The Prisoners Of War

WRITTEN BY WARREN SAGER

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

2ND LT. ROBERT R. SWARTZ: A real prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 1 in Germany during WW2.

THOMAS STITZ: Another prisoner. Lines imagined.

FIRST WOMAN AND SECOND WOMAN: Reading a letter from Swartz taken from his actual writings.

REV. H.A.M. MITCHELL: Tall Presbyterian minister from New Zealand. Taken from his actual sermon notes.

INT. BUNK HOUSE IN GERMAN CAMP
(A lot of good information for costume and set ideas can be found at this web site: http://www.merkki.com/swartzrobert.htm)
LIGHTS COME UP
As the lights come up, we see two women reading a letter, off to one side of the stage.
FIRST WOMAN
I’m so glad we finally heard from him. At least now we know where he is and how he is doing! Please…keep reading!
SECOND WOMAN
Okay…
(Reads)
During these months as a POW I have not been permitted much freedom in corresponding with you. Correspondence has been limited and there was much that could not be written. Nevertheless, you folks were always on my thoughts and I know you were also thinking of me. When thinking of you, I had memories of home to serve as a background. However, I suppose you often wondered how I was living. I will not discuss the events of my capture and imprisonment. It is military information not to be recorded. Besides we refer to these events as “horror stories” and there is much we would like to forget.
FIRST WOMAN
I can’t even imagine! Oh, poor Bobby!
SECOND WOMAN
(Reads on)
Our prison camp is Stalag Luft One located near Barth, Germany. Barth is a small town on the shores of the Baltic north of Berlin. The camp itself is on a small peninsula northwest of the town. We get used to life here. You make it work. Most of the time, the Germans leave us “kriegies” alone. That’s what they call us.
LIGHTS FADE ON WOMEN
LIGHTS COME UP ON MEN
The rest of the stage comes in view as we have a few men dressed as prisoners and laying around a bunk house. A few beds are there and Robert is busy writing a letter. Thomas enters with some boxes.
THOMAS
Hey, Bob…we got the Red Cross parcels!
(He sets the boxes down and opens one pulling the items out one at a time)
One can of spam, a can of corned beef, stew, salmon, two cans of sardines, box of k-2 biscuits, box of cereal, 2 d-ration chocolate bars…
ROBERT SWARTZ
Hey! Now that sounds good!
THOMAS
…A can of cocoa, pate, cheese, powdered milk, a can of jam, a can of margarine, coffee, sugar, 5 pkgs of cigarettes and 2 bars of soap! Same as usual.
ROBERT SWARTZ
So, we can get all of them together and cook up some good meals. Have we got our German rations yet?
THOMAS
Yeah. We got some bread and sausage and cheese and meat, sugar, potatoes, cabbage…you know, the usual stuff.
ROBERT SWARTZ
And Rutabagas?
THOMAS
And Rutabagas!
ROBERT SWARTZ
Hey…maybe we can fix some baked spam with strawberry jam. Everybody likes that pretty well.
THOMAS
And some Kriegie pie!
ROBERT SWARTZ
Do we have enough prunes?
THOMAS
I’ll check. You gonna help me with the meal tonight?
ROBERT SWARTZ
We’re scheduled for K.P., aren’t we? I guess I gotta prepare myself for that! You know what they say…”we won’t see the light of day for the next 2 days!”
THOMAS
Well…you looked pretty caught up in that letter.
ROBERT SWARTZ
You know how it is. Once you get started…it’s hard to know when to stop.
THOMAS
When my hand cramps up. That’s usually when I stop. Who are you writing to?
ROBERT SWARTZ
My family mostly. They pass my letters around after they read them, so who knows how many people will eventually read it? My mom passes it on to a couple of girls that I know. I was telling them about the Christmas show with the orchestra and all.
THOMAS
I think our orchestra sounds pretty darn good…considering.
ROBERT SWARTZ
And also… that hilarious rendition of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”.
THOMAS
I guess you explained why it was so hilarious…reminding them that there are no women here to play the female roles!
ROBERT SWARTZ
Yes…I’m telling them how cultured we are…with theater and music and all. I even wrote down all the words to “Low is the Sun”, that song that Lashley wrote.
THOMAS
(Notices book on his bed)
What’s that book you’re reading?
ROBERT SWARTZ
(Hands him the book)
The Robe. Have you read it?
THOMAS
Nope. Is it good?
ROBERT SWARTZ
Yeah…it’s pretty good. It’s about the robe that was on Christ when he was crucified, and then who it went to after that and what happened to him. It’s fiction of course. You can read it when I’m done.
THOMAS
Well, I just finished “Goodbye Mr. Chips.” Do you want to read that one next?
ROBERT SWARTZ
Yeah…I’ve been wanting to read that one! Did you ever see that movie with Robert Donat? It is one of my favorites.
THOMAS
Sure, I think so. The YMCA sent some new books that came yesterday. Looks like some more good ones. One that I remember seeing was about Paul Revere.
ROBERT SWARTZ
Who wrote it?
THOMAS
A woman… Esther somebody. Hey…there was some astronomy books in there, too. I remember you had an interest in that. Are you still taking that Home Planning class?
ROBERT SWARTZ
Yeah. I guess I’ll make it through to the end. Kline has a lot of practical ideas. But I would really be interested in studying astronomy.
THOMAS
I was thinking that I might teach it. I just wonder if there would be much of an interest in that subject.
ROBERT SWARTZ
So what if there isn’t? You and I could do it together. You can teach me all that you know.
THOMAS
Hey! You know what else the YMCA sent? A movie!
ROBERT SWARTZ
No! Really? Which one?
THOMAS
“Andy Hardy’s Double Life” starring Mickey Rooney.
ROBERT SWARTZ
That will be a treat! Did they send more records?
THOMAS
Yeah…I didn’t get to see which ones, but they are always good. Maybe we can have a record concert this weekend…and get a good game of bridge going, now that Mancini got those new cards for Christmas.
LIGHTS FADE ON MEN
LIGHTS COME UP ON WOMEN
SECOND WOMAN
(Reading)
Our compound occupies an area of approximately 11 acres. The buildings consist of nine barracks, two latrines, and a cook shack. The latrines are divided into two sections – wash rooms and toilet. The only convenience in the latrines is running water. The wash room is furnished with six wash stands, three mirrors, and two tubs for heating water. The less written about the toilet the better. It is very primitive.
FIRST WOMAN
Eewww! That would be very hard!
SECOND WOMAN
I know!
(Reads on)
On our latrine there is a laundry wing. This room is furnished with six double basins and some wooden tubs for washing clothes. The cook shack is simply a temporary structure of rough wood and canvas to protect the German field kitchens and vegetable bins. There are two fences, ten feet high, strung with horizontal and vertical barbed wires, around the compound, and it is guarded by six towers. As for sleeping…well the mattresses are very uncomfortable. Nothing like we have ever slept on before. You do eventually get used to it and we are able to sleep. I have K.P. Duties for the next two days. The K.P.’s wash the dishes, do the cooking, sweep the floor, build the fires, carry water, and bring in the coal ration. I’ll be doing it with Thomas Stitz. Oh…and most of our eating and cooking utensils are made from klim cans.
FIRST WOMAN
Klim? What’s a klim can?
SECOND WOMAN
Hold on.
(Reads on)
Klim is milk spelled backwards.
FIRST WOMAN
How strange! They can’t call it milk?
SECOND WOMAN
I guess not.
(Reads on)
Christmas was hard. We tried really hard to make things festive, by decorating and having a nice dinner, but it just wasn’t the same as being at home with our families. My 24th birthday wasn’t much fun either. We were very low on food then, and we did come up with a cake but there was no sugar for frosting. We were all losing weight around that time. We miss so much of the good food that we get back home. When I get home, this is what I am looking forward to.
(Stops reading)
He has a whole page of things he wants to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner…and a list of desserts! Here!
(She hands her the page and then reads on)
On Tuesday, March 27th, I got a huge surprise…a parcel from home! It was my first thing to get. I had not even gotten any letters…and then a parcel arrives! Now I know that my family knows where I am and that I am safe. On top of all this, the weather had been fine the past few days and the news from the fronts has been exceptionally good. Now all I have to “sweat out” is continued Red Cross parcels, letters from home, and the end of the war. To be perfectly frank, when I received that parcel, I was as happy and excited as a kid on Christmas with a new toy!
FIRST WOMAN
Let me read for awhile!
(She hands her the letter and they read on)
Easter was a huge blessing. It was especially nice because the padre led us in a celebration of Holy Week. It was something entirely new for me. Each day, Monday through Thursday we had a morning service. Each day the Padre discussed the events of that day before the death of Christ. Friday afternoon we had a Good Friday service and naturally Easter service on Sunday afternoon. There must have been 1000 in attendance.
LIGHTS FADE ON WOMEN
LIGHT COME UP ON MEN
The padre enters and walks to the front of the stage before the lights come up. He is standing on a platform looking out over a large crowd of men holding a Bible. Some of this can be read.
REV. MITCHELL
My text is Romans 6: 3-5 Do you not know that all of us who were baptized unto Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Well, then, by our baptism we were buried with Him in death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we also should live an entirely new life. For if we have become one with Him by sharing in His death, we shall also be one with Him in sharing His resurrection. Accepting the Christian faith means dying to the old life and resurrection into a new life of power & beauty & peace. The death , burial & resurrection of Christ are historical facts, but more, they are timeless realities which have a meaning in all great living. That’s my theme. Death, burial, & rising into new life. Those are elements in every life which has the seal of eternity on it. To me, this whole week has had the wonder of resurrection in it and perhaps more so for you. Here is resurgence of life. A week ago men were duller, whiter, weaker. Now they are in the verve and energy of life again. There is food. There is more. All are conscious from the news we have received, that the day of homecoming gets nearer. There is hope. Add to it all the pulsating life of spring, with the warmer days, the power of growth going on, and the aliveness there is in the springtime, and go worlds beyond all I have said, and remember that it is today – Easter day – the day of the triumph song of the church, which has to do not with passing things of yearly phases of nature, with full or empty stomachs, but with our eternal destinies. I challenge you to be as big as the hour demands and as this wonderful time in history gives opportunity.
LIGHTS FADE AS HE EXITS
LIGHTS COME UP ON MEN
Robert is standing and reading a letter when Thomas enters.
THOMAS
Bob! The mail just came. You got another letter!
ROBERT SWARTZ
Really? That makes two days in a row! I got my first letter yesterday from Grandma. I keep reading it over and over. I wonder who…
Takes the letter from Thomas, sees who it is from and starts ripping it open
ROBERT SWARTZ (cont’d)
It’s from Jeanne! And it’s long! Wow! This is fantastic! You sure made my day, Pal!
THOMAS
Well, I hate to be the one to bring good news and bad… but I have something to tell you.
ROBERT SWARTZ
What? What’s going on?
THOMAS
The news just hit and it’s not good. President Roosevelt died.
ROBERT SWARTZ
No! Are you sure? Maybe it’s not true!
THOMAS
It seems to be true. You should see the compound. This news has cast of shadow of gloom over the entire camp. Friday the 13th of April, 1945.
ROBERT SWARTZ
Well, we have lost a great man and it is too bad that he could not live to see his work successfully concluded. If ever a man died for his country, President Roosevelt did.
LIGHTS FADE ON MEN
THE END

Copyright 2009 Warren Sager