Memories of German prisoners of war of the camp Elsterhorst

Memories by Mr. Ernst Fleischhack, Detmold

"on otherwise again a distance traveled probably yet by regular courses we rolled D up on Friday tomorrow, 24 August, on Hoyerswerda to and in its station. Again once it meant, here was last stop. Should it really apply this time? Still we doubted.

Whole columns former, now however freshly dismissed Plennys confirmed however soon the actual presence of a dismissal camp in direct proximity of the city. Hoyerswerda had been already obvious spae­testens since Berlin our place of destination, and only one misunderstanding between Russians and German course authorities must have us for two days after Bischofswerda misdirectedly. In all hurry we got now our daily rations thrown. Then the course on a siding branching to Petershain drove still another good piece beyond the station range. In the field area on free distance then our door took place. The vacated cars were immediately locked. As parting gift of the transportation line everyone of us received container flour at the product car still another into the can. The "postman" and its Begleitstab showed themselves as friendliness and Grossherzigkeit in person on this day. The easement to have the goal of the long travel still so to some extent together now end­lich before itself and all Mannen was them obviously abzuspueren. Again their command whistle sounded for beginning, again was exactly counted over, but removes then without footstep and without hasty Antreiberei on fastened way abmarschiert, not too far against lying barracks-like building complex for an already visible. This emerged itself when approaching as a spacious strictly arranged and from 40 barracks existing, camp plant surrounded by sport grass and tree surfaces.

When we had passed the main gate, we do not unter­standen already no more the past authority. As order forces, naturally under Soviet administrative sovereignty, here former German Landser functioned excluding. They directed us first into a empty-standing wing with several rooms, on which we could distribute ourselves as desired. One could itself have furnished it here relatively comfortably. A few trees stood before the windows. Between them the view pointed outside to far sunny field surfaces. However we did not even come here to shorter staying. Immediately us a call beorderte to the wash barrack. There we should undergo to a shower bath. I must confess during this procedure hardly considerably with water into contact to have come. So fast one rushed us through. Afterwards four officials already waited with large impatience, in order to receive our personnel data for the discharge papers. Although before each switch a long queue completed itself, everything in racing speed. Soon also I was in turn. I had the impression, the writer heard only with half ear on my answers. At the kitchen switch there was an impact barley soup to already seize for each dispatch, afterwards 500 g Russian bread. Course-handed meals was of solid condition, but must the Durcheinanderfresserei and trinkerei of the vortag in Bischofswerda mine still unstable Darmtrakt belonging to have made excessive demands of, so that nothing different one remained remaining for me, as again and again a certain, in this solid German building complex, based us on Russian conditions, but seeming Oertchen cultivates unusually to visit. Otherwise I partly spent the afternoon with my fate comrades around-moving in the internal area of the camp, partly waiting on the room already mentioned.

As others unite, it also me had succeeded to find a small bag in order to be able to stow the received flour, bread as well as possible further way living away in it. Against 18 o'clock we heard the instruction for beginning on the place-like extension in the center of the camp.

During the following counting it went again quite energetically too to genuinly German barracks yard behavior. A well three-quarter-hour waiting period followed, while those however against the announcement not one Soviet uniform carrier could be looked. Then it was called completely simple: "Abmarsch!" Strictly aligned in Sechserreihen we walked by the camp gate. A small, from members of the German camp personnel building up band intonierte itself in addition somewhat clumsily, received by us however gladly: "in the homeland, in the homeland, there ' its Wiederseh ' gives n."

Outside before the gate a schausteller or a Varietegehilfe full-led to the additional tendency sunny spell still another few akrobatische Maetzchen. First it imitated a gackerndes and away-fluttering chicken, then a kollernden Puter.

It was already a quite strange condition, in which we were presently/immediately: The dismissal camp disappeared more and more our views, but still we did not have paper in the hand, which confirmed us the dismissal free of doubts. We should it however, then us before the Abmarsch, still in the course of this evening in the Hoyerswerdaer planned as night lodging contactor house had been promised presented gotten. An official of camp stated our column. First we passed the Doerfchen Elsterhorst (Nardt), afterwards we turned in southeast direction the town centre of Hoyerswerda against.

The closed march formation was considered now as waived, very much to my easement; because my more verstauchter and still leaving foot created brisk Durchmarschieren does not feel this by far yet. In addition offered despite their novelty no replacement for march shoes to slippers with wooden sole. The distance which can be mastered up to the goal amounted to nevertheless well four kilometers. Gently the summer evening wind painted over the field region, which we crossed. Small wood lent to the far surface a few pictorial dark Tupfer. Gladly I have might myself loving throw what met me, all to the chest, so violently wogten appropriate feeling moving in me. And at the moment nothing different one remained nevertheless to collect than all strength and try for losing the connection to the bulk not completely.

Toward end of the march the connection was actually still torn whole number off of others, which had been able to advance equal me, not so briskly after my memories, but gave it still another. In Hoyerswerda, which darbot itself at that time as a very modest land small town, we asked ourselves with success through. To the personnel of the contactor house (late Kastanienhof) belonging opened the roomy ballroom for the waiting. Its entire equipment, beginning with the verzierten columns over the brown getaefelten side panels, that already somewhat worn out parquet floor in the center up to the increased podium for the band up-playing to the dance, blew the occurring a breath verklungener smallurban Schwof and Walzerseeligkeit against. Now as night lodging for torn off and zerlumpte Plennys to serve, a due portion already represented misuse.

Some time two officials of camp arrived later. In their briefcase were our executed discharge papers. They began with the name reading. Each calling had to announce itself, to receive before-stepped and its light. As on the name "Fleimer, Ernst had agitated itself geb. 1926" twice none, deuchte me, probably the meaning to be to have. "well, probably already dozed off, which?" the reading out started me.

It was last me assigns become military and/or post office-military Anranzer of my life. The writer in the morning did not have the second syllable of my surname meat-chops in the Hektik obviously received and completely simply in "butchers" modified, the reading out the written Russian "sch" besides still as "m" interpreted this. Thus completely differently the reading call had developed. Actually I would have had to penetrate on correction, but was afraid I, such an objection could delay my dismissal only. Wohlweislich wrapped myself I therefore in silence. Secretly I hoped, on which one would hardly interpret and me as a legitimate son of my parents recognize could already the cyrillic letters for Waldenburger office during the registration eh.

Now there was only one: as a dismissed former soldier and to current Plenny the next morning entgegenzuschlummern. However at sleep was hardly to be thought. The side lighting remained always switched on, in order not to leave nocturnal toilet visitors turned out in the Stolpern. In addition a much wogte to large tension in me before all that, now to follow should and which I, however posed on me, would have to procure still."