KZ Groß-Rosen, Stone Hell

[Larry C]

A great thread and posted in a respectful manner. Awesome reminder of the past! Thanks Carl. Best regards Larry

[CARL]

Thank you Doug.

We were in the vicinity a few months ago, as part of a trip that took in Salzburg, Berchtesgaden and Linz, including Adolf Hitler's boyhood home in Leonding. We actually intended a short initial visit to the main site, with a much longer visit planned for next year, to appease my thirst. However, we didn't actually go in due to severe fog, so again, it remains on the list.

Regarding the quarry, yes, Mauthausen was another KL with a stone quarry. Although not only the well known Wiener Graben quarry, the site where most Mauthausen inmates worked up until 1943, and location of the infamous "Stairs of Death", where prisoners were forced to carry large blocks of stone on their backs continuously. Aussenlager such as Gusen I, which was used for almost five years, utilised work Kommandos in the nearby Gusen and Kastenhof quarries too, although this practice was halted during the autumn of 1943, when work began on the manufacturing of Me-109 parts. Gusen I was indeed a most horrific place, with experimentation, mass gassings and torture prevalent. SS doctor Helmuth Vetter conducted various vaccine tests on behalf of IG Farben at Gusen I. At the main camp, Mauthausen, the penal company were responsible for the most arduous work, that of bringing the large stone blocks, many of which were later used in the construction of buildings in the nearby city of Linz, along the stairway. These prisoners were quite literally worked to death. Again, during the autumn of 1943, work transfered to the armaments industry.

Regards,

Carl

[CARL]

Buchenwald, Natzweiler, Flossenbürg and Neuengamme were also among the many other KLs that were erected near to a stone quarry.


p.s. Thanks Larry, I appreciate your kind words.

[DougB]

Yes I have read quite a bit on Mauthausen, the Organization Todt and related industries utilizing SS supplied slave labour from the camp complained to the SS that the workers were in such poor state that they lasted only 2 months on average, from what I understand the average lifespan in Mauthausen and Gusen 1. I have read about the Stairs of Death and the terrible treatment of the inmates. Inhumane is too good a word to describe it. I'm familiar with the other camps as well. I have SS helmets from guards of Natzweiler, Dachau and Oranienburg/Sachsenhausen. Those as grim as they are, are living testaments to the terrible history they saw. I had a visit cancelled last year that was to take me to Mauthausen, Dachau, Oranienburg and Auschwitz but had to cancel due to the ill health of my youngest son. I have visited Dachau many many years ago and in 08 I visited the KL and transit camp at s'Hertgenbosch (spelling?) in Holland which supplied workers to the Phillips factory. Always somber experiences.

May I ask what fuels your interest?

[CARL]

May I ask what fuels your interest?

I honestly wish I knew Doug, but ever since my father sat me down to watch "The World At War", many years ago as a young boy, I have been fascinated by every facet of the camps. I feel obliged to learn more and more, and to study further and yet further still. At times, if I am honest, it can be quite difficult, as it is patently not the easiest subject to immerse oneself into. Yet somehow, for some reason, I feel that I simply must.

Regards,

Carl

[SteveR]

I like this thread. The learning factor keeps individuals informed so that they don't fall for the holocaust denying, neonazi bullcrap espoused by cruds like David Irving. A racist that was imprisoned in Austria for denying the holocaust a few years back.

[Larry C]

I honestly wish I knew Doug, but ever since my father sat me down to watch "The World At War", many years ago as a young boy, I have been fascinated by every facet of the camps. I feel obliged to learn more an more, and to study further and yet further still. At times, if I am honest, it can be quite difficult, as it is patently not the easiest subject to immerse oneself into. Yet somehow, for some reason, I feel that I simply must.

Regards,

Carl

Thats the stuff Im talking about!!! Its this type of drive that WILLS A PERSON TO WANT TO LEARN...Wow Awesome!! Run with the ball Carl the field is open as you have already shown how respectful this subject can be presented,,I know you can create such great threads and produce what has never been seen by the cameras since the end of the war. There is still a hidden story, and I feel Carl you the one who was chosen to do it. It was at your youthful age that you knew,, like most of us here now as why we enjoy to learn more and teach others. Best Regards Larry

[StefanM]

Another informative thread Carl!

An identity card issued to a Polish former political prisoner at Mauthausen.

Prisoner No. 683 was one of the first batch of Poles deported to Mauthausen-Gusen in early 1940.

This first group consisted mainly artists, scientists, teachers, boy scouts, and university professors\lecturers. As mentioned in previous posts KL Mauthausen operationally followed the Nazi policy of Extermination Through Labour or Vernichtung durch Arbeit whereby tens of thousands were worked to death in granite quarries rather than being exterminated in gas-chambers or by shootings.

So prisoner No. 683 was fortunate and resilient enough to survive his ordeal at Mauthausen.





Below is a Polish decoration awarded, Krzyż Oświęcimski or Auschwitz Cross to former concentration camp political prisoners (not necessarily just former Auschwitz - Oświęcim inmates) together with this recipients camp number-patch.



Other Polish inmate camp patches can be found under the Polish Forced Labour thread

[Gunny Hartmann]

Josef (683) must have gone through a living hell, really heavy manual work on minimal rations and in all weathers with only thin camp clothing. I hope the unfortunate guy enjoyed the rest of his life.

[CARL]

Larry, many thanks for your encouraging words, I appreciate them wholeheartedly.

Steve and 4thscorpion, thanks too gents, I am pleased that you find it interesting.

Regards,

Carl