Camps
A brief description of the camps of the Third Reich and Fascist Italy where prisoners from Magnesia were held between 1941 and 1945, and for which information has been found. The camps are divided into four categories:
- Prisoner-of-war camps
- Concentration/labor camps
- Concentration and extermination camps
- Camps in fascist Italy
M
Magdeburg
Subcamp of: Buchenwald
Category: Concentration/labour camp
Labour camp of the Polte armaments factory. Women were sent there from the Buchenwald and Ravensbrück concentration camps. The camp was established on June 14, 1944, directly across from the Polte factory (Poltestrasse 65-91). Approximately 1,800 women worked there, most of them from the Soviet Union. Living conditions were appalling.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I A (2009), 389-390.
Category: Concentration/labour camp
Labour camp of the Polte armaments factory. Women were sent there from the Buchenwald and Ravensbrück concentration camps. The camp was established on June 14, 1944, directly across from the Polte factory (Poltestrasse 65-91). Approximately 1,800 women worked there, most of them from the Soviet Union. Living conditions were appalling.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I A (2009), 389-390.
Mannheim Sandhofen
Subcamp of: Natzweiler-Struthof
Category: Concentration/labour camp
Opened on September 27, 1944, in a suburb of Mannheim. Most of the prisoners were Poles who worked at the Daimler-Benz factory. They were housed in three schools. In March 1945, the camp was evacuated via a death march to Dachau, from which only 175 of 1,500 survived.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 1044.
Category: Concentration/labour camp
Opened on September 27, 1944, in a suburb of Mannheim. Most of the prisoners were Poles who worked at the Daimler-Benz factory. They were housed in three schools. In March 1945, the camp was evacuated via a death march to Dachau, from which only 175 of 1,500 survived.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 1044.
Maria Lanzendorf
Subcamp of: Mauthausen
Category: Work-reeducation camp
In the municipality of Oberlanzendorf, in the greater Vienna area, a “work-reeducation camp” (Arbeitserziehungslager) operated from 1940, under the authority of the Gestapo. Initially, German “anti-social” elements were held there, followed by displaced foreign workers facing criminal charges, as well as members of the resistance. There was also a separate women’s camp. On April 1, 1945, the camp was evacuated, and 400 prisoners were forced to march to their deaths toward Mauthausen, where many died or were killed.
Vienna History Wiki
Category: Work-reeducation camp
In the municipality of Oberlanzendorf, in the greater Vienna area, a “work-reeducation camp” (Arbeitserziehungslager) operated from 1940, under the authority of the Gestapo. Initially, German “anti-social” elements were held there, followed by displaced foreign workers facing criminal charges, as well as members of the resistance. There was also a separate women’s camp. On April 1, 1945, the camp was evacuated, and 400 prisoners were forced to march to their deaths toward Mauthausen, where many died or were killed.
Vienna History Wiki
Markt Pongau (STALAG XVIII-C or 317 Markt Pongau)
Category : POW camp
Markt Pongau is a small town south of Salzburg (Austria). A prisoner-of-war camp opened in April 1941, with a relatively stable population throughout the war, ranging from 15,000 to 23,000 prisoners. After Italy’s surrender, prisoners were transferred there from Italian camps. In the final days of the war, 13,000 prisoners arrived there on a death march from Wolfsberg. The camp was liberated by the Americans on May 8, 1945.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. IV (2022), 307–309.
Markt Pongau is a small town south of Salzburg (Austria). A prisoner-of-war camp opened in April 1941, with a relatively stable population throughout the war, ranging from 15,000 to 23,000 prisoners. After Italy’s surrender, prisoners were transferred there from Italian camps. In the final days of the war, 13,000 prisoners arrived there on a death march from Wolfsberg. The camp was liberated by the Americans on May 8, 1945.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. IV (2022), 307–309.
Marlag-Milag (STALAG X-B)
Category: POW camp
A naval prisoner-of-war camp near the city of Bremen. Christoforos Manopoulos, from Tsangarada, was held there; he had survived the sinking of the submarine “Katsonis” off the coast of Skiathos (September 14, 1943). The camp was liberated on April 27–28, 1945, by British Allied troops.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. IV (2022), 209–210.
A naval prisoner-of-war camp near the city of Bremen. Christoforos Manopoulos, from Tsangarada, was held there; he had survived the sinking of the submarine “Katsonis” off the coast of Skiathos (September 14, 1943). The camp was liberated on April 27–28, 1945, by British Allied troops.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. IV (2022), 209–210.
Mauthausen
Category: Concentration/labour camp
One of the largest concentration camps of the Nazi regime and the one with the highest death toll. It was established in 1938 on Austrian soil, initially as a forced-labour camp to exploit the nearby granite quarries. During its eight years of operation, 200,000 prisoners passed through the main camp and its 40 subcamps. The number of Greek prisoners is estimated at approximately 3,500. The largest subcamp was Gusen. The death toll is estimated at more than 90,000. Approximately 5,000 prisoners were murdered in the gas chambers of the former “Hartheim Euthanasia Institute” near Linz. Mauthausen was liberated by the Americans on May 5, 1945.
USHMΜ Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 900-904.
One of the largest concentration camps of the Nazi regime and the one with the highest death toll. It was established in 1938 on Austrian soil, initially as a forced-labour camp to exploit the nearby granite quarries. During its eight years of operation, 200,000 prisoners passed through the main camp and its 40 subcamps. The number of Greek prisoners is estimated at approximately 3,500. The largest subcamp was Gusen. The death toll is estimated at more than 90,000. Approximately 5,000 prisoners were murdered in the gas chambers of the former “Hartheim Euthanasia Institute” near Linz. Mauthausen was liberated by the Americans on May 5, 1945.
USHMΜ Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 900-904.
Melk
Subcamp of: Mauthausen
Category: Concentration/labour camp
A satellite camp of Mauthausen, established in January 1944, 100 kilometers east of the city of Linz. From April 21, 1944, a total of 14,390 prisoners from at least 26 countries have been held there. Mortality was high; among the dead were 101 Greeks. The prisoners worked in underground tunnels for the Quarz company, a subsidiary of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch armaments factory. In April 1945, the survivors were evacuated to Mauthausen, Ebensee, and Gusen.
USHMM Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 935–936.
Category: Concentration/labour camp
A satellite camp of Mauthausen, established in January 1944, 100 kilometers east of the city of Linz. From April 21, 1944, a total of 14,390 prisoners from at least 26 countries have been held there. Mortality was high; among the dead were 101 Greeks. The prisoners worked in underground tunnels for the Quarz company, a subsidiary of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch armaments factory. In April 1945, the survivors were evacuated to Mauthausen, Ebensee, and Gusen.
USHMM Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 935–936.
Meppen
Subcamp of: Neuengamme
Category: Concentration/labour camp
Two nearby camps had been operating in this region (Emsland), close to the German-Dutch border, since 1933, with the primary purpose of imprisoning anti-Nazi political prisoners. Later, between 1943 and 1944, they were successively incorporated into the satellite network of the Bathorn and Neuengamme camps. Prisoners were forced to dig trenches in the so-called “Dutch Fortresses,” a marshy area near the Dutch border. Working conditions were particularly harsh. The camp was evacuated in late March 1945.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 1159–1164
Category: Concentration/labour camp
Two nearby camps had been operating in this region (Emsland), close to the German-Dutch border, since 1933, with the primary purpose of imprisoning anti-Nazi political prisoners. Later, between 1943 and 1944, they were successively incorporated into the satellite network of the Bathorn and Neuengamme camps. Prisoners were forced to dig trenches in the so-called “Dutch Fortresses,” a marshy area near the Dutch border. Working conditions were particularly harsh. The camp was evacuated in late March 1945.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 1159–1164
Moosburg (STALAG VII A)
Category: POW camp
One of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in Nazi Germany, with over 70,000 prisoners at the end of the war. It was located north of the town of Moosburg (Bavaria), near Munich. The majority of those deported from Magnesia were sent to this camp, even though most were not military personnel. Two large convoys with Greek and other Balkan prisoners arrived there in the summer of 1944. Most were subsequently transferred to other labour camps in nearby cities (Augsburg, Kempten, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Munich).
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. IV (2022), 439–442.
One of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in Nazi Germany, with over 70,000 prisoners at the end of the war. It was located north of the town of Moosburg (Bavaria), near Munich. The majority of those deported from Magnesia were sent to this camp, even though most were not military personnel. Two large convoys with Greek and other Balkan prisoners arrived there in the summer of 1944. Most were subsequently transferred to other labour camps in nearby cities (Augsburg, Kempten, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Munich).
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. IV (2022), 439–442.