• The War Prisoners' Aid Headquarters in Vienna sent these traveling recreation chests to labor detachments to make sure that prisoners detached from their parent camps still benefitted from the Red Triangle social program. Each wooden box contained reading material (books, magazines, spiritual tracts, and hymnals), musical instruments (accordions and harmonicas), games (dominoes and Mensch aergere dich nicht), and stationery. Easch chest was secured with a lock and chain to prevent the loss of materials. Source: YMCA Photo Collection A, Kautz Family YMCA Archives, Photo 11H, Minneapolis, MN.

Source: YMCA Photo Collection A, Kautz Family YMCA Archives, Photo 11H, Minneapolis, MN.

From Pursuit of an "unparalleled opportunity": American YMCA and prisoner of war diplomacy among the Central Power nations during World War I, 1914-1923 by Kenneth Steuer

Subjects
  • American: 1900-present
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