Removed from the main camp, two huts could be found where, since 1942, such prisoners were accomodated who had to be „treated“ specially: NCOs refusing steadfastly to work, POWs having tried repeatedly to escape, others accused of theft or contacts to German women. Before being moved to the „Special Camp“ they had to spend some days in the main camp’s prison. All personnel belongings had to be handed over, as well as belts and boot laces. The cells had a barred hatch in the roof and a peep hole in the door, „furniture“ was a wooden board with a straw-filled sack and a toilet bucket. Daily meal consisted of a soup and some dry piece of bread. Here inmates were sentenced to absolute boredom, which changed abruptly when moved to the „Special camp“.
The prisoners here (not more than 80) had to work twelve hours draining the bogs under heavy guard, only interrupted by one hour midday-break. As wooden shoes were scarce, many of them stood barefoot in the foul water, which did reach to their knees, and did dig canals or excavate peat. In the cold seasons, wood clearing was the main work, particularly removal and chopping up of tree stumps. Additionally to the very hard working conditions was the brutal treatment by the guards; beatings with rifle butts or shovels or kickings being used regularly. A special torture were nightly roll-calls lasting two to three hours. Food was worse than in the Main Camp: a Frenchman remembers a soup from carrot stumps as his only daily meal, whereas an other one told, that he did receive some fat and a tiny piece of bread. In his six weeks there, he did loose 20 kilos weight.
In autumn 1943, conditions in the „Special camp“ did improve. The penal commands‘ leadership was replaced and some relieve given to the prisoners, like abolishment of the night roll-calls. No more ill priosoners were allowed to be sent to the „Special Camp“, private parcels could be received and books from the library were distributed. A daily smoking break was added and every second sunday was free, on the others, only from 8 till 11.30 was work-time. What did cause these improvements is unknown, maybe the intervention of the Scampini Mission or the escape of three Frenchmen back to the Main Camp, where they wanted to complain about the conditions (one was killed during this). It‘ s also questionable, if the „Special Camp’s“ Soviet inmates got the benefit ot these improvements, as the access to their hut was forbidden for the International Red Cross.