Life in the camps.
Besides the efforts of the US Army and the prisoners themselves to make life as a prisoner as bearable as possible, numerous other organizations provided amenities to the prisoners. The Red Cross and the YMCA provided books, games, musical instruments, athletic equipment, and newspapers. Prisoners were allowed gardening tools and in some cases, woodworking and other hobby equipment. Nearly all camps published their own newspapers, in both their native language and English. Classes were offered in several subjects by local schools and the War Department.
Camps established theaters both for live performances and films. American entertainers sometimes performed in the camps, but for the most part live concerts and plays were the productions of the prisoners themselves. Motion pictures were shown several times per week, sometimes the same films being seen in American cinemas, and other times propaganda films regarding the war and America’s role in it. Among these were the Why We Fight series, and the films of combat in the Pacific. As the war went on, the use of films for the purpose of re-education of the Germans and to a lesser extent the Italians increased.
Late in the war the revelation of the concentration and death camps was presented to the prisoners in mandatory attendance. The reaction to these films ranged from disbelief to despair, and was divisive among the prisoners. Some of the prisoners sneered openly that they were simply Allied propaganda, others were so appalled at what they saw that they denounced Germany and attempted to burn their uniforms. In several instances the viewing of the concentration camp films led to violence among the prisoners between Nazi supporters and those less inclined to favor them.
Throughout the war, as local communities became more familiar with the prisoners, entertainments were arranged for them at local dances and community events. These could be held in the camps or in community facilities such as parks, church basements, school gymnasiums, and YMCAs. As American casualties in the war affected nearly every community not all citizens welcomed the Germans, and security at most events was provided by the camp guards in conjunction with the local authorities. Nor were all of the German prisoners willing to socialize with the Americans.
Prisoners taken earlier in the war tended to doubt American reports of Germany losing, remained loyal to the Reich and the German government, and were more prone to look down on the Americans. Those captured later in the war were better aware of conditions in Europe and found the claims of ultimate Allied victory believable. They were also less likely to be professional soldiers. American guards found many of the more recent arrivals excoriated by the prisoners taken earlier in the war and often had to intervene during accusations of more recent arrivals being traitors to the Reich.