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
W
Watenstedt
Subcamp of: Neuengamme
Category: Concentration/labour camp
This labour camp was established in May 1944 in a district of the industrial city of Salzgitter to house prisoners who were forced to work at the Braunschweig steelworks, part of the Hermann Göring industrial complex (Reichswerke Hermann Göring). On April 7, 1945, the SS evacuated the camp and transported the 5,000 prisoners in open-air freight cars to the Ravensbrück camp. Many did not survive or arrived more dead than alive. Among them was Vasilis Kontogeorgiou from Volos.
USHMM, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 1177–1179. Greek State Archives, Magnesia branch, Volos Court of First Instance Archives, “Nazism Rulings,” No. 45/16-1-1962.
Category: Concentration/labour camp
This labour camp was established in May 1944 in a district of the industrial city of Salzgitter to house prisoners who were forced to work at the Braunschweig steelworks, part of the Hermann Göring industrial complex (Reichswerke Hermann Göring). On April 7, 1945, the SS evacuated the camp and transported the 5,000 prisoners in open-air freight cars to the Ravensbrück camp. Many did not survive or arrived more dead than alive. Among them was Vasilis Kontogeorgiou from Volos.
USHMM, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 1177–1179. Greek State Archives, Magnesia branch, Volos Court of First Instance Archives, “Nazism Rulings,” No. 45/16-1-1962.
Wiener Neustadt
Subcamp of: Mauthausen (Austria)
Category: Concentration/labour camp
The camp was established in June 1943 on the site of the Raxwerke factory, which produced V-2 rockets. Some 1,200 civilian prisoners—French, Polish, and Soviet—worked there. Following an Allied bombing raid in August 1943, the rocket production plant was relocated underground to the Dora-Mittelbau camp in Thuringia. During the second phase of operation of the Wiener Neustadt subcamp, from July 1944 to April 1, 1945, 700–800 prisoners were transferred there from Mauthausen to produce floating artillery batteries. The guards were sailors. With the advance of the Red Army, the camp was evacuated and the prisoners were led on a death march back to Mauthausen.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 956–958.
Category: Concentration/labour camp
The camp was established in June 1943 on the site of the Raxwerke factory, which produced V-2 rockets. Some 1,200 civilian prisoners—French, Polish, and Soviet—worked there. Following an Allied bombing raid in August 1943, the rocket production plant was relocated underground to the Dora-Mittelbau camp in Thuringia. During the second phase of operation of the Wiener Neustadt subcamp, from July 1944 to April 1, 1945, 700–800 prisoners were transferred there from Mauthausen to produce floating artillery batteries. The guards were sailors. With the advance of the Red Army, the camp was evacuated and the prisoners were led on a death march back to Mauthausen.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol. I B (2009), 956–958.
Wutzetz-Friesack (Lager 8)
Category: POW camp
Small camp for prisoners-of-war, created in 1943 in Wutzetz village, located northeast of Berlin, in the vicinity of Friesack township. Its first prisoners were Poles, who were later joined by military staff from the Balkans. Greek army officers from Magnisia were transferred there from Italian camps following Italy’s surrender (September 8, 1943). The conditions of detention were tolerable.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol IV (2022), 211-212.
Small camp for prisoners-of-war, created in 1943 in Wutzetz village, located northeast of Berlin, in the vicinity of Friesack township. Its first prisoners were Poles, who were later joined by military staff from the Balkans. Greek army officers from Magnisia were transferred there from Italian camps following Italy’s surrender (September 8, 1943). The conditions of detention were tolerable.
USHMΜ, Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, vol IV (2022), 211-212.