KZ-DACHAU - Colour Liberation Images

[CARL]

I believe those trees, which are Poplar, were planted deliberately on the orders of the Germans who ran the camp for purely practical reasons associated to controlling the moisture in the ground and avoiding flooding and the soil turning to thick, clinging mud, that in turn encourages pests like mosquitoes and other disease carrying insects.

The Poplar is a fast growing tree that draws a tremendous amount of water from the ground daily. A 100ft tree can easily suck up 100 gallons+ in a single day. They are deliberately planted in long stands as shown in the photo to keep soil drained, and to control underground springs, stopping them from breaking the surface, especially after heavy rainfall. They are also planted in this fashion to act as wind breaks on large open spaces, and to combat soil erosion. The unseasoned timber is also very poor for using as fuel due to the water content, and burns with little heat and much spitting and acrid smoke. Therefore it would be of little use to prisoners who may think of using it for firewood to keep warm or cook on.

It would be nice to think that these were planted by prisoners as a symbol of life and hope, but in reality their purpose was purely utilitarian.

Regards, Ned.

A good point Ned regarding the practical purpose. The camp was established in 1933, first of the main Konzentrationslagers. The trees were either already there and not cleared during the initial construction and establishment of the camp - due to the practical benefits you mentioned, or if they were planted later then they would never have grown fast enough to benefit the drainage system. Early period images do show trees present, so they were likely left in place to assist with the drainage.

[big ned]

A good point Ned regarding the practical purpose. The camp was established in 1933, first of the main Konzentrationslagers. The trees were either already there and not cleared during the initial construction and establishment of the camp - due to the practical benefits you mentioned, or if they were planted later then they would never have grown fast enough to benefit the drainage system. Early period images do show trees present, so they were likely left in place to assist with the drainage.

Hi Carl,

These trees can grow at a rate of between 5' to 8' a year no problem, and live for 100-150 years. When I worked on the forestry, these were considered the most dangerous trees to work on. The branches are very hard to climb on, and break easily as they are often rotten. The same goes for the trunk that can be up to 8' to 10' wide at the bottom, as you start to whizz the saw through, they are often hollow due to rot and can fall in any direction than the one you want them to go as they have a habit of twisting on you. I once saw a 100 footer drop 90 degrees from the intended drop area and go straight through a stable roof completely destroying it, at Wolverhampton Racecourse. Needless to say, that went down well with the stewards... Still, I digress from the thread, please forgive me.

[CARL]

Hope the gee-gees were OK?

[Dean]

The last Kommandant of KZ-Dachau was Eduard Weiter, who had been appointed to the position in the autumn of 1943. Weiter died in Austria having fled the main camp prior to the liberation.

Thanks Carl. I did some quick research and discovered that my g-grandad helped liberate Kaufering IV, a sub- camp of Dachau. He was a member of the 101st ABN , 506th PIR "E" Co. or better known as the "Band of bothers". He's featured in a few books, but I believe the one I'm thinking of that describes the camp is in the book titled, "Brothers in battle, best of friends" written by Ed Heffron,(also a member of "E" Co.)

I'd like to get in touch with Mr.Heffron and see if he remembers any additional stories about by grandpa.


Below: Kaufering IV ,a sub-camp of Dachau KZ (KL)

[Dean]

Ok, I have found the commandant my great-grandpa was talking about. This image shows the commandant standing among the dead bodies like my g-pa said , although he was hung instead of shot, apparently...

"The photograph below shows Commandant Johann Baptist Eichelsdorfer standing in the midst of the bodies found in the Kaufering IV camp. Note that the bodies in the foreground still have clothing, an indication that they died after the camp was liberated. Commandant Eichelsdorfer was captured a few days after the liberators arrived and brought back to the camp to be confronted with his crime; he was forced to stand in the middle of the corpses while the German civilians were encouraged to scream insults at him..."

[big ned]

That photo was taken in late April 1945. Eichelsdorfer was executed at Landsberg prison the following year on the 29th of May 1946.

[CARL]

Related thread posted earlier, showing images taken at the former camp, in 1950.

Dachau 1950

[Scout]

Interesting albeit depressing thread.

[Gunny Hartmann]

Great thread!......

[CARL]

69 years ago today, KZ-Dachau was liberated. American forces entered the main camp complex for the first time, ending the longest period for which any of the major concentration camps existed - over 12 years. For many, the liberation came too late - it is estimated a minimum of 30,000 died within the Dachau system, yet for the tens of thousands present when the camp was eventually liberated, an end to their torment had come at last.