KL-Mittelbau-Dora

[sandgroper]

As always, terrific photos and very informative.

[CARL]

Thank you Dave, I am glad that you find it of interest.

Regards,

Carl

[Gunny Hartmann]

Another very interesting thread, cheers Carl.

[CARL]

DESINFEKTION (disinfection building):

The remains have long since been taken over by the forest.

HEIZHAUS (furnace/boiler room):

Utilised to house the furnaces used for the laundry and disinfection blocks.

[CARL]

Häftlingslager, Unterkunftsbaracken (prisoner camp, accommodation barracks):

The prisoners, once the camp had been built, were moved from the "sleeping chambers" located within the tunnel complex, to single floor wooden barracks. The barracks had two wings, each with two adjacent rooms. One had a dining area, the other contained several bunk beds and served as the sleeping quarters. At first, two or three prisoners slept in a single bunk, but later this increased to four or five. Often the prisoners worked in shifts, so five men would not sleep together at the same time, but would share the same bed. At the centre of the barrack was an area designated for the latrines and washroom. The conditions were so appalling that these facilities were often unusable.

The Häftlingslager had 56 wooden barrack buildings, all of which were dismantled after the war. Later, using original materials from three separate Mittelbau-Dora sub-camps, a reconstructed barrack was built to the exact specifications. It remains at the site today. Up to 500 inmates were held in each of the wooden Baracken.

[CARL]

Krankenrevier (infirmary area):

The sloped area behind the Krematorium facility was used as a dumping area for ashes. Shown below are the memorial and nearby ruins of infirmary structures.

[DougB]

Excellent thread Carl. My understanding is German rocketry scientist and later the backbone of the American space program Werner Von Braun, who held SS rank, and many of his cohorts, were complicent a d had full knowledge of the treatment and deaths of the inmates. In the 50s or early 60s in the US an article was written exposing Von Braun's activities in this camp and in response the American government expelled several German scientists in the employ of NASA to Germany to face trial but did not give up Von Braun. Perhaps you have more information on this?

Again a well written exposé on one of the infamous camps of an evil regime. My compliments on your study and efforts.

Doug

[StefanM]

Excellent thread Carl. My understanding is German rocketry scientist and later the backbone of the American space program Werner Von Braun, who held SS rank, and many of his cohorts, were complicent a d had full knowledge of the treatment and deaths of the inmates. In the 50s or early 60s in the US an article was written exposing Von Braun's activities in this camp and in response the American government expelled several German scientists in the employ of NASA to Germany to face trial but did not give up Von Braun. Perhaps you have more information on this?

Again a well written exposé on one of the infamous camps of an evil regime. My compliments on your study and efforts.

Doug

In the early 60's the West German government had been collecting documents and looking at the evidence about Von Braun's Nazi war record and in February 1969 he was requested to appear at the German Embassy in New Orleans to answer the accusations levelled against him. The German Embassy was supplied with files from the FBI, the CIA, the Army, and the German Archives. Having looked at the evidence presented Werhner von Braun was completely exonerated....just in time for the moon landing a few months later. No idea who reviewed the evidence and at what level they were in the German government?



The 100 + former German rocket scientists and technicians whose Nazi past was conveniently overlooked to allow them to work in the "Cold War" NASA space programme...no wonder they were smiling!

[CARL]

HÄFTLINGSBORDELL (Inmates' brothel):

As at many Konzentrationslagers, the SS created a brothel at KL-Mittelbau-Dora, where female prisoners were forced into prostitution. The majority of women who worked in these brothels were transferred from f.KL-Ravensbrück to other camps, after the promise of early release following a six month period assigned to the Sonderbau ("special building"), as the brothel blocks were usually referred to. In reality, very few women actually survived, generally being replaced after several months. KL-Mauthausen-Gusen was the site of the first KL brothel, operating from 1942. Auschwitz and Buchenwald followed during the summer of 1943, with Neuengamme, Flossenbürg, Dachau, Mittelbau-Dora and Sachsenhausen following during the next twelve months. The brothels were only open at night, and prisoners had to prearrange their 20 minute visit beforehand. The charge of 2RM per visit led to a thriving market in Prämienscheinen (premium coupons), such as those shown below. The brothel buildings were patrolled by SS-Aufseherinnen (female wardens). No Jews were allowed to visit the brothel. Claims that Heinrich Himmler ordered all homosexual prisoners to visit the brothels regularly, in an attempt to "cure" them of their same sex desires, have not been confirmed, nor have the reports of tattoos marking the women as a Feld-Hure (field whore) being made on the chests of the women in some of the camps.

[CARL]

KINOBARACKE (cinema barrack):

Another place where the Prämienscheinen (premium tokens) could be redeemed was the "cinema" barrack, remains of which are shown below. Although it was initially created for the purpose of entertainment, it soon became the site of unbearable suffering, when it was transformed into a provisional accommodation block for prisoners transported from Konzentrationslagers Gross-Rosen and Auschwitz. Due to the advance of the Red Army, the SS transferred over 16,000 prisoners from these camps to Mittelbau-Dora, many of whom died during the horrific lengthy journey. Hundreds of the survivors were held in this barrack, where the conditions were utterly appalling, even by concentration camp standards. Many people died almost immediately after arrival.