From July 1942 to September 1944, 93 trains deported more than 107.000 people from Camp Westerbork to concentration camps in the German Reich. Only the former camp commander’s house has been preserved, in a glass container.[2]. [1] Deportations began under the orders of Gestapo sub-Department IV-B4, which was headed by Adolf Eichmann. Typescript report into conditions at Westerbork concentration camp entitled 'Kollektive Arbeit einer Widerstandsgruppe'; also correspondence between members of Wiener Library staff and Professor David Cohen regarding the reliability of the report as a historical document, including a short paper on the subject, 1944-1959. [2] A special, separate work cadre of 2,000 “permanent” Jewish inmates was used as a camp labor force. During this time, the camp was renamed Kamp Schattenberg. Höcker took the pictures as personal keepsakes. NLD The … Just a Normal Day in the Camps. concentration camps in western europe were mainly transit camps. The prisoners ha… Unlike other transit camps, Westerbork maintained a semi-permanent population who remained in the camp for a considerable time, ran their own affairs and maintained a near-normal life, especially in the periods when there were no deportations. Westerbork (Netherlands : Concentration camp); usage: Westerbork, Transit Camp Westerbork, Kamp Westerbork; Nazi Transit Camp Westerbork) found: NUCMC data from Holocaust Center of Northern Calif. for Jakobowitz family papers, 1943-1945 (collection contains materials from KZ Westerbork) found: New York times, 12 Sept. 2019: page B12, in obituary for Diet Eman (By 1942, Dutch boys and men … 5,0 von 5 Sternen I was captivated by this true tale of love and hardship amidst WWII concentration camp conditions. In addition, on 15 July the Dutch railroad company Nederlandse Spoorwegen received an order for the construction of a 5 km railroad into Camp Westerbork. Language/scripts of material: German. Between 1933 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its allies established more than 44,000 camps and other incarceration sites (including ghettos). Camps could be run by local collaborators in the countries that they were based, such as Drancy, near Paris in France, which was run by the … [1] Jewish inmates were deported in waves to Auschwitz concentration camp (65 train-loads totaling 60,330 people), Sobibor (19 train-loads; 34,313 people), Theresienstadt ghetto, and Bergen-Belsen concentration camp (9 train-loads; 4,894 people). From July 1942 until September 3, 1944, the Germans deported 97,776 Jews from Westerbork: 54,930 to Auschwitz in 68 transports, 34,313 to Sobibor in 19 transports, 4,771 to the Theresienstadt ghetto in 7 transports, and 3,762 to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 9 transports. These areas were vital to the operation of the camp and he believes this is why he was not deported to the concentration camps in Poland as were nearly all the other inmates. However, from 1951 to 1971, former indigenous Moluccan KNIL soldiers and their families were made to stay in the camp. Westerbork was considered by Nazi standards as “humane”. Kamp Westerbork: Westerbork Concentration Camp~ last stop on Dutch soil for transports before death camps - See 526 traveler reviews, 711 candid photos, and great deals for Hooghalen, The Netherlands, at Tripadvisor. Inmates of more than 30 nationalities were imprisoned in this camp. "Jodenvervolging: Nationaal Monument Westerbork", Cabaret Behind Barbed Wire: Max Ehrlich & the Westerbork Theater Group, List of major perpetrators of the Holocaust, Nazis and Nazi Collaborators (Punishment) Law, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Westerbork_transit_camp&oldid=995118966, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2019, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Westerbork, Judendurchgangslager Westerbork, This page was last edited on 19 December 2020, at 09:30. From 1942 to 1944 Westerbork served as a transit camp for Dutch Jews before they were deported to killing centers in German-occupied Poland. A bus transported us from the museum to the actual prison grounds where immediately we saw the stark difference between the camp commander's house and where the prisoners were housed. Camp Westerbork also housed German film actress and cabaret singer Dora Gerson, who was interned there with her family before being sent to Auschwitz, and Professor Sir William Asscher, who survived the camp when his mother secured his family's release by fabricating English ancestry. 1 The Oranienburg concentration camp is not to be confused with the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, which was established by the SS in July … In the middle of Drenthe is a place with history. This isolated piece of real estate appeared to be the ideal place to build a camp for German Jewish refugees. In Auschwitz I, prisoners lived in old brick barracks. To control this tide of refugees, the Dutch government created the Westerbork camp to house these people. This collection contains documents relating to the Westerbork Jewish transit camp between 1942-1945, including are reports, maps and some photos as well as pre-war correspondence, and post-war court proceedings. those children who came without their parents), a hair-dresser, an orchestra and even a restaurant. The Dutch government established a camp at Westerbork in October 1939 to intern Jewish refugees who had entered the Netherlands illegally. [15], "Westerbork" redirects here. The antiques dealer listed the controversial item on eBay for €199. Find the perfect westerbork concentration camp stock photo. Westerbork was liberated by Canadian forces on April 12, 1945. This camp had been opened by the Dutch authorities during the summer 1939 in order to receive the Jewish refugees coming from Germany.The first refugees arrived in Westerbork on October 9, 1939. She was involved in Neu Beginnen, an anti-fascist group formed in 1929 by members of the Social Democratic Party, the Nazis’ primary political rivals. I first saw the documentary also called "Steal a Pencil for Me" and became very interested in reading all of the accounts that were told in the show again. Rails-monument at Westerbork: broken rails of the former track which was used to transport Jewish people to and from the camp. In the end, however, most of the "permanent" inmates were also sent to the concentration camps and death camps. Punishment and mistreatment of prisoners by security staff; 7. Hedwig was arrested in 1936 for political opposition to the Nazis. [11], Transports came to a halt at Camp Westerbork in September 1944. I've never read anything like this before. In July 1942 the German Security Police, assisted by an SS company and Dutch military police, took control of Westerbork. Maurice Frankenhuis chronicled his family's experiences while interned in Westerbork and in 1948 conducted an interview with its Commander Albert Gemmeker while awaiting trial. The camp continued to function after the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. [1], Notable prisoners in Westerbork included Anne Frank, who was transported to Camp Westerbork on August 4, 1944[4] and Etty Hillesum, each of whom wrote of their experiences in diaries discovered after the war. Millions of people suffered and died or were killed. Elie Cohen, a doctor, was in Westerbork for 8 months before being sent to Auschwitz. Amersfoort was a transit camp, whence prisoners were sent to places like Buchenwald, Mauthausen and Neuengamme concentration camps. The camp of Westerbork was situated about 15 km from the village of Westerbork. Even in the Secret Annex, Anne Frank had been aware of the existence of Westerbork. The Quakers made arrangements in conjunction with OSE to transfer 50 children from the camp. Another similarity between camp Westerbork and other concentration camps was the strict censorship applicable to letters and postcards that were sent by the prisoners. Another prisoner at Camp Westerbork from 9 March 1944 to 23 March 1944 was Hans Mossel (1905-1944), a Jewish-Dutch clarinetist and saxophonist, before he was sent to the Auschwitz III camp. The Dutch government established the camp in 1939 to intern Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany who had entered the Netherlands illegally. In early 1942, the Germans enlarged the camp. When the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, they took control over Westerbork and turned it into a transit camp for … Sanitary conditions improved to a certain degree in 1943, when each part of the camp was outfitted with a bathhouse and equipment for disinfecting clothing and linen. Typescript report into conditions at Westerbork concentration camp entitled 'Kollektive Arbeit einer Widerstandsgruppe'; also correspondence between members of Wiener Library staff and Professor David Cohen regarding the reliability of the report as a historical document, including a short paper on the subject, 1944-1959. In early April 1945, as Allied forces neared the camp, the German guards abandoned it. Introduction. It is therefore hardly strange that epidemics of contagious diseases erupted frequently. Camp Westerbork (Dutch: Kamp Westerbork, German: Durchgangslager Westerbork) was a transit camp in Drenthe province, northeastern Netherlands, during World War II. [1], Camp Westerbork also had a school, orchestra, hairdresser, and even restaurants designed by SS officials to give inmates a false sense of hope for survival and to aid in avoiding problems during transportation. [9], Jacques Schol, a Dutchman, was commander of the camp from July 16 1940 and until January 1943. The results were published fifteen years later in The Catastrophe (De Ondergang). Between 1933 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its allies established more than 44,000 camps and other incarceration sites (including ghettos). The ordeal would begin as soon as they stepped onto the car. The German staff was headed by the Lagerkommandant (camp commander) and a team of subordinates, comprised mostly of junior officers. People would be crammed in like animals… Find topics of interest and explore encyclopedia content related to those topics, Find articles, photos, maps, films, and more listed alphabetically, Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust, Explore the ID Cards to learn more about personal experiences during the Holocaust. Westerbork was considered by Nazi standards as “humane”. The aim was to keep the people uninformed about the future perspective of them. Unlike most of the concentration camps within Germany not all of the transit camps were run by the SS. The camp continued to function after the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. Usually speaking these camp had a rather mild regime. In early April 1945, as Allied troops approached the camp, the Germans abandoned Westerbork. work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. The Westerbork camp was situated in the northeastern part of the Netherlands. Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork. Select from premium Westerbork Concentration Camp of the highest quality. Facilities were poor and overcrowding was common. - US Holocaust Memorial Museum ( See archival information ). Westerbork, the Netherlands, October 1942. In 1939, the Dutch government erected a refugee camp, Centraal Vluchtelingenkamp Westerbork, financed, ironically, partly by Dutch Jewry, in order to absorb fleeing Jews from Nazi Germany. Erich Deppner was appointed camp commandant and Westerbork's role as a transit camp for deportations to the east began, with deportation trains leaving every Tuesday. Washington, DC 20024-2126 In 1949, when the Dutch left their over 300 year occupation of Indonesia, native Indonesians were left in political unrest. Westerbork was liberated on April 12, 1945, by Canadian forces who found 876 inmates there. Several hundred prisoners lived in each such barrack. Single inmates were placed in oblong barrackswhich contained a bathroom f… Information on the deportation of Hans Mossel via the Arolson online archives. In late July 1944, as Soviet forces approached Lublin, the remaining camp staff hastily abandoned Majdanek, without fully dismantling the camp. [2][3], Transport trains arrived at Westerbork every Tuesday from July 1942 to September 1944, and deported an estimated 97,776 Jews during the period. No need to register, buy now! The transfer of Jews from Amsterdam to Westerbork began on the night of 14/15 July 1942, and the first transport left for Auschwitz on the following day. Main telephone: 202.488.0400 The Germans encouraged "normal" activities by this group, including metalwork, health services work, and cultural activities. These are the first leisure time photos of the concentration camp’s SS officers to be discovered, though similar images do exist for other camps, including Sachsenhausen, Dachau and Buchenwald. [2][1] Almost all of the 94,643 persons deported to Auschwitz and Sobibor in German-occupied Poland were killed upon arrival. The SS evacuated most of the prisoners to concentration camps further west during the spring of 1944. The first train arrived on July 15th and left the camp on July 16th with 1,135 of the first selected Jews. [1][2], Camp Westerbork was utilized as a staging ground for the deportation of Jews. Most inmates had short stays at the camp. Arrival of a transport at the Westerbork camp. View the list of all donors. The Westerbork camp was situated in the northeastern part of the Netherlands in the Dutch province of Drenthe, near the towns of Westerbork and Assen. those children who came without their parents), a hair-dresser, an orchestra and even a restaurant. Arrival of a transport at the Westerbork camp. [14], In 2017, films commissioned by the German camp commander Albert Gemmeker from a Jewish prisoner, Rudolf Breslauer, to document everyday life in the Westerbork transit camp, were submitted by the Netherlands and included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel! Camp Westerbork was utilized as a staging ground for the deportation of Jews. Refugee camp Westerbork circa 1939 Near the village of Westerbork, in the province of Drente, the Dutch Government owned a tract of heath and marsh land surrounded by dense woods. Facilities were poor and overcrowding was common. Presser also published a novel, The Night of the Girondins, which was set in Westerbork. On July 14th, 1942, all the Jews were examined by the SS in order to determine who was able to work or not. The peoples were promised a quick return to their homeland. Single inmates were placed in oblong barracks which contained a bathroom for each sex. Rezension aus den Vereinigten Staaten vom 15. There was a school ( only for the "orphans", i.e. These concentration camps became the center for torture of Jews and other ‘undesirables’ who were treated in the most inhuman way, that was possible. Westerbork was completely disassembled in the 1960s by the Dutch government. Westerbork concentration camp was, ironically, constructed by the Dutch government in 1939 as a haven for a tidal wave of German Jews fleeing the rising tide of antisemitism in Germany and the ultimate grasping of power by the Nazis which precipitated World War II. The Westerbork camp was situated in the northeastern part of the Netherlands in the Dutch province of Drenthe, near the towns of Westerbork and Assen. Typescript report into conditions at Westerbork concentration camp entitled 'Kollektive Arbeit einer Widerstandsgruppe'; also correspondence between members of Wiener Library staff and Professor David Cohen regarding the reliability of the report as a historical document, including a short paper on the subject, 1944-1959. [5][6] Hillesum stayed at Westerbork until September 7, 1943, when she was deported to Auschwitz. [7][circular reference] The published interview in Dutch and English became the basis for a docudrama created in September 2019. [1] Established by the Dutch government in the summer of 1939, Camp Westerbork was meant to serve as a refugee camp for Jews who had illegally entered the Netherlands. She had learned about the war and the persecution of the Jews from the helpers and from radio broadcasts. Despite their terrible conditions, cultural and religious activity continued in the ghettos, labor camps, and even concentration camps. Westerbork Concentration Camp Westerbork was the main transit camp used by the Germans during their occupation of Holland to send people--mostly Jews--to the death camps in Poland. [3] Within the confines of the camp, German SS commanders were in charge of inmates, but squads of Jewish police and security were used to keep order and aid in transport, as noted above. TTY: 202.488.0406. Westerbork became officially a "transit camp" (Durchgangslager Westerbork). This section will explore how the SS developed the notorious Nazi concentration camps from 1934 onwards, who they imprisoned, and how the inmates lived. Categories of prisoners; 3. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC, Holocaust Survivors and Victims Resource Center. Find the perfect Westerbork Concentration Camp stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. 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