Außenlager Kirchham

[StefanM]

Many of the sentences received by those convicted of such crimes seem very lenient often compounded by the fact that very few actually served their whole prison sentences.

[CARL]

Would prisoners at such small camps established late in the war have been issued numbers and prison stripe uniforms or was the situation too chaotic?

The administrative side collapsed eventually, however, it was surprisingly maintained far beyond when many would expect. The familiar striped camp clothing ran out in many camps long before the end though, due to the massive influx of new transports during the latter stages. The worst periods of camp existence were the beginning and the end. Both saw much confusion, which led to a sharp decline in conditions for the inmates.

[sandgroper]

Many of the sentences received by those convicted of such crimes seem very lenient often compounded by the fact that very few actually served their whole prison sentences.

That seems to be the case, it really is an injustice. They are certainly lucky that I wasn't passing sentence on them.

[StefanM]

Generally speaking, this was the case at most camps. However, due to the much smaller scale of Kirchham, it is possible that they were all together. In fact, one source actually states that the entire population was at one time, crowded into a single barrack. Around 400 people in a structure designed for 40.

Thank you Carl, I am interested to learn if there were any reports of friction and animosity between Jewish prisoners and non-Jews in such small camps? or was there a common bond of solidarity between the various prisoner groups in spite of the prisoner hierarchy that was applied to Jews, Soviets, Poles and west European inmates by Nazi racial policy?

[CARL]

Thank you Carl, I am interested to learn if there were any reports of friction and animosity between Jewish prisoners and non-Jews in such small camps? or was there a common bond of solidarity between the various prisoner groups in spite of the prisoner hierarchy that was applied to Jews, Soviets, Poles and west European inmates by Nazi racial policy?

Without going through any of my files, I can recall survivors stating that they generally kept themselves within their own prisoner groups - but this would be very difficult in some of the smaller camps. As you point out Stefan, the solidarity aspect is certainly an interesting one to consider.