8th Fallschirmjaeger Division (German)
P. W. Interview

INTERVIEW

HEADQUARTERS
8TH A.D.
1600, 5 March 1945
Hinsbeck, Germany

STATEMENT ON PW ACTIVITIES FROM 28 FEBR + 5 MARCH 1945
From Ernest M. Loew, 1st Lt., Inf. In charge of PW interrogation, Div. PWE

TO: 1st Lt. Howard L. Oleck (Historical Officer)

1. PWs in large numbers began to fall into the hands of combat elements directly upon crossing the Roer. Most of these PWs, however were not captives in the strict sense of the term. Most of them were stragglers who had been detached from their units; older and physically unfit troops who had been sacrificed as rear guard elements; training units en route from one point to another who found themselves in our area as our troops overran it; men who had deserted from their units while passing through their home towns and had changed to civilian clothing while retaining documentary evidence of their military status; men home on leave from distant points such as Denmark and East Prussia; wounded soldiers sent home on convalescent leave; rear echelon and supply troops whose units pulled out without them. Only a handful of the PWs processed through Div. Cage actually bore arms against us.

Among the many interesting or unusual units to which these men belonged may be mentioned; the Veterinary Coy of the Parachute Regt. fighting as infantry; a "Stomach Bn" composed of men with stomach trouble, an analogous "Ear Bn", an AT Coy whose weapons consisted solely of rifles.

Almost all the PWs expressed themselves as glad to be out of the German Army, answered questions willingly and believed that further German resistance was hopeless.

ERNEST M. LOEW
1st Lt., Inf.
OIC Div. PW Interrogation