THE BERLIN MUNICIPAL LABOUR HOUSE.

The Labour House at Rummelsburg, near Berlin, is an example of a house of correction for offenders of the classes dealt with at Benninghausen conducted by a municipality. This institution is maintained entirely by the City of Berlin, and while it exists to meet the requirements of the Imperial Penal Code, as already explained, there is attached to it a large hospital which closely corresponds to an English workhouse infirmary.

This hospital is intended for the reception of (1) persons suffering from incurable diseases, also infirm persons who are no longer able to look after themselves, even with the assistance of outrelief; (2) those, who, owing to their past irregular mode of life (intemperance, immorality, criminality, etc.), are unsuited to admission to the usual municipal infirmaries; (3) destitute persons who might still be given outrelief, but who, by reason of their irregular mode of life, as above stated, would be better provided for in a public institution; (4) those in receipt of relief who are believed to be likely to give way to mendicity; and finally (5) persons sentenced to disciplinary detention who are infirm or ill, and incapable of work. In general, the class of persons accommodated are the undeserving infirm poor who are not thought worthy of permanent association with indoor paupers of more or less respectable antecedents. Although under the management of the same Director, and administered by the same Committee of the Town Council, the hospital is entirely independent of the house of correction, and its inmates are disregarded in the statistical data which follow.

The numbers detained at Rummelsburg during the financial year 1907-8 were as follows:—

	Males.	Females.	Total
Number detained on April 1, 1908	1,349	36	1,385
Admitted during year	1,428	102	1,530
	2,777	138	2,915
Discharged during the year	1,128	55	1,183
Died	21	—	21
	1,149	55	1,204
Number remaining on March 31, 1909	1,628	83	1,711

Of the 1530 persons admitted during the year 1381 (1,282 men and 99 women) had been committed by the Police Authorities of Berlin, and 149 (146 men and 3 women) were reinstated with a view to their completing sentences interrupted owing either to temporary removal to hospital or to escape.

The offences which led to commitment were the following:—

	Males.		Females.		Total.
Vagabondage		11		—		11
Begging		655		7		662
Homelessness		567		61		628
Souteneurs		49		31		80
Totals	1,282		99		1,381

The duration of the sentences awarded was as follows:—

	Males.		Females.		Total.
Six months and under		252		42		294
From six months to two years		545		43		588
Two years		485		14		499
Totals	1,282		99		1,381

Of the 1,183 persons discharged during the year, 84 went to their own homes, 921 had no homes to go to, 113 were handed to other judicial authorities, 13 were removed to outside hospitals or lunatic asylums, and 52 were removed to the infirmary after completing their sentences.

Of the persons newly admitted, 20 were twenty-one years of age or under, 76 were between twenty-one and twenty-five years, 126 between twenty-five and thirty years, 346 between thirty and forty years, 389 between forty and fifty years, 322 between fifty and sixty years, 91 between sixty and seventy years, and 11 seventy years and upwards.

The occupations of these 1,381 persons were as follows:—

	Men.	Women.	Total
Agriculture, forestry, gardening, hunting, fishing	—	—	—
Industry, mining, and building	541	3	544
Trade and commerce	122	3	125
Domestic service and casual labour	618	93	711
No occupation or none stated	1	—	1

The inmates of the Berlin Labour House are employed in a variety of ways, but chiefly in the works connected with the irrigation farms belonging to the city. All the men of this class are lodged in barracks near the farms, so as to avoid walking the long distance to and fro every day. The remainder of the men are engaged in miscellaneous trades, such as tailoring, shoe making, clogging, wood-working, basket and brush making, lock-smithery, tinning, straw-plaiting, book binding, etc.; wood cutting is done by the less skilled men; and old men are put to light employments like coffee bean and feather sorting. Most of the women not engaged in domestic work are employed in sewing and washing for municipal institutions, like the hospitals, shelters for the homeless, the cattle market and abattoir, etc. The following table shows the manner in which the labour of the inmates was distributed amongst these employments, with the number of days worked, and the value of the work done, during the year 1908-9:—

Paid Work.

		Number of days of Work.		Value of Work.
(1) Outside the Labour House.
				£	s.
Agricultural work on the sewage farms during seven months of summer		128,526		2,570	10
Work for other municipal institutions		2,884¾		100	19
Work for officers of Municipal Orphanage and Shelter		90		3	3
(2) Inside the Labour House.
Sewing (women)		230		6	15
Washing		7,214		1,854	13
Wood-cutting		20,894		361	18
Other inside work		3,714		129	19
Farm work		1,382		48	17
Work for officers in the workshops		5,418		135	9
Work for outside employers		7,403		20	19
Oakum-picking		1,900		3	11
		179,655¾		5,236	13

Unpaid Work.

		Number of Days.
(1) Agricultural work on these wage farms, in five winter months (November to March)		102,968
(2) Work at the Municipal Shelter		610
(3) Artisans' work for the Labour House		34,238
(4) Gardeners' work for the Labour House		3,170
(5) Work in the kitchens		13,179
(6) Sempstresses		12,213
(7) Washing		14,428
(8) Bookbinding, writing and work of porters, stokers, etc.		44,859
(9)Cooking and other domestic work done at the sewage farms, etc.		25,544
		251,209

The work of the kinds classified under Nos. 3 to 9 was charged in the books at 58 pfennige (about 7d.) per day, representing an aggregate value of £4,281 5s., making the entire imputed earnings of the inmates £9,517 8s. This amount does not include the wages or bonus paid to the inmates, as stated below.

The work-day consists of ten hours, and the time-table for week days and for Sundays and festivals is as follows:—

Weekdays.

Rise	5.45	a.m.
First breakfast	6.0	"
Work	6.15	"	to	9.0	a.m.
Second breakfast	9.0	"	to	9.30	"
Work	9.30	"	to	12.0	noon
Dinner, and rest	12.0	noon	to	1.30	p.m.
Work	1.30	p.m.	to	5.0	"
Work	1.30	p.m.	to	5.0	"
Supper	5.0	"	to	5.30	"
Work	5.30	"	to	6.45	"
Rest	till bedtime.
Bedtime, and lights out	7.0 p.m.

On Saturdays and the evenings before festivals work ceases at 4.0 p.m., but the intervening time until 5.45 is given to cleaning the washplaces, etc., and bedtime is 6.0 o'clock.

Sundays and Festivals.

Summer.

Winter.

Rise

5.45 a.m.

6.45 a.m.

Breakfast

6.0.

a.m.

to

6.15.

a.m.

7.0.

a.m.

to

7.15.

a.m.

Exercise in open air

6.15.

"

to

8.30.

"

7.15.

"

to

8.30.

"

Divine service

8.30.

"

to

9.30.

"

8.30.

"

to

9.30.

"

Exercise in open air

9.30.

"

to

12.0.

"

9.30.

"

to

12.0.

"

Dinner

12.0.

p.m.

to

12.30.

p.m.

12.0.

p.m.

to

12.30.

p.m.

Exercise in open air and relaxation

12.30

"

to

12.30.

"

12.30.

"

to

5.0.

"

Supper

5.0

"

to

5.30.

"

5.0.

"

to

5.30.

"

Rest

5.30

"

to

5.45.

"

5.30.

"

to

5.450.

"

Bedtime

5.45 p.m.

5.45 p.m.

While, as a rule, the hours of work are the same for all, the tasks allotted are, as far as possible, proportioned to individual capacity. One of the rules[64] of the establishment states:—

"Every inmate is required to perform, without demur and to the best of his ability, the work allotted to him, either inside or outside the establishment. As a rule, all inmates have to work on week-days an equal number of hours, and to perform in that time a task proportionate to their capacity, the completion of which, however, does not exempt them from working to the end of the usual time. The administration may, however, under certain circumstances curtail the duration of the daily hours of work and the extent of the task in individual cases. Anyone who, owing to idleness or negligence, fails to perform his allotted task, or who in general works slothfully or negligently, will be punished. No inmate may, without permission, allow his work to be done for him by another, or do another's work."

For the encouragement of diligence and good conduct a small wage is paid. This amounts to 10 pfennige or 1½d. per day for most work, but only half this sum in the case of certain inferior occupations. The rule on the subject says:—

"The proceeds of the work done by the inmates, on the order of the Administration, belong to the Municipality of Berlin, and are paid into the treasury of the establishment. The extra pay credited to the inmates by employers is divided into two equal parts, of which one is placed at the inmate's disposal for the purchase of extra food, the payment of postage, and other necessary expenses, during his detention, while the other accumulates as savings until his discharge."

At the beginning of the financial year 1908-9 the bonus account of the various inmates stood at £1,196 10s.; there was added during the year £2,331, and paid out £2,109 10s., leaving a balance to the credit of the inmates of £1,418. The disbursements from this account during the year included £1,249 paid to discharged inmates, £573 paid to detainees for the purchase of extras, £159 paid for clothing needed by departing inmates, and £102 charged for damage done through malice or negligence.

The utmost endeavour is made, by firm yet just treatment, to encourage the inmates in the habit of industry; the individuality and aptitude of each man are carefully studied, with a view to his employment in the manner most likely to draw out the best in him; the diligent and trustworthy are selected for the more responsible posts, and all are made to feel that their re-making lies in their own hands. Great stress is laid upon the moral basis of work, without undue obtrusion of the religious motive. One of the regulations runs:—

"The inmates shall live together in peace and quiet, none interrupting another in his work, but rather by industry, order, and decent moral behaviour encouraging each other to reformation of life, and setting each other a good example. Conversation upon past misdemeanours may under no circumstances take place; nor may one inmate reproach another with any crime which he may have committed, or with his past mode of life."

The time allowed for leisure and relaxation cannot be called excessive, but such as it is the inmates are encouraged to employ it in reading. Special prominence is given, indeed, to the library, of which the last annual report says:—

"The library is intended to serve the purpose which the administration of the Labour House seeks to achieve, viz., the transformation of the detainees committed to its charge into useful members of society. The educational influence of the use of books should not be depreciated. The administration earnestly endeavours, by offering to the inmates books of an entertaining, instructive and edifying character, and such as may lift them out of their everyday surroundings, and by studying the individuality and educational standard of each person, to offer them healthy stimulus during the hours of leisure. These books and the Sunday magazines which are regularly distributed are read with eagerness. The library is open to all inmates without exception."

The fact may be added that no less than £25 a year is spent on the provision of new books. As for other moral influences, religious services are held regularly on Sundays and festivals, and Holy Communion is administered at intervals, for Protestant and Roman Catholic detainees separately.

Little fault is found with the general conduct of the inmates, in spite of the fact that the majority are old offenders. The character of the material with which the Labour House has to deal may be judged from the following summary of the punishments which had been undergone by those newly admitted in the year 1908-9:—

Mode of Punishment		Men.		Women.		Total.
Labour House (house of correction)		791		50		841
Labour House more than three times		558		13		571
Close detention more than ten times		371		22		393
Close detention more than twenty times		538		33		571
Prison		916		59		975
Gaol		127		3		130
Imprisoned before eighteenth year		23		—		23

Nevertheless, during the year punishments for offenders against discipline were awarded to only 304 inmates in 352 cases. The percentage of the male inmates punished (calculated on the mean daily average detained) was twenty-one, and of the female inmates 12. The punishments begin with mere reproof, and then follow in order of severity: withdrawal of permission to receive visits for a time, withdrawal of permission to write or receive letters, forfeit of the right to supplement the Labour House diet out of the reward of industry, forfeit of earnings themselves, disallowal of open air exercise, curtailment of rations, simple cell detention, and finally imprisonment on hard fare. Only in case of violent insubordination may chains or the straight jacket be resorted to.

It is difficult to speak definitely as to the permanent influence upon these people of Labour House treatment. The proportion who leave the House "reformed" in the usual acceptance of the word is, no doubt, small, as the large percentage of re-committals proves. Viewing the institution less from the individual than the social standpoint, however, the fact remains that under restraint the average loafer shows that he is able to work, and to work well. Not only so, but the cost of his detention is not excessive. During the year to which all the foregoing figures relate, the entire cost of maintenance and administration, both of the Labour House and the Hospital, including interest at 3½ per cent. upon the value of the land and buildings, was £55,101, or deducting £5,236 received for work done by the inmates (exclusive of that done for the establishment), £49,865, equal to 1s. 3d. per head per day for the whole of the inmates. The cost of able-bodied inmates only was estimated at a fraction under 11d. per head per day, or 6s. 3d. per week.

Tables are added showing the average number of inmates in the Labour House during the years 1899 to 1908, and the commitments for begging only during nineteen years:—

Average Number of Inmates (all Classes).

		Males.		Females.		Total.
1899		1,080		124		1,204
1900		1,107		151		1,258
1901		1,128		150		1,278
1902		1,600		152		1,752
1903		1,660		117		1,777
1904		1,694		145		1,839
1905		1,849		129		1,978
1906		1,685		117		1,802
1907		1,369		65		1,434
1908		1,403		58		1,461

Commitments for Begging.

1889-1890	709
1890-1891	656
1891-1892	916
1892-1893	1,253
1894	1,087
1895	925
1896	824
1897	715
1898	633
1899	735
1900	641
1901	868
1902	984
1903	1,053
1904	1,008
1905	823
1906	587
1907	594
1908	662

It should be pointed out, however, that the latter figures afford no indication whatever as to the frequency of the offence of mendicancy in Berlin. Detention in the Labour House is a secondary punishment, and those who receive it form only a small proportion of the total number of persons prosecuted for begging. The following statement shows, for a period of twelve years, the numbers apprehended, prosecuted, and convicted in Berlin for this offence (the difference between the apprehensions and prosecutions represents those who were simply warned and discharged):—

Year.		Apprehensions.		Prosecutions.		Convictions.
1894		21,678		19,244		11,216
1895		19,318		16,780		9,434
1896		22,048		19,064		10,058
1897		23,434		20,343		10,681
1898		20,378		16,931		8,781
1899		16,556		13,672		7,043
1900		17,334		14,097		7,246
1901		17,334		14,097		7,246
1902		23,582		18,962		11,545
1903		21,576		17,524		10,706
1904		19,019		15,562		10,069
1905		16,148		13,197		8,301

Comparing the average number of apprehensions for mendicancy during the last five years with those of the first five in the table, a decrease will be found of from 21,371 to 20,199, in spite of a large increase in the population.

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