Sound: POW camp entertainment
Hear George Trundle talking about how POWs kept themselves entertained.
Transcript
Apart from chess, what other things did you do to keep yourselves entertained?
Well we actually had our own university in the camp. We used to teach languages, philosophy, logic, all kinds of things. There were a lot of talented people in there-artists from the French particularly, also we had a marvellous section of actors and they put on plays....
We did shows by Wilde, 'The Importance of Being Earnest', always something with a comic touch. Guys, they knew how important humour was... They didn't need - they were all humorous anyway . We all liked to laugh-that was what kept us going, I guess. That and the sport, but this entertainment-they'd put on a show for a week you know, at a time. They made all the stage props, marvellous stuff, just out of cardboard and packing cases, and debris that was around the camp. They'd paint it up. It was lifelike. Marvellous. And the shows were really good.
Now, the quiz shows, would that be like inter-hut competitions?
Yes, exactly right. It was...
And the university that you had there was this something that was informal or..?
It was formal, had proper timetables and tutors and that... I taught Italian and French, as I say, with a vocabulary of about 200 words! But it went over and worked.
Programme for Stalag VIIIA, 1944/45:
The Dramatic Society at Gorlitz also held regular play readings and a Shakespeare Reading Group functioned with readings supplemented by talks on the history of drama and on Shakespearean literature in general.
- 22 February: 1944 Blithe Spirit
- 7 March: Pot Pourri
- 21 March: Here We Go
- 11 April: Gaslight
- 25 April: The Bumbles of Bumbleton
- 18 May: Once a Crook
- 30 May: Whizz-Bang
- 14 June: Youth at the Helm
- 27 June: Melody Parade
- 19 July: Hay Fever
- 3 August: New Edition
- 17 August: The Milky Way
- 29 August: Ermatrude's Follies
- 12 September & 24 October: The Man Who Came to Dinner
- 30 December: Choose Your Shoes
- 15 January 1945: Musical Highlights
See also: related images of POW camp entertainment
Credit:
George Trundle interview, 08.02.02, side 5
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TwitterFelix Crandle was my teacher at Otakiri School in the Bay of Plenty. I knew he had been to the war and understood he served as a major in tanks. He was a person whom we all repected as he knew how to treat us as young adults, not children. most of the class were 13 and 14 year of age, milked cows and worked on farms. Every now and again I think back to my school days and he is one person the memory recalls.
My brother Tom died recently and I found copy of "Interlude" in his things and intend to visit Stalag V111A. Can you please help me with the relevant details?
Regards
Gerry Lock
E/mail
Phone UK 0161 282 0360
Terry Crandle Auckland
My father, William Carberry (born 8th June 1917), from Petone Wellington, was at Görlitz - Stalag 8A from 1941- 1944. His army registration nummber was: 14882. I am hoping to find out more infomation about his time during the war. Are you able to assist me, or suggest where I could find out more about his time there?
Many thanks,
Stephen Diegelman
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