NAZIS CLUBBED WEAK INMATES TO HURRY DEATH
One of the most graphic accounts of Nazi atrocities to be told since the fall of Germany in May, was received in Manning last week by Cliff Kinney, plant superintendent at Dultmeier Manufacturing company, from Cliff Whiting, former resident here who for years operated the Consumers store where the Rix Produce is now located.

The account is a first hand startling account of concentration camp horrors and not a pretty one as written home by R. A. Whiting, brother of the former local resident, who is a member of the basement staff in Europe.

Following is the letter which The Monitor reprints through the courtesy of Mr. Kinney.

I guess I'll title this letter "The Buchenwald Concentration Camp near Weimar".
I went through it yesterday and it was a horrible sight. It will long rest in my mind, the barbaric things human beings do on our earth today.

As I say, we went back to this camp yesterday and as we went through the gates the first thing we saw was a pile of naked dead bodies stacked beside the crematory. It nearly made my stomach turn over.
They had all died of malnutrition.
Most of them were old ........ they were as thin as skeletons and had swollen knees. Inside the crematory, there were three ovens which were used to cremate the bodies.

In the basement of the building they had a shaft from the outside down which they would shove the prisoners, and as they descended the Germans would hit them over the head with a huge mallet, then hoist the bodies up on an elevator to the doors of the crematorium.
Many urns of the ashes were in back of the building ..... also a scaffold with three hooks upon which they used to hang the bodies.
There are many atrocity stories that we gathered from some of the prisoners who still remain, and it's awfully hard to believe them, but from what I saw, I am convinced that a human with sane mind would never tolerate such cruelty.

Planned to Kill Prisoners
This was one of the largest camps in Germany. I understand it held as many as 80,000 prisoners. These included Germans (political prisoners), Jews, Russians, Poles, Czechs and French. This was an SS camp and they were very mean.

I understand that a few days before the camp was liberated (April 11) they had planned to kill every prisoner, and increased the Nazi force to about 4,500 men.
However, the night before the selected time the SS men got panicky as the American were approaching the outskirts of the city and they left their guns to withdraw. Many of the prisoners then manned the guns and succeeded in killing a few SS men.

Since the liberation, many of the SS men have been caught by the prisoners and they are in the dungeon in the camp. I didn't go into the dungeon but one of our boys did.
He said it was pitch dark down there and when the guide switched on the light, all the men stood, up at attention.
Most of them were battered beyond recognition, as I guess any time one of the liberated prisoners feels inclined, he gets one of them out of the pen beats up on him. While we were there some of the Frenchmen rounded up, a few SS and had them in a truck. They had been beaten up badly and they were far from supermen when I saw them. Hospital and Barracks Filthy.

This camp was founded in 1935, and they tell us it is much better than most of them. I went through a hospital ward and I nearly passed out from the stench. It reminded me of a warehouse the way they stacked in. They had built three tiers of wooden bunks along each side of the building and everyone laid side by side just like sardines in a can.
It was filthy.

The barracks were the same.
They were allowed one blanket per individual. The Germans gave them one piece of bread a day and a bowl of potato peel soup. Once, a week they got a spoonful of orange marmalade.
A small percentage of the prisoners were able to work (by force). They worked in an underground factory just outside the prison walls.

Many Sick and Dying
At the time the Americans came, the Germans had evacuated around 20,000 men, and as I said they intended to kill the rest. The Americans evacuated the sick that had a chance to live, and there are still many dying. Many have left the camp trying to get back home one way or another, and the Americans are helping them.
They are forcing the German civilians of Weimar to go through the camp and while we were there, a group of around 100 was going through. Their heads were shaking with astonishment and many tried to withdraw from entering the buildings, but they were forced through.
I'm wondering what went through their minds.

Many items have appeared in our Stars and Stripes about these camps, and it is causing lots of comment. They should send our congressmen over here to see this, and also any American who thinks he's being ill-treated by this war. I guess we have lots to be thankful for.
Now I don't know about believing all the atrocity stories I hear, but I do know what I've seen.

World War II men will occupy most of the offices these include Pratt, Schrum, Roberts, Callen, Calvert, Rothfolk and Ehlers.
Mr. Pratt has not yet appointed his adjutant.

Wednesday Smokers The club committee announced that a smoker has been scheduled for the remaining Wednesday nights in July and that a cordial invitation is extended to members to attend.
The post voted to participate with the V. F. W. in the homecoming celebration scheduled for Manning, Sept. 2. Commander Kuhl appointed Peter Kuhl, Erwin Hansen and Dale Bingham as the Legion committee for this affair.

It was announced that anyone wishing housing for the state convention of the American Legion to be held Aug. 19, 20 and 21 at Des Moines, should immediately contact the housing chairman, William J. O'Connell, housing chairman, Room 339, Hotel Fort Des Moines.

Don Kelsey, Legion representative and Glenn Kuhse, Chamber of Commerce representative at Hawkeye Boys State, gave a report on their experiences there during the week.
Following the business session lunch was served by Henry Deth lefs and his committee.