Gerhard Buelle in the internement camps Ahmednagar and Dehra Dun

Dehra Dun

Then Gerhard Buelle was at Dhera Dun for the rest of the time. His wife and I were able to get to Germany as father did not want us in the family camp. He was in charge of the anti Nazi side, there were a lot there that wanted to get rid of him, also told him they would get you and your mum when Germany won the war! His camp number was 4057 and was stationed in Wing 1, Central Internment Camp. I appreciated the panoramic photo of 1941 but found it difficult to positively identify my father. I found the most likely figure to be in the back row. Coming from the left there is a telegraph pole and then the gable of a hut. At the base of the gable is a figure in a white shirt, to his right is a giant of a man, presumably he is standing on something!

Two names of fellow internees come to mind;

1. Harneik, unfortunately I do not recall his christian name. We called him Onkel Haku and as far as I remember he later worked out of Hong Kong where he died some years ago.
    
2. Rolf Benkert is still alive, I think in Wuppertal. What you may not be aware of is that he, together with two of his old school chums wrote accounts of their lives in a joint private publication. Naturally, since Rolf spent years in Dehra Dun his account of life there is very illuminating and worth reading. I was sent a copy of the book by my father’s second wife who still lives in Spain.(1)

I am asked what my father thought of Heinrich Harrer. Regrettably, with the passage of time I do not recall specific comments, the overall impression I am left with is that Dad did not get on with him, possibly for political reasons.

 

 

The last foto was sent to my mother in Germany in letter 222 dated 23 May 1946. I am assuming that once war had ended matters relating to internees became very much more relaxed.

paper money in Internment Camp Deoli