Camp Atterbury

Visited by Mr. M. Perret on March 24, 1944

This camp was visited on August 29, 1943.  Since this visit, the following changes have taken place.

Number of Prisoners:

The capacity of the camp is 3,000.  This total was reached on October 1, 1943; since then, several groups have been transferred to other camps, and, according to certain rumors, this camp will be completely emptied and re-occupied by prisoners of war of a different nationality.  One of the sectors is temporarily closed.

At the time of our visit, the number of prisoners was 1,817 Italians, including two doctor officers and 151 non-commissioned officers.  The protected personnel amounts to 29, but several of them have not their identity papers.

The two sergeants (marechaux) having been transferred, Sergeants-Major Fernando Scerrati and Pasquale Delucca are acting as spokesmen.

Quarters:

There are no notable changes.

Hospital:

At the time of our visit there were 17 patients in the hospital, all light cases.  Among these a few cases of malaria, hospitalized during the period of fever.

The camps' infirmary now include  dental office.  The dentist is American but speaks Italian.  All the prisoners have been examined, and the urgent work has been done, except in the case of certain men who have refused to be treated.  The dentist has already put in 85 plates.  Each month he extracts 200 to 400 teeth and puts in approximately 300 fillings.  The instruments are modern and the dentist ha at his disposal and X-ray machine.

Food:

The food is abundant and of excellent quality.  The noon meal is carried to the detachments working at a short distance from the camp; the prisoners employed at Indianapolis carry their own provisions.

Library:

The library now includes 200 to 300 Italian books and some English books.  The prisoners receive several newspapers and weeklies in Italian.

Instruction:

There are a few courses organized: 3 Italian elementary classes with 20, 25, and 30 students, respectively; 2 English courses: one, attended by 30 men; the other by 20.

Amusements:

The art studio has been closed s the artists have been transferred elsewhere.  The orchestra, which included 15 musicians, and the band, which included 70, have ceased to exist for the same reason.

Every Sunday there is a moving picture show.  Since the month of October, the films presented have been Italian language films.

The prisoners, as well as the patients in the hospital, have all sorts of games.

A troop of actors has been formed, comprising about 200 members.  One day they gave a show in a neighboring locality.  Unfortunately, this entertainment was sharply criticized by the civilian population and could not be repeated.

Canteen:

The canteen is very fully stocked.  The officer in charge procures for the prisoners ll the articles which they desire.  For Christmas, a silver ring was made for each man, designed by a prisoner, as  souvenir of the camp.  They obtained them at cost price.  The prisoners may also buy watches through the canteen.

The profits of the canteen are employed in the purchase of sporting equipment, musical instruments, books (especially novels), food products which are not furnished by the Army; such as olive oil and other Italian specialties,  They are planning to devote the sum of $2,500 to celebrate Easter.

Sports:

Each sector has  a football field, a volley-ball court and a basket-ball court.  There are besides, for the use of the camp, 3 tennis courts, a boxing ring, and 2 bowling alleys.  On Sunday, the prisoners have access to the athletic field of the American camp.

The prisoners have all the sporting equipment which they can want.  They have organized various matches, and the victors have received cups and trophies.

Work:

Almost all the prisoners work.  A large number are engaged in civilian enterprises.  Their number varies, according to the season: in winter, there are from 50 to 200; the maximum of 1,500 was reached at harvest time.  At the time of our visit, there were 160: some, in agriculture; others, in warehouses or factories; the majority, at Indianapolis, about 50 km. from the camp.

Most of the other prisoners are employed in the American camp.  The largest group, about 300, is employed to stoke the boilers.  About 100 are engaged in the upkeep and the building of the camp as carpenters, painters, electricians, masons.  Some repair the military automobiles and trucks.  Others, in the shop, are engaged as tailors, shoemakers or tinsmiths, in repairing the suits, shoes and other articles of the soldiers.  Still others help in the kitchen of the officer's mess, or serve t table.  55 are employed in the laundry, 40 act as nurse's aides in the hospital; 12 are assistants of the dentist; all have already had experience in this work and the dentists are very satisfied with their work.

350 are employed inside the prisoner's camp: cooks, nurses' aides, orderlies, artisans of various sorts, office clerks, etc.  All are paid.

With the exception of 6, all the non-commissioned officers have asked to work, and there is work for everybody.  It is chiefly a question of manual labor, and, with some exceptions in the case of the men more or less expert, the prisoners change occupation every week.

Except for those who work in the immediate neighborhood of the camp, the prisoners are always taken by bus to their place of work.

The prisoners cultivate for themselves about 80 hectares of fields: they have for this purpose agricultural motor machines.  The products are consumed in the camp; and the equivalent value in money is credited to the prisoner's accounts.

Discipline:

Almost all the men are prisoners on parole.  During the day, the camp gates are open.  The men enter, go out and circulate freely in the American camp.  A guard for every 10 men accompanies those who go to work in Indianapolis.  The Commander, however, is strict and all violations of discipline, especially refusal to obey the Italian non-commissioned officers, are punished.  Some lose, for a certain period, the privilege of being prisoners on parole: others are placed in the guardhouse.  There have been no attempts at escape.

Conclusion:

The general impression was very good.  The prisoners enjoy all the advantages and all the amusements that it is possible to grant them.  Their morale is good.