Work Camp 10029 GW

Location: Weidmannsdorf (Klagenfurt)

Type of work: Cheese factory & Engineering firm (1941), Roadwork, Canal work (1942)

Man of Confidence: Sergeant Major Allan Stockfeld (1941), Sgt Stuart Stubbings (1942)

Number of men: 206 (1941), 230 (1942)

Contents

Plan of the Camp
Photos
Empire Games, 1944
May Fair
Theatre
Air Raid; February, 1945
Red Cross Report
Liberation, April/May 1945
Location

Known to be present

Michael Byrne

Michael is the son of Kevin Byrne, an ex-inmate of 10029/GW, who brought back to Australia many photos of the POWs in the camp. The marvellous thing that Kevin did (which I wish many other POWs had done) was to put the names of all the POWs on the photos. This has made a tremendous contribution to the knowledge of 10029/GW. Michael has created a blog devoted to 10029/GW. You can access it by following this link:

http://klagenfurtpow.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/home.html

Plan of the camp

Plan (pre-1945)	Aerial photo, April 1945

Paul Angerer has sent me an aerial photo of 10029/GW taken in April, 1945. It clearly shows the effects of the misdirected USAF air-raid on the camp in February, 1945. From this photo, I have been able to create a simple map of the camp as it might have looked before the air-raid. After much close examination of many photographs taken inside the camp, I have been able to identify many of the buildings used by the POWs. These buildings have been designated by letters.

A - A small hut in the square where most POW activities took place.
B, D, E, X - the larger barracks which surrounded the square. The football goal stood in front of B. X was destroyed in the air-raid and then rebuilt. D was also destroyed and not rebuilt.
C - Also destroyed and not rebuilt.
H - A small hut seen behind the tennis 'court'.

 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, Robert Hanger, son of Ted Hanger, Dave Taylor, whose wife is the niece of Gwylim Edwards, and Wendy Aitkenhead, whose uncle, Jeff Gilbert, was killed in the air-raid.

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.

Group	Steindorf Group	Group	Christmas group
Charlie Macauley group 1	Charlie Macauley group 2	Group	Francis Hawken group
Hut group	Hut group	Barrack A6	Barrack group
Charlie Macauley	William Davey	Alan Glass	Gilbert Conyard
Kevin Byrne	George Richardson	Ron McGlashan	Churchill the Camp Dog
Leslie Bullard	Maurice Fisher		Ian Lipsett
Group at tables	Potato cart	Cookhouse	Cookhouse
Unknown	Ted Hanger on left, R. Williams on right	James Berry group	Kevin Byrne + two
James Berry group	James Berry group	Basil Thomas group	Bernard Cashmore group
Gwylim Edwards group	Fred Cusworth group 1	Fred Cusworth group 2	Fred Payne group
Archie McGechie group	Robert Douglas group	Bill Cassidy group	Jeff Gilbert group
Melody Makers

Sport

Tennis
Boxing match	Whirlwinds, Cup Runners up, 1943	Football team
	Bernard Cashmore team

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
	Athletics
Relay Team	Athletics	Athletics
Tug of War	Tug of War	Tug of War
Presentation	Tug of War	Presentation

May Fair

Janet Durbin (niece of Donald Munns, RASC) has sent this set of pictures showing a May Day celebration, possibly 1943.

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.

From the same ceremony, Paul Angerer has identified that the parade marched along Siebenhugelstrasse. Some of the houses in the background still exist. In the older photo, the camp is on the left.

1943?	2011

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, Colin Scott, David Collard-Berry, Dave Taylor, Bernadette Smith and Alan Willey have sent sets of photographs which show various theatre productions. I'm fairly sure that they come from 10029/GW. It's the only camp in the area big enough to have a theatre company.

Ghost Train

Rookery Nook

Ten Minute Alibi

Aladdin

Unknown Production

Various

Unknown	Unknown	Flying High	Flying High
Arabian Nights	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

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)

Paul Angerer has sent me a report on the Air Raid completed by the German Authorities.

6th Company                                                                     Tessendorf, February, 20th 1945  
Home Guard’s Battalion 910 Az.: 2/105/45
Subject: air raid on Brit. Work Camp 10029 GW, Waidmannsdorf, February, 19th 1945
Reference: none  
To Police Head Office Klagenfurt   

On February, 19th 1945, Work Camp 10029 GW Waidmannsdorf, demand carrier municipality Klagenfurt, occupied by 295 brit. POW’s and Work Camp 11066 GW Hatheyer, occupied by 13 brit. POW’s, which are accommodated together in Klagenfurt-Waidmannsdorf, were hit by four direct bomb hits during an air raid. In the course of this air raid, Company’s member Schubitz Karl, doing service as a guard, and 3 brit. POW’s were killed (This number should be higher. There are at least 5 POWs in the Graves section who were killed on this day.). Furthermore, 5 brit. POW’s were badly injured and 26 POW’s were lightly injured.    Four barracks were totally destroyed, 2 barracks were half destroyed and the remaining barracks are not habitable any more. Kitchen and theatre hall have been untroubled except some slightly damages. Whether Work Camp 10029 GW will persist or not is depending on provision of new accomodations. As yet, the demand carrier wasn’t able to comment on this subject. Until the problem of habitation is not solved, the POW’s will be accommodated at the Company in the theatre hall in Tessendorf. The KIA’s funeral was initiated by the headquarter’s eldest in Klagenfurt.

The Company Commander

Captain R.....?

Original Report

Red Cross Reports

Dates of visit: 26 October 1941 & 12 September 1942

General Description

 (1941) 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.
(1942) The buildings of this Camp are built around a big yard, which is large enough to play football. The buildings are very well built wooden barracks, with rooms for 16 men each. Each man has an iron bed with mattresses and enough blankets. In every room is an iron stove for the winter, also a table and benches. In one of the buildings is a large recreation room with a stage, where shows and concerts are given. Next to this room is the kitchen with quite modern equipment. In the centre of the open space is the wahroom with 40 spigots and cold showers. As no hot showers are to be had we took this matter up with the accompanying officer who promised to get in touch with the employing firm to have hot showers arranged.
The great attraction of this camp is an enormous black dog which the prisoners adopted and baptized "Churchill". The dog is especially popular with the German guards.

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.
For dental treatment the men are sent to Stalag. Those who are willing to pay for dental treatment can see the dentist in the city.

Clothing

(1941) 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.
(1942) All the men are well dressed. Each man has all the underwaer he needs, also good shoes.

Canteen

(1941) 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.
(1942) This camp has a well stocked canteen. All the things which are missing in other places, such as razor blades, etc., can be bought here.

Religious activity

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

Recreation and exercise

(1941) 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.
(1942) Ping-pong balls, books and a football are asked for. There are quite a few Scotsmen in this camp and they would greatly appreciate to receive bagpipes is such an instrument is available.

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.

Lindwurm in 1945	Lindwurm in 2011	Lindwurm

Location of 10029/GW

Paul Angerer, an amateur historian living in Klagenfurt, has sent me some information concerning the actual site of Work Camp 10029/GW. His research has discovered that there was a Displaced Persons Camp on this particular site after the war and that the camp almost certainly was 10029/GW before that. The site is now the Dag Hammarskjold Housing Estate.

In June 2011, I met Paul at the location of 10029/GW and we walked around what was the boundary of the old camp. The maps and aerial photos shown below are courtesy of Paul and the Klagenfurt Magistrat, Surveying & Geoinformation Department.

Weidmannsdorf location	Map of DP Camp, 1946	Aerial photo, 1954	Google map, 2011
Looking NE along Siebelhugenstrasse, old camp boundary on left.	This hedge follows the Western boundary of the camp.	Looking NE along Kranzmayerstrasse, old camp boundary on right.	Looking into the estate about the main gate location.
	Dag Hammarskjold Estate	Paul & some old guy

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