plaque

1. Life in the camp with illustrations by Friedrich Frauböse

2. In the morning we are counted to make sure no-one is missing

3. At curfew the horn sounds and everyone goes to the toilet.

4. The policeman is on the ball and makes sure we save water. (policeman is a fellow prisoner, presumably a prisoner trusted to keep order in return for privileges. The expression “der is auf der draht” – literally ‘on the wire,’ I have translated as an expression meaning on the ball, a man who knows his stuff, etc.

5. And when you wake in the morning every toilet seat quickly has someone sat upon it. (Graeme determined Brille in this example means toilet seat and not spectacles)

6. The examination has its purpose and they go away fit for work.

7. The yard commander has us mostly bending over to pick up foreign cigarette butts.

8. (the angry pows are telling the man singing on stage to be quiet and to sit down)

9. Hammering or whistling to songs, and immediately someone shouts “right of stage”
(uncertain of this translation; is the shouting to cover up the sound of the hammer which is being used for something the British would put a stop to?)

10. These two don’t bet, they swap bread for cigarettes

11. Early in the morning when all are still asleep, one slowly causes a flood (not confident in this translation).

12. Making the beds is done very casually – this is how it goes on a Sunday.

(not certain of the translation here; something about cake on Sunday being so good that no PoW will stay in bed)

14. If you have masses of bugs, you must go to the sick bay for powder. (revier; German military slang, an abbreviation of Krankenrevier, a sick bay in PoW camps usually staffed by fellow inmates)