Raney: Orgelsdorfer Eulenspiegel, the German prisoner-of-war camp newsletter

Shortly after the United States declared war in 1917, the Army constructed prison barracks at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., which ultimately housed 3,400 men and women, including German soldiers captured during the war and civilians with ties to Germany. Musicians, financiers, statesmen, navigators, artists and diplomats were among the civilians. All prisoners kept gardens, played sports, conducted concerts and academies, worked and ate the same rations as their American guards. Prisoners were divided into three camps: A, B, and the Hot Springs Camp, which consisted of those transferred in 1918 from Hot Springs, N.C., to Fort Oglethorpe.

The Orgelsdorfers (the name for the prisoners at Fort Oglethorpe) published a camp newsletter called Orgelsdorfer Eulenspiegel (Eulenspiegel referred to a German literary figure known for his pranks and tricks). In the first issue on Oct. 15, 1918, the editors of Orgelsdorfer Eulenspiegel described a "paper of substantial value. It will be a paper by and for the internees which will be dedicated to art in all forms, satire and humor, and other important and interesting news of the camp life such as sports, music, school, and the like." Issues were sold for 10 cents in each camp, and proceeds were distributed to needy inmates. A limited number of bound and hand-colored copies were produced and sold for 50 cents. Contributors included Dr. R.B. Goldschmidt, Professor Ernest Horrwitz, Dr. E.F. Kuhn, Dr. Albrecht Graf Montgelas, Erich Posselt, Dr. Max Rocklinghausen and many others.

The Jan. 24, 1919, issue explained how "Die Druckerei," or the printing office, operated. The first press consisted of a tiny calling card machine with a three-inch-by-five-inch format. The publishers eventually managed to create a paper twice that size. The woodcuts and linocuts of each issue were hand-colored and retain their vivid colors 100 years later.

In 1999, the newsletters from the 1918-1919 time period were donated to the Chattanooga Public Library by Helen Groh of Michigan. She had translated a few of the German papers. Daniela Gunther, an exchange student from Hamm (Chattanooga's sister city), in 1999 translated others. The newsletters have been preserved in the archives of the library. The Orgelsdorfer Eulenspiegel reveals captive Germans' impressions of American life and illustrates their feelings about their homeland.

One of the most famous prisoners was the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Karl Muck. He and fellow musicians gave concerts that were enjoyed by prisoners and local civilians. The Dec. 15, 1918, issue described the joy of a group of internees with "working pants, old American army coats, and broad, mud covered shoes," when Ernst Kunwald, Cincinnati Symphony conductor, played the Steinway grand piano in camp A. "Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schuman! German music - German thinking - German feeling!" In November of that year, the camp orchestra had presented pieces by Beethoven, Liszt and Wagner.

The camp school offered biology lectures by Dr. Goldschmidt, Spanish and French language courses by Wilhelm Steinforth, lectures by Dr. Kuhn on international law, and lectures on "cultivation of plantations" by H.V. Costenobel. The May 25, 1919, edition announced that the theater company Deutsche Buchne had decided to perform "Strom" by Hallb.

Hans Merx had organized a hymn concert with his singing class. "One of the most important events in the life of the Orgelsdorf people was the sports festival that lasted two weeks from April 6 to the 13." The names of the winners of the various races, jumps, volleyball games and pole vaults were published in the Eulenspiegel.

Those with money were not required to work and could pay others to work. The rest of the prisoners worked for funds and spent them in the canteen. Regardless of the prisoner's status, each felt homesick, particularly around Christmas. Wilhelm Steinforth wrote of his feelings about home in the Jan. 7, 1919, issue: "December 15! Captured in France! Quite a few people would have been crushed to death if they hadn't the love for their home. Homesickness planted in me a longing and uncontrollable yearning for liberty and an aching in my heart. My German comrades my only piece of home." The last prisoner left the camp in April 1920.

The Orgelsdorfer Eulenspiegel newsletters are fragile. Copies can be found in the Local History vertical files along with other news articles on Fort Oglethorpe and World War I.

For more information, visit the Local History Department of the Chattanooga Public Library or call 643-7725.

Suzette Raney is the archivist of the Chattanooga Public Library. For general information, visit chattahistorical assoc.org.