A registration slip from the World Jewish Relief Archive provides the only information I have about a relative's military service:

BERNHARD KLUGMANN was at Bergen-Belsen, Camp 5, MB 37/15, Military Government 618, B.A.O.R. in 1945.

Since I do not know Bernhard's regiment or corps, I have not been able to obtain his military records. Does the above information hold any clues about Bernhard's service? Does anyone know about the 618 MGD at Bergen-Belsen?

BERNHARD KLUGMANN was born in 1898 in Sniatyn, which was in Poland during World War II. Thus he was a Polish Jewish refugee when he registered in London in 1942. He had lived in Graz, Austria in the 1920s and 1930s. He was a button and fabric merchant. He was arrested by the Russians in Poland in 1940 and put in a forced labor camp. He was released in an amnesty in 1941. His wife and daughter were killed in Poland in 1942.

What's more, I think that Bernhard might have changed his name, as did many Jewish refugees serving in the British forces. I have no idea what his new name might have been.

Bernhard would have been close to 50 years old when he was in the B.A.O.R. Perhaps he served as an interpreter or as a liaison to displaced persons.

If any of these details sound familiar, or if you have knowledge of the 618 MGD at Bergen-Belsen/Hohne in 1945-1946, or if you have ideas as to how I can learn more about BERNHARD KLUGMANN, I would be most appreciative.

Judy,

I have sent you a PM.
Regards
Alan

Alan, Can you share your information on the forum as well please?

MGD stode for 'Military Govenment Detachments' which was part of the Control Commission Germany which indeed employed interpreters.

As to what Regiment or Corps he was in I have no idea, but most probably the 'Civilian Mixed Service Organisation' (CMSO) for administrative purposes which was formed in 1946 from mainly displaced persons.

The CMSO wore Dark Blue [Civil Defence] 'Battle Dress' Uniforms to comply with the Geneva Convention and served the British Army in BAOR to the mid 1980's (They were re-named MSO in 1949)

The parts of the uniformed MSO most remember from the 1950's onwards are Transport Companies and MSO Guard Service. The Civil Labour Group (Mojo's) wore no uniform.

Hi Judy,

Sorry, I can't help you with the person's name. However, I have during the last year been searching for Jews who made their escape in to Uk from Burgdorf, Germany. I am not a researcher, I was helping family and friends.

Here are two sources of information which have references and or searches notices for people who worked as Interpretors at Belson or worked under cover for the British Government. One member worked for the 'Special Operations Executive' and has his details still 'Secret' under 'Closed Document.'

1. This web site http://www.ajr.org.uk/searchnotices lists in the 'Search Notices' section, AtoZ, some searches for people who worked at Belsen Camp for the British Army.

2. These two books (listed below) are available at your local library (they will bring them in if they aren't on site). Both books were written within a short time after another. Strangely, both books have very similar titles. The books list not only the epic tasks that people took on for the British, but actually cross references of many persons original birth names and the ones they changed to on coming to UK or on taking on under cover work. (see lists at rear of books).

1. 'The King's Most Loyal Aliens' Author - Helen Fry.
2. 'The King's Own Loyal Aliens' Author - Peter Leighton - Langer.

I do hope my info sets you on at least one avenue of information?
Please PM me if you need any further information.

You might be interested to know that I found wives or children/decendants of some of the names I took on to search for and still live in UK.

One happy meeting was with a member of my wife's family who got out of Germany to the USA at the age of two. It was a lovely get together last year.

Regards
Alan

PS. Since posting the first part of my reply (above). I have now found some more information about Unit 618 MGD.

618 Det. Relief Detachment MILITARY GOVERNMENT Military Government Detachments War Office: Allied Expeditionary Force, North West Europe (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War Date: 1945.

On the 30th April, 102 Control Section took over the control of Belsen Camp, this unit consisted of 618 MGD and over 25 other military units and voluntary organisations. ( Info from Soldier Magazine, 1945).

PPS. I have since noticed Judy is based in the USA, so I think my comment about the local library may not stand! However, Amazon.co which covers the USA has both the books I mention, albeit at a rather high price!

Thank you Alan.

Document at Public Records Office:

618 MGD War Diary

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=5462661&CATLN=6&accessmethod=5

Other referances:

http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BF898E7C-7371-4AB3-BB50-DBE3FD0F7777/0/ww2_deathcamps.pdf

http://nd.durham.gov.uk/recordoffice/usp.nsf/pws/Durham+Record+Office+-+The+Learning+Zone+-+Surviving+Belsen+-+The+Story+of+Belsen+-+Transcript

My interest in Bergan-Belsen stems from RAOC units based thier directly after it was liberated till closed down.

I have also just found the National Archives War Diaries section.

Are they available on line? Or is it a trip to Kew?

Its a trip to Kew where it is free to view, or pay to have it copied and sent by post. Links are on the page.

If visiting, best to pre book file to view.

Judy,

I have a 'Ship's Passenger List' from 1948 which lists a B. Klugmann departing UK to USA. The only thing which doesn't match up is his age, which is listed as 67 yrs old! I have sent you a PM listing some further details.

Regards
Alan

Not to take this off-topic but somewhat related....

Just outside Hemer, along the Hoennetal road towards Balve, in an area called Helle-Balve, about a kilometer or so from the Balvehohle (the large cave Balve is famous for) was a "DP camp"...or it was in the early 60's.

While the site was still there in the 70's when we returned, I don't believe it was a "DP camp" any longer. Not sure what it had become by then.

I remember it wasn't particularly extensive/large, always tidy, rows of white-washed barrack like buildings with bright red roofs. Who the "DPs" would have been back then, I'm not sure.

Certainly some would have been those who escaped from East Germany--in fact, a family we got quite close to when we lived in Helle-Balve in 1960-61 and maintained a correspondence with for years following and stayed with in their home in Balve when we returned in 1969, had escaped from Erfurt in East Germany with whatever they were able to carry in a couple of suitcases and were housed here for a while. I think in later years the camp may have housed Yugoslavs. I vaguely recall hearing the residents of the camp referred to as "Zigeuner" when we lived there ("Gypsy"), but that was also often a term used for Yugoslavs, Turks, Romanians etc. anyway....not a particularly 'nice' term, btw....

It was the only such camp I was aware of.

I understand the old Canadian, later British, camps in Deilinghofen are now "DP camps" for Ethiopians and such....