Group of WWI soldiers? help with translation too please

[cassarnold]

Hi,
Came across these photos from my Mom/Grandmother's archives (they were from E. Prussia). There are 2 photos of the same group: 1 is better, the other has numbers written on ink on the photo itself, with a "key" of sorts on the back, but I cannot interprete the text. I have enclosed the back texts of both photos. Any help would be appreciated, but also posting for interest.

I can't seem to upload them in any organized way (sorry).

Thanks and best,
Cassandra

[storm39]

Can't read the names yet but the other text say

for top picture

Gefangene Franzosen u. Russen aus dem 1. Weltkrieg Juli 1917

French and russian prisoners from WWI July 1917

Btm picture
Juli 1917
Groß Herzogwalde Gefangene Franzosen u. Russen aus dem 1. Weltkrieg als Landhelfer
July 1917
Groß Herzogwalde (town now in Poland) French and russian prisoners from WWI as farm workers

[storm39]

1. ?
2. Koch Beranger = the cook Beranger
3.Der Spanier = the spaniard
4?
5 ?
6 Russe (Pferdhandler) = Russian (horse dealer)

[cassarnold]

Thank you so very much. Gefangene--that was the one word in particular that I couldn't get, and the key word of course. My grandmother grew up in GroBHerzogswalde, an "estate" of sorts from what I have learned, so I guess they had prisoners working on the farm there. Interesting. I wonder what happened to them after 1918.

best,
cassandra

[cassarnold]

Of interest: I had also sent this photo to my 79-year-old German aunt (born in 1932) who lived in East Prussia as a child. Below is her response (pardon her sometimes broken English). This will definitely go into my book of my family, if I ever get it written!!
-Cassandra

"The picture are all prisoners of war as you guessed, French, Russian and others. In both WW I and II these guys were put in great numbers of farms to replace the native man who were in war. So they were farm workers, coachmen, farrier etc. About their treatment I don't know much, since before my time.

The second picture is more of the same except there must have been for the kids some favorites.
# 1 Farrier Frank
# 2 Cook Beranger most likely french
#3 The Spaniard (a circus member)
#4 The district judge Simon (speaks German)
#6 The Watchman
#6 The Russian, Jew Marcus a horse trader

********************************************
Now in the WWII in the east they usually had Russian POW with minimum German soldiers to watch them. The prisoners were safe, happy to be there, since they were not allowed by Russia to be prisoners by the Germans, so they were not trying to escape. Guenthersdorf (relative's farm) had probably around 100, Wilsickow (friend's estate ) 400.
They were housed in old barns old tenant houses or what ever was available in buildings..

In Guenthersdorf my favorite was Simon he took care of one team of horses (they were worked in teams of 4) He taught me to ride, to drive wagons with teams, I rode the one next to him, he on the saddle with the two in front an long reigns. When I was 7 or 8 I got to do it by myself. He taught me all about horses, how they were bred, how they had their foals. How to iron their bellies when they has colic, I stood on a stool. He taught me a little Russian he was from the Ukraine I used to have his address to come see him after the war. He was there next to uncle Arthur my substitute father.
In Wilsickow, 2 years later 1942 it was much stricter, the German Watchmen were not as friendly, except one he let us in the barracks when the prisoners had 'parties' Christmas in early January and was unbelievable sentimental, they sang beautiful cried embraced each other danced the Russian dance where they swing the legs out down to the knees (can't think of the name)
In all those years in the country I have never seen or heard that one Russian prisoner misbehaved.
The Germans were not always friendly, screamed at them and hit them with a stick.

[storm39]

very interesting and well worth the effort required to document it for future generations of your family. I did think No.4 said Amtsrichter = District court judge but appearences are deceptive and thought it must be a similar word but Auntie was correct Good luck with it.