number of men: 206

Known to be present

 The pictures shown below come from Helen Amison whose husband's grandfather, George Amison, was a POW in a nearby camp (11057GW), and also Ian Glass, whose father, Alan Glass, was held in 10029GW. The tennis player on the left in the first picture is probably Alan Glass. (His son Ian is convinced!)

Pam Boundy, daughter of Tpr William John Davey, RAC, has also kindly sent me some photographs to add to the collection. Also Colin Scott, son of Dvr Leslie Scott, RASC.

Note: There is some doubt as to whether all of these photographs relate directly to 10029/GW. Some photographs appear to have been taken at this camp but show groups of POWs associated with nearby, smaller camps. It is possible that groups were brought into 10029/GW for photographs to be taken.

Tennis	Tennis Players	Melody Makers
Group at tables	Potato cart	Group
Group	Steindorf Group	Group
Christmas group	William Davey	Alan Glass

Empire Games, 1944

This seems to have been a major sporting event in which POWs from several neighbouring camps were involved. Not all of the pictures in this section may be from that one event.

England Team	Group	Relay Team
Athletics	Athletics	Athletics
Relay Team	Athletics	Athletics
Tug of War	Tug of War	Tug of War
Presentation		Presentation

May Fair

Janet Durbin (neice of Donald Munns, RASC) has sent this set of pictures showing a May Day celebration, year unknown.

Alan Glass brought back this rather eerie set of pictures of a Skating competition. 

Alan Glass also brought back this sequence of pictures of an unknown ceremony from 10029/GW. Padre John Ledgerwood can be identified at the front of the procession in the third picture.

Pam Boundy has sent in the following two pictures which appear to show similar ceremonies as those above but, judging by the snow on the ground in the first set of pictures, were not taken at the same time.

Armistice Day, 1942	ANZAC Day, 1943

Theatre

Both Ian Glass and Colin Scott have sent sets of photographs which show theatre productions. Unfortunately they cannot be positively identified as coming from 10029/GW. However, it's the only camp in the area big enough to have a theatre company.

'Ghost Train' Poster	'Ghost Train' scene	'Ghost Train' scene
Aladdin	Aladdin	Flying High

Air raid: February 1945

The following pictures of the damage caused by the air raid, in which 5 POWs were killed, were supplied by Helen Amison (grandaughter of George Amison, RASC), Ian Glass (son of Alan Glass, RE), Alina McDonald (daughter of Alan Vaughan, AIF) and Janet Durbin (neice of Donald Munns, RASC)

Red Cross Report

Date of visit: 26 October 1941

General Description

Some of the men in this camp work in a cheese factory and the others in an engineering firm. Most of them work as 'heavy workers' but the work is not stated to be too hard. Their working time is from 7.00 am to 11.30 am and 1.00 pm to 6.00 pm, in all 9.5 hours a day. Most of them have Sundays free and those few of the workers in the cheese factory who work on Sundays have another weekday free.

Money and Pay

They receive wages of RM 18.20 and are paid once a month.

Interior arrangement

The prisoners are all living together in a camp with wooden barracks. The dormitories are not overcrowded and make a good impression. Most of the men sleep in single-tier beds. There is electric light and the barracks can be heated in winter. Three blankets are provided for each man.

Bathing and washing facilities

There is a special barrack with washing and bathing facilities. Troughs and spigots with running cold water are sufficient in number. Warm showers can be had if the prisoners light a fire to heat the water. There is a good supply of coal. The latrines of the pit type were kept clean

Food and Cooking

In the kitchen barrack is a big dining and recreation room. The kitchen is well equipped with cauldrons and a stove. The food is prepared by some of the prisoners. As 'heavy workers' the prisoners have an additional food ration, but the food is stated to be hardly enough for the work they have to do. The food was otherwise stated to be quite good.

Medical attention and sickness

The camp has a small infirmary with a man belonging to the new Zealand Medical Corps in charge.There were at the time of the visit four patients all suffering from minor industrial accidents. They seemed to be taken good care of. There was a fairly good supply of the necessary drugs.

Clothing

The clothing conditions were not very good. The men had got only one uniform and one set of underwear. Many were stated to have very bad shoes.

Canteen

A canteen had not been started but arrangements had been made to start one as soon as the prisoners had enough money to run it. The German camp leader had in the meantime provided the prisoners with cigarettes at his own cost.

Religious activity

One of the soldiers reads the Catholic Mass and another soldier the Church of England service every Sunday.

Recreation and exercise

There is plenty of space for sport and exercise inside the fences but so far no sport equipment has been provided. The camp leader promised to do what he could to provide a football and some other sport articles, but stated that it is very hard to get anything in Germany these days. The prisoners were also told that they would be taken for a swim to the nearby river now and then. There is a small garden with flowers and vegetables in which the prisoners may work during their spare time. The Man of Confidence expressed a desire for books, indoor games and especially for musical instruments.

Mail

The men have been permitted to write two letters and two post cards monthly so far. No mail has arrived from home as yet, and they had received no Red Cross parcels. (The Man of Confidence at the Stalag is starting to send parcels out to all the Work Camps and the German High Command has been requested to arrange for the British to be able to write the usual two letters and four post cards monthly.

General impression

The Work Camp seems to be very good and the Man of Confidence stated that they had no real complaints to make.

Further Comments

March 1942
Man of Confidence: Sgt Stuart Stubbings, 3872
September 1942
230 POWs
May 1943
280 POWs, 2 tennis courts in the yard.
August 1943
302 POWs
November 1943
348 POWs
February 1945
Camp destroyed by air-raid. 5 POWs killed.
 

Liberation of 10029/GW, April/May 1945

Janet Durbin has sent this rather remarkable set of photos which appear to show the arrival of Allied forces in the Klagenfurt area in April or May of 1945. The photo showing crowds in a square was definitely taken in Klagenfurt. The statue that can be seen in the background is the Klagenfurt Lindwurm.