| Introduction | Internees, general | Black internees | Jewish internees | Pro-German internees | Internee release |
Ruhlebenites: Internee release
Even though all-for-all negotiations for prisoner exchange failed, talks about limited exchanges between the British and German governments continued throughout the war. As a result, rumors of prisoner release were rampant at Ruhleben. In December 1916, it was announced that internees 45 years of age and older would be released, however, only 65 of the eligible 400 or so men were released in 1917. It wasn't until January 1918 that the rest left the camp, resulting in a population loss of about 10%.
