Josef kramer 10 november 1906 december 1945 was the commandant of auschwitzbirkenau from 8 may 1944 to 25 november 1944 and of the bergenbelsen concentration camp from december 1944 to its liberation, april 15, 1945. In march 1945, the germans disbanded the subcamps and sent most of the prisoners on forced evacuation marches over long distances and under brutal conditions toward the dachau concentration camp in southern germany. Natzweilerstruthof was not a death camp, specifically built for the holocaust, which was the mass extermination of the jews. However, the book does not mention the execution of the four women soe agents on july 6, 1944. Le struthof is a beautiful location which before it was a concentration camp, was a ski resort. The natzweilerstruthof concentration camp was located on top of a 2,500 foot high mountain in the vosges range, which was a ski area before the camp was built, and still is today as far as i know. Essay by diana mara henry about the memoirs of natzweilerstruthof. It was the only concentration camp proper on french territory drancy in paris was a transit camp. Natzweilerstruthof, or le camp du struthof as it is simply known as in french, was one of the smaller nazi concentration camps, but still one of the most significant ones. Holocaust survivors and victims database natzweiler.
The concentration camp of natzweilerstruthof is located almost straight west of strasbourg, in the foothills of the vosges mountains, just uphill from the valley where the bruche, a tributary to the rhine, runs through the vosges mountains. Recordings regarding natzweilerstruthof concentration camp and the memoirs of eugene marlot. The site was chosen because it contained granite quarries, mined for german construction projects. From may 1941 to march 1945, between 19,000 and 20,000 people died in the natzweilerstruthof camp system. National archives collection of foreign records seized, record group 242. Natzweiler klna to the nazis, one of the least discussed of the concentration camps, with its population of almost entirely nonjewish inmates, and jewish resistors not. Le struthof concentration camp, grand est tripadvisor. Those who left booklength writings, their social origin, motivations, politics. Oral history recordings and interviews made during 1991 visit to natzweilerstruthof with students and french resistor eugene marlot and an oral translation of marlots memoirs. Treatment book of the prisoners hospital, the dental ward of kl auschwitz 28. These collections are available with an ancestry membership or 14day free trial. Natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book, 19401945 free.
Miscellaneous lists and registers of german concentration camp inmates, originated or collected by the international tracing service arolsen. We recommend booking le struthof concentration camp tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Natzweilerstruthof was a german concentration camp located in the vosges mountains close to the village of natzwiller german natzweiler in. Welcome to our bourgogne family history research page.
Dubbed the beast of belsen by camp inmates, he was a german nazi war criminal, directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. The 1940s, however, saw it take on a far more sinister role when nazi geologist discovered a seam of pink granite there. Natzweilerstruthof was a germanrun concentration camp located in the vosges mountains close to the alsatian village of natzwiller german natzweiler in france, and the town of schirmeck, about 50 km 31 m southwest of the city of strasbourg. France, natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book. Search below to view digital records and find material that you can access at our library and at the shapell center. Holocaust survivors and victims database natzweilerstruthof.
Natzweiler struthof was one of the smallest concentration camps. Natzweilerstruthof german concentration camp near natzweiler, south of strasbourg. The following is a list of subcamps of the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp, and work kommandos from the main camp. The boston jewish advocate index to obituary notices, 19052007. It was one of the smaller concentration camps built by the germans. At the same time as the creation of the centre europeen du resistant deporte, the museum was entirely redesigned to focus solely on the history of natzweiler concentration camp and its subcamps. These record collections are provided free of charge on ancestry. In 1985, soe agent and painter brian stonehouse, who saw borrel and the three other female soe agents at the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp just before their deaths, painted a poignant watercolour of the four women which now hangs in the special forces club in london. Natzweiler concentration camp wwii teacher tour book.
Notable books, necropolis, the names of the numbers. Natzwiller, as the alsatian spelling gives it, is a lttle town. The natzweilerstruthof concentration camp called natzweiler for short, the only camp. The first 500 prisoners arrived at natzweiler in may 1941. The museums collections document the fate of holocaust victims, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others through artifacts, documents, photos, films, books, personal stories, and more. Presentation by boris pahor to students at natzweiler. France, natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book, 19401945 free galicia, polish jewish medical questionnaires, 19401942 free germany and poland, hungarianjewish women in labor camps, 1944 free. The camp overlooks a spectacular view, and in fact, prior to. Natzweilerstruthof concentration camp frank falla archive.
The natzweiler struthof concentration camp called natzweiler for short, is the only camp built by the nazis on french soil. Here youll find record collections, history, and genealogy resources to help you trace your bourgogne ancestors. Natzweilerstruthof was a germanrun concentration camp located in the vosges mountains. Photographs of natzweiler struthof diana mara henry. Record of a detachment of invalids, consisting of prisoners from kl auschwitzdetachment furstengrube, 7. France, natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book, 19401945 database online. Encyclopedia of jewish and israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from antisemitism to zionism. Natzweilerstruthof was not a death camp, specifically built for the mass extermination of the jews. Prisoners were brought to natzweiler because of its abundance of natural resources that the prisoners were supposed to be mining. By the end of 1944 a total of 19,000 prisoners were in these satellite camps, while the main camp had between seven and eight thousand. It was abandoned intact and the organisers have left most of it intact. A year later the camp was ready to house a large number of prisoners. Essay by diana mara henry about the memoirs of natzweiler.
European center for deported resistance members site of the former natzweiler camp onacvg. It was apparently established after albert speer, hitlers architect, who had been on an inspection tour of recently occupied france and had noticed the presence of granite deposits in the natzweiler area. The european centre of deported resistance members is. Recordings regarding natzweilerstruthof concentration camp. I neglected to mention the socalled lethal gas chamber at the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp, which was located on top of a mountain in the vosges range in alsace which is now in france. Research material gathered by diana mara henry related to the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp, including footage of author and holocaust survivor boris pahor showing a group of french school children around the camp. Initially natzweiler held few jews, but in 1944 larger numbers arrived there, transferred from auschwitz and other east european camps. Located initially in schirmeck near natzweiler, about 50 kilometers south of strassburg in alsace, it was established in 1940 as a forced labor camp, primarily for local opponents of the german occupation. The natzweilerstruthof concentration camp was located on top of a 2,500 foothigh mountain in the vosges range, which was a ski area before the camp was built, and still is today. The natzweilerstruthof concentration camp called natzweiler for short, is the only camp built by the nazis on french soil. Home jewish family history collection discover your story. Together with a bibliography on the camp, this is the first presentation of such an inclusive picture of the literature, videography and film record of natzweilerstruthof. Located initially in schirmeck near natzweiler, about 50 kilometers south of strassburg in.
The nazis established a concentration camp near the town of natzweiler, 31 miles south of strasbourg, on a hill in the vosges mountains. Stephen draisin, an american lawyer, was shocked last summer when he visited the old german natzweilerstruthof concentration camp near strasbourg and found only a large wooden cross as a. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. It was one of the first concentration camps and the only one in france. Women british soe agents allegedly executed at natzweiler. Entitled concentration camp natzweiler struthof, the book was written by members of the national committee for the erecting and the preservation of a memorial for deportation at the struthof.
The location was quickly turned into kl natzweilerstruthof, the only german concentration camp on french soil. It was set up during the occupation of france by germany during wwii from 1940. See all 1 le struthof concentration camp tours on tripadvisor. The camp is preserved as a museum in memory of those held or killed there.
I previously blogged here about the nazi gas chambers which are still in existence. This database includes 33,710 records of jews recorded on lists and registers of the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp in france. Life in the natzweilerstruthof nazi concentration camp in. Natzweilerstruthof concentration camp table of contents. The camp which americans now call natzweilerstruthof was officially known to the french as konzentrationslager natzwiller, according to a book which i purchased at the memorial site. Holocaust survivors and victims database the holocaust survivors and victims database will be unavailable from 6 pm et on friday, february 15th, 2019 to 12 pm et on saturday, february 16th, 2019 due to scheduled maintenance. France, natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book, 19401945 free. Germany, langensteinzwieberge concentration camp inmate. Natzweilerstruthof was the only concentration camp established by the nazis on french territory, though there were frenchrun temporary camps such as. The germans established the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp near the town of natzweiler, about 31 miles southwest of strasbourg, the capital of the province of alsace in eastern france. Natzweilerstruthof had satellite camps located in badenwurttemberg, neckarelz, leonberg, and schorzingen. Natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book, 19401945. List of armenian refugees living at camp oddo, marseille, 1922.
The death book includes the names of 10,517 persons identified as jews. Natzweilerstruthof was a germanrun concentration camp located in the vosges mountains close to the alsatian. Vanishing jews of alsace and the natzweilerstruthof concentration camp, an exhibit presented at the carl cherry center for the arts in carmel, ca in 1990 incorporated my photographs of both the camp and the sad remnants of the jewish community that had flourished in alsace for hundreds of years before the nazis overturned it. Survivor memoirs of a littleknown nazi concentration camp. France, natzweilerstruthof concentration camp record book, 19401945.