Kriegy Pastimes

The Kriegies were inventive and innovative in developing activities to keep themselves busy. They had track meets, football and basketball competitions and played baseball, all using equipment provided by the Red Cross.

An orchestra was formed using instruments and sheet music brought in from Sweden by the YMCA.

A number of three-act dramas were presented using scenery and costumes made from whatever was available. Some of the printed programs can be seen below, courtesy of Brad Bradford, Ann Hart-Otterbein, and Victoria Herring.  Photos courtesy of Bill Cory, Ann Hart-Otterbein, Victoria Herring, Connie Welch, David Glendinning, and Susanna Connaughton.  Click Here to read an article by Leo Fisher about the “Little Theater” productions.

Those with expertise in certain areas taught classes to the other POWs: Law, Business, Accounting, Health, and several foreign languages.

The POWs even published their own newspaper (see the ITEM page).

August ’43 - The Orchestra
Top row l-r: J. Barker, K. Goddard, R. Lobb, Third row l-r: B. Rankin, T. Holt, D. Waful, R. Chappell, Second row l-r: G. Oughton, G. Lucey, I. Yarock, First row l-r: Piano-T. A. Mitchell, J. Friedman, L. Wilcox, T. Pawloski
Stage Crew
Standing back row l-r: John Glendinning, Seated on the chair-center: Lou Otterbein with Ray Goad (wearing the hat) kneeling at his left and Al Winwood kneeling at his right; others possibly included: Joe Barrett, Zoltan Takacs, Wally Wilson and John Hannan
NEW - Unknown production,
Louis Otterbein seated center. Please help us identify the others.
November ’43 - Glee Club, “The Robert E. Lee Minstrels”, First Row l-r: T. A. Mitchell, J. Barker, R. Chappell, F. Saxton, K. Goddard, J. Van Vliet, H. Littman. Second Row l-r: T. Cipriani, B. Fabian, T. Holt, K. Willis, H. Holder, C. Campbell, F. Maxwell, S. Thal, W. Sharpe. Standing l-r: R. Ford, L. Farber, J. Cockrell and other members of the cast and orchestra.
November ’43 - Glee Club, “The Robert E. Lee Minstrels”, Front Row l-r: T. Cipriani, B. Fabian, T. Holt, K. Willis, H. Holder, C. Campbell, F. Maxwell, S. Thal, W. Sharpe. Second Row l-r: Davis, D. Waful, Jones, Carlson, S. Bolten. Third Row l-r: R. Crawford, H. Korger, J. Fraser, S. Stetson, J. Carpenter, Johnson
November ’43 - Glee Club, “The Robert E. Lee Minstrels”, Leo Farber as “Queenie”. Front Row l-r: T. Cipriani, B. Fabian, T. Holt, K. Willis, H. Holder, C. Campbell, F. Maxwell, S. Thal, W. Sharpe. Second Row l-r: Davis, D. Waful, Jones, Carlson, S. Bolten. Third Row l-r: R. Crawford, H. Korger, J. Fraser, S. Stetson, J. Carpenter, Johnson
November ’43 -Glee Club, “The Robert E. Lee Minstrels”, Leo Farber as “Queenie”, Russell Ford and Glee Club members - top row l-r: R. Crawford, H. Korger, J. Fraser, S. Stetson, J. Carpenter, Johnson; middle row l-r: Davis, D. Waful, Jones, Carlson, S. Bolten; front row l-r: T. Cipriani, B. Fabian, T. Holt, C. Willis, H. Holder, C. Campbell, F. Maxwell, S. Thal, W. Sharpe
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
l-r: Wilbur Sharpe, Verris Hubbell, Frank Maxwell, James Bickers, Al Casner
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
l-r: James Bickers, Wilbur Sharpe, Frank Maxwell, Al Casner, Verris Hubbell
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
l-r: Wilbur Sharpe, James Bickers, Verris Hubbell, Al Casner, Frank Maxwell
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
l-r: Gabriel Gever, Frank Roy, Bob Lobb, Jim Sherman, Ormond Hessler, Jim Koch
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
l-r: Gabriel Gever, Frank Maxwell, Bob Lobb, Jim Sherman, Jim Koch, Ormond Hessler
November ’43 -
“Brother Orchid”
Front Row l-r: British Sgt. S. “Mouse” Waldman, J. Van Vliet, J. Glendinning, L. Otterbein, J. Cockrell, T. A. Mitchell, T. Cipriani, R. Ford, S. Bolten, W. Korber, Monks l-r: A. Casner, J. Bickers, V. Hubbell, F. Maxwell, W. Sharpe,
Bartender: G. Gever, J. Koch, J. Sherman, R. Lobb, O. Hessler, F. Roy
December ’43 -
“Hobby-Lobby Exhibit”
Exhibits by Clyde Herring, Gaines Barron, Bernard Bolton, Jim Bickers, Delbert Dorman, & Wilbert Davis. Clyde Herring in charge.
December ’43 -
“Hobby-Lobby Exhibit”
Exhibits by Lou Otterbein, Bill Fabian, William Kleysteuber, & an English artist (Chieti). Clyde Herring in charge.
1944 - "Your Kind Indulgence" variety show
Sol Levy on violin; 3rd from left: Larry Phelan; 6th from left: Wilbur Sharpe; 2nd from right: Frank Maxwell; far right: Howard Holder
1944 - "Your Kind Indulgence" variety show
Jim Cockrell on bass
Roy “Tex” Chappell on trumpet, Lou Otterbein, back row, second from right
1944 - "Your Kind Indulgence" variety show
l-r: Wilbur Sharpe, Don Walful, Robert Weigand
1944 - "Seventh Man"
Center-laying down is Larry Phelan, sitting left is John Glendinning
1944 - "Seventh Man"
Standing left: John Glendinning, standing center: Lou Otterbein, standing right: Larry Phelan, kneeling left: Al Winwood, kneeling right: Ray Goad
1944 - "It Will Be All Right on the Night"
March ’44 - “The Man Who Came To Dinner”
March ’44 - “The Man Who Came To Dinner”
March ’44 - “The Man Who Came To Dinner”
April '44 - "Man of Destiny"
May ’44 - “Three Men On A Horse”
May ’44 - “Three Men On A Horse”
June ’44 - “The Petrified Forest”
June ’44 - “The Petrified Forest”
July '44 - "Boy Meets Girl"
July '44 - "Boy Meets Girl"
Standing far right: Lou Otterbein
July '44 - "Boy Meets Girl"
NEW - July '44
"Boy Meets Girl"
Seated center: Lou Otterbein
July ’44 - “Boy Meets Girl”
July ’44 - “Boy Meets Girl”
July ’44 - “Boy Meets Girl”
July '44 - "The Oflag Vanities of '44"
July '44 - "The Oflag Vanities of '44"
July ’44 - “The Oflag Vanities Of ’44”
July ’44 - “The Oflag Vanities Of ’44”
August ’44 - “The Front Page”
August ’44 - “The Front Page”
August ’44 - “The Front Page”
August ’44 - “The Front Page”
September ’44 - Track And Field Meet
September ’44 - Track And Field Meet
September ’44 - “You Can’t Take It With You”
September ’44 - “You Can’t Take It With You”
October '44 - "The Man Who Came To Dinner"
Russell Ford wearing the hat
October '44 - "The Man Who Came To Dinner"
Russell Ford in mummy case
October '44 - "The Man Who Came To Dinner"
October '44 - "The Man Who Came To Dinner"
October ’44 - “The Man Who Came To Dinner”
October ’44 - “The Man Who Came To Dinner”
October/November ’44 - “Full Swing”
October/November ’44 - “Full Swing”
October/November ’44 - “Full Swing”
October/November ’44 - “Full Swing”
October/November ’44 - “Full Swing” Who's Who
November ’44 - “Pot Luck” & “In The Zone”
November ’44 - “Pot Luck” & “In The Zone”
December ’44/January ’45 - “Room Service”
December ’44/January ’45 - “Room Service”
January ’45 - “Midwinter Melodies”
January ’45 - “Midwinter Melodies”
Tom Holt “In Concert”
Program
Unknown Date
Tom Holt “In Concert”
Program
Unknown Date
Tom Holt
“A Baritone Concert” Program
Unknown Date
Tom Holt
“A Baritone Concert” Program
Unknown Date
Unknown Production/Cast/Date
Any Ideas ???
Glee Club l-r: Front Row - Sharpe, Johnson, Jones, Bolten, Carlson, Waful, Cipriani, Ford (director). 2nd Row - Carpenter, Willis, Thal, Holt, Holder, Stetson, Truett, Fraser, Campbell. 3rd Row - Hooker, Maxwell, Farber, Davis, Fabian. If you have an original of this photo, please contact us.
Kriegy Singers l-r: Don Waful, Wilbur Sharpe, Frank Maxwell, Russell Ford. This photo was submitted as a photocopy. If you have a copy of the original, please contact us.
Kenneth Goddard - If you have an original of this photo and/or can share information relating to the circumstances of this photo, please contact us.
Tickets to Unknown Production
Any Ideas ???
Tickets to Unknown Production
Any Ideas ???
l-r: Carl "Pappy" Hunsinger, Clarence Ferguson, John Creech, George Durgin,
John Slack
John Creech in his greenhouse at Oflag 64. Photo published in a 1946 issue of Better Homes & Gardens
1943 Basketball Champions-Phillips 66, l-r: E. Berlinski (captain), J. Creech, B. Bingham, J. Shinn, A. Knapp, H. Holder, W. Luttrell, W. Curtis. (Not pictured, Leo Farber, also a Phillips captain.)
Weight-Lifting Squad
Herm Littman, center-front
Oflag 64 Ice Skaters -
l-r: Harry Frazee, William Guest, Jr., John Creech, William Burghardt, Gaither Perry, Jr., Fay M. Straight
Ice Hockey Team
l-r: George Durgin, 2nd from left; William Burghardt, 5th from left. Please help us identify other skaters.
October 7, 1944
American POWs pitching horseshoes outside barracks
October 7, 1944
American POWs playing
baseball
October 7, 1944
American POWs playing
baseball
October 7, 1944
American POWs playing baseball
October 7, 1944
American POWs
October 7, 1944
American POWs on the sports ground with barracks in the background and greenhouse on the right
Red Cross Bulletin
Kriegies in leisure conversation -
Colonel Thomas Drake, Capt. Francis Smith, Lt. William Fabian, Lt. Joseph Green

Click on thumbnails below to see larger photos and full captions.