A Prisoner of War’s Diary from Stalag VIIIB — 1943 January to March

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A Prisoner of War’s Diary from Stalag VIIIB — 1943 January to March
By
George Irving Beck

1943
January 03, 1943 — Sunday
Working as usual, one wagon came in. Nothing else to put down whatsoever.

January 04, 1943
Controller searched lockers.

January 10, 1943 — Sunday
The latest news from the German newspaper, “Roosevelt states that the end of the war can be mathematically worked out”. This year of 1943 will see the allied nations en-route for Berlin, Rome and Tokyo. We hope so, but think not, anyway roll on.

January 12, 1943 — Tuesday
Latest news “126,000 brutal registered tonnen versenkt. 174,000 tonnen betriebs stoff für Nordafrica vernichyet. 13 tanker von u booten auf den meeresgrund geschicht, auf dem weg nach Gibraltar.

January 19, 1943 — Tuesday
Today our guard, Otto Hauet left us, he has been with us since June 03, best German I’ve ever met and him and his wife did a lot for us. Latest news “our eighth army has been repulsed in their attacks. Russia still pushing forward and doing well. Ill in bed since yesterday.

January 20, 1943 — Wednesday
Received three cigarette parcels from wife. No news.

January 21, 1943 — Thursday
Latest rumour, “Germans surrounded Stalingrad and found themselves surrounded”.

January 25, 1943 — Monday
“Iraq declared war on Germany”. Today we’ve heard the best news since war started, “Africa is just about finished, and the Germans have evacuated Tripoli”. Newspaper says in regard to war in Russia “Victory or Bolshevism”.

February 03, 1943 — Wednesday
Latest newspaper reports, “German sixth army fighting south of Stalingrad has been overwhelmed”. They’re still holding out in the north. Good old Russia.

February 04, 1943 — Thursday
Latest News “The battle for Stalingrad is ended”. The Germans lost 500,000 men. The paper says that, inch-by-inch, and stone by stone, these men have fought and given their lives for the Fatherland, thus erecting a memorial that will live forever among the people of Germany. “Unsterbliche ehre für farben auf die 6th armee”.

February 06, 1943 — Saturday
German headlines say “Avengeance”. Russia must pay for every German life that has been lost. Latest report “300,000 wounded. All big factories not needed for war work to be closed down. All available men must be called up, German mobilisation. Neutrality negotiations between Churchill and the Turkish Ministers.

February 19, 1943 — Friday
Russians still advancing “Germans have now lost Rostov and Voroshalovgrad”.

February 25, 1943 — Thursday
“American troops are being pushed back in Tunis, and the Germans have recaptured two towns”. No further news.

February 26, 1943 — Friday
Latest propaganda “Italians sinking their own ships. Twenty thousand Czechs thrown into jail for sabotage. One was found with ammunition etc. plastered in the walls.

February 29, 1943 — Saturday
Latest news “District fighting in Tunis”. Soviet attacks were shattered in Russia, as usual. One article in German headlines says “Collapse of the British Empire”. America is taking more and more off us to meet her own ends.

March 03, 1943 — Wednesday
Not much news to put down except to say that Germany has beaten off all attacks in Russia and Tunis. In one battle according to newspaper 14,000 Russians were killed. Weather terrible, windy.

March 04, 1943 — Thursday
“Germans evacuated the town of Demiaiitk in Russia”. In Tunis the Germans and Italians are still pushing forward. No further news.

March 10, 1943 — Wednesday
Germans have evacuated the town of Ort Sytschewka, Russia.

March 14, 1943 — Sunday
Germans are back in Khakkow and fierce fighting is ensuing there. Small patrol movements only around Tunis. Germans according to papers have recaptured six small places in Russia.

March 15, 1943 — Monday
Arrival of two new chaps to our party. Two were sent away as they were reported as being undesirable. Nothing else to report.

March 21, 1943 — Sunday
Nothing of any importance to put down. Germans seem to be pushing Russians back in a few places. Weather lovely. Received 7th clothing parcel couple of days ago from the wife.

March 25, 1943 — Thursday
According to German news we are attacking strongly in Tunis. In Russia the German are repulsing all attacks. Roll on a long time.

March 29, 1943 — Monday
Today’s news “The Royal Air Force visited here this last weekend and bombed Cologne and Essen”. According to information received thirty-five waves of planes came over and Essen is bombed absolutely flat. Women and children have had to take to the woods for the houses are completely uninhabitable. Received the cig. parcels from Reg.

March 31, 1943 — Wednesday
“Once again the Royal Air Force is reported to have caused a lot of damage in Nuremberg, Munich, and Stuttgart”. According to German newspaper today things are going well for us in Tunis, they have evacuated another place according to plan. This is a polite way of saying they are withdrawing. The war in Russia doesn’t appear to be going too well, for the Germans have recaptured Kharkow.

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