1940 Remarkable World War 2 Original Hutchinson Internment Artist’s Camp (P Camp) “The Camp” Newsletter No. 5

On offer is a remarkable newsletter produced and printed by internees at the Hutchinson Internment Camp in Douglas, Isle of Man, during the Second World War. 

This newsletter was the 5th to be produced at Hutchinson, and is dated October 20, 1940. It was edited by journalist and interpreter Michael Corvin (also known as Leo Freund) and published by patent merchant Wilhelm Feuchtwang. 

The newsletter provides tremendous insight into life at Camp Hutchinson. It includes a message from the first “Camp-Father”, the author Dr. Frederich Burschell, discussing politics at the camp, updates about the plan for a democratic system that includes an administrative structure and roles for internees, who are in some places referred to as “Comrades”. There is an article about educational opportunities organized by the camp’s “cultural department”, an article about producing the newsletter, cartoons, letters to the editor and more. There is even an announcement of the first arts competition being held at the Camp - a writing contest where entrants are asked to write of “One Day in Hutchinson Camp”.  

Hutchinson Camp (also known as “P” Camp), located in Douglas on the Isle of Man, was an internment camp. Initiated by Winston Churchill during World War Two, it was one of many camps opened to quell the anxiety of British citizens who believed spies were among them. Hutchinson kept “enemy aliens” - or those living in Britain with German, Austrian and Italian passports - jailed behind barbed wire in boarding houses. Tragically, many of those detained in Hutchinson were Jews who had fled the Nazis only to be imprisoned by the country they hoped would liberate them. Hutchinson became known as the artist’s camp as it housed many professors, artists, composers, writers and more. Notable artists interned at Hutchinson included Kurt Schwitters, Hellmuth Weissenborn, Paul Hamann and Eric Kahn. According to AJR Refugee Voices, “Despite the injustice of the situation, the internees quickly organised. The camp became a hub of creative endeavour, with a daily program of lectures, live music performances, poetry readings, and English lessons”. In fact, they even produced a camp newsletter (offered here).  Hutchinson was opened on July 13, 1940, housing up to 1200 men, and was in operation. In early 1942, most of the innocent men had been released from Hutchinson and, while it remained open until 1945, it became a camp for Prisoners of War and its cultural life faded. 

This newsletter provides an inside look at life at Hutchinson in its first year of operation. With writing by some of the camp’s famous internees and references to life at the camp, the Commanders and more, this newsletter is an exceptional piece of the historical puzzle that will enhance any World War Two collection.

This newsletter contains six printed pages of content, all measuring 8-1/2 x 13-1/2 in. There is also a stapled on partial sheet announcing the writing contest, which has been hand-coloured in red pencil crayon. The pages are held together with two staples. The document exhibits age toning, folds and creases. Overall Good. 

References: 

AJR Refugee Voices. (2023). Hutchinson. Retrieved from https://www.ajrrefugeevoices.org.uk/isle-of-man-camps/hutchinson

The Island of Extraordinary Captives. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hutchinsoncamp.com/