KZ Groß-Rosen, Stone Hell

[N.C. Wyeth]

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.

Thanks for the photos and info on KL-Gross-Rosen.

I thought I'd mention, before you go to Mauthausen, I would strongly recommend you read this book:

“St. Georgen -Gusen –Mauthausen Concentration Camp Reconsidered” by Haunschmied, Mills, and Durda

There is so much more to this story, and so much more to be seen in that region than most people realize - and all within a short distance of the KZ complex at Mauthausen. After reading this book, I spent three days between St. Georgen, Gusen, and Mauthausen . . . and still feel like I missed a lot . . . and I am sure you will as well! I intend to return soon, as I understand the Bergkristall tunnels are finally being opened to the public:

Scratching below the surface « A Page in History

If any of you get there before I do again . . . please be sure to take and post some photos here!

[DougB]

That's for your reply on your interest Carl. I find myself drawn to it as well. Excellent thread.

[CARL]

Thank you Doug.

Below is another image, this time showing a cart, similar to the type used by prisoners at KL-Gross-Rosen, to transport the large stone blocks from the quarry.

Regards,

Carl

[CARL]

Another excellent post. Carl have you been to the most heinous of KL's, the Mauthausen and related complexes? My understanding is Mauthausen was the only Level 3 camp, another quarry setting like Gross-Rossen. This by all accounts looks to be similar.

I forgot to add earlier Doug, that you are indeed correct when you refer to KL-Mauthausen as a level-3 KL. The classification ran as follows...

Category I - Work camps, such as KL-Dachau.
Category II - Camps with harsher living and working conditions. KL-Buchenwald came under this category.
Category III - "Knochenmuehlen" (Bone Mills). Mauthausen, directly associated with the granite quarry complex of the Mauthausen-Gusen camp system. Reserved for prisoners who were considered serious offenders.

This categorisation came into effect after 1940/41. However, it should be noted that these categories only relate to "regular" Konzentrationslager. For those wondering what category a camp such as Auschwitz would fall under, we must look at the typically organised German structure of the KL system. The German love for putting everything and everybody in the correct place, meant that approximately 50 types of camp existed. The classifications included categories such as Durchgangslager (transit camp), Arbeitslager (work camp) and Sammellager (assembly camp). The extermination camps were in a separate class of their own. Many KLs also fall into more than one category, KL-Auschwitz being one such example, as the huge complex not only belongs to the extermination camp category, but also to the work camp classification - Auschwitz-I, the Stammlager (main camp) was a Class-I Konzentrationslager.

Regards,

Carl

[CARL]

My initial post mentioned the current "Stone Hell, KL-Gross-Rosen" project, that aims to gather enough funds for a grand memorial at the quarry site. A link to a short video, in Polish, is attached below.

KAMIENNE PIEKLO - GROSS-ROSEN - YouTube

Those involved in the design for this project have done a wonderful job, I can only hope that their vision will materialise.

[slados28]

--

[CARL]

The attachment below shows the Hauptlagerstrasse (main camp road), leading through the gatehouse/office structure and into the Häftlingslager (prisoners camp). In the distance, another stone quarry is visible, yet this was not the quarry utilised by the DEST company during the existence of the Konzentrationslager. Prisoners worked in the quarry shown earlier in the thread, which is located directly behind the position from where the photograph was taken.

[CARL]

This image was taken near the former Wache (guardhouse), located to the side of the entrance to the Hauptlagerstrasse (main camp road). The memorial seen in the photograph was constructed from stone taken from the quarry.

[CARL]

A link to a recent thread addressing several of the former Gross-Rosen sub-camps:

http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/konzen...-1-day-319610/

[LizardKing]

Whenever i see a post of TIGER88 i know i'm gonna read each and every comment twice! You're doing such a great work there, keeping the memory alive.
Post #3 from GEORGE brought some tears i have to admit... GEORGE may you recover fast, because the world needs men like you with golden heart!

All the best to both of you guys!