The Horrors of Wittenberg — 2nd Edition

Name: The Horrors of Wittenberg — 2nd Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4439
Price: 50.00 GBP
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The Horrors of Wittenberg: Official Report to the British Government, Government Committee on Treatment by the Enemy of British Prisoners of War — Second Edition

Publication: London, C. Arthur Pearson, Limited, 1916

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 32.

Condition Report: Very Good. The pamphlet remains in structurally sound and highly presentable condition, with the original printed paper wrappers showing only minor toning, faint surface markings, and light edge-wear indicative of careful handling over the past century. The staple binding remains secure, though there is a small, expected touch of localised rust to the staples themselves which has faintly offset onto the inner margins of the preliminary pages. Internally, the text block is bright, entirely legible, and free of major foxing or tears, making for a remarkably well-preserved survival of a fragile wartime publication.

Catalogue Note: This is the Second Edition of the report, issued in the same year as the original to meet the intense public demand for information regarding the treatment of British prisoners of war. The front wrapper bears a standard but attractive contemporary ink ownership inscription: "Joan Fleetwood with love from H.W. 1916".

Unusually, this copy is accompanied by two distinct pieces of laid-in ephemera. The first is a handwritten letter on Holy Trinity Vicarage (Eastbourne) stationery, dated 9 May 1896, confirming the arrangements and publishing costs for a June 17 marriage ceremony. The second is an Aintree '93 voucher offering half-price admission to the Paddock Enclosure for the Martell Grand National. Together, these items present an eccentric but fascinating timeline of the pamphlet’s custodial history. As a scarce, fragile paper survival from 1916, authentic examples of this report appear uncommonly on the open market compared to their presence in institutional archives.

Published during the height of the First World War, this harrowing government report documents the disastrous 1914–1915 typhus outbreak at the Wittenberg prisoner-of-war camp. It critically details the systemic medical neglect by German authorities who abandoned the overcrowded camp behind barbed wire, leaving a small, heroic cohort of British medical officers and volunteer orderlies to manage the deadly epidemic alone. A sobering piece of both wartime propaganda and essential historical record, the report served to galvanise British public morale and expose the dire realities faced by captive soldiers on the continent.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Government Committee on Treatment by the Enemy of British Prisoners of War

Book Publisher: C. Arthur Pearson, Limited

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Military

Book edition: Second Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 32

Book Publication Year: 1916

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Softcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.