223:
652:
463:
52:
713:
36:
599:
285:, the size of which was later reduced as the SS created a neighbouring vegetable patch. A mast stood in the centre of the roll-call area bearing loudspeakers through which orders were delivered. Prisoners sometimes had to stand still for hours facing the mast as punishment. The roll call area was also used as a drill and exercise area, where prisoners had to jump up and down at 4.30 am to the sound of a drum.
742:
59:
442:
Approximately 13,600 prisoners transited through
Hinzert. The first prisoners were German workers who had worked on the Siegfried Line and had demonstrated "anti-social behavior". Shortly afterwards, the camp was used to host forced laborers from occupied countries. Beginning in 1941, large groups of
269:
Prisoners were housed in four barracks, each containing two spaces that in turn contained 26 bunk beds for the projected capacity of 208 prisoners. Later, straw mattresses were added to increase the total capacity to 560. Certain rooms were reserved for a particular category of prisoners, such as the
210:. Between 1939 and 1945, 13,600 political prisoners between the ages of 13 and 80 were imprisoned at Hinzert. Many were in transit towards larger concentration camps where most would be killed. However, many prisoners were executed at Hinzert. The camp was administered, run, and guarded mainly by the
614:
Although the majority of the
Hinzert prisoners were transferred to other camps or were kept imprisoned until their liberation, many were tortured and murdered at Hinzert. Despite its being "only" a transit camp, 321 prisoners were killed at Hinzert. The victims were often shot, drowned or killed by
257:
housing huts. This area was decorated with floral and garden arrangements. Prisoners were kept in another area measuring approximately 200m by 200m, bordered by a 3m high barbed wire fence with watchtowers. The prisoners' area also contained the camp commander's quarters, the clothing workshop, the
669:
In the subsequent years, over 350 Luxembourgish resistance fighters were arrested by the
Gestapo; 50 resistants were sentenced to death. Of these 50 sentences, 25 were carried out. However, of the remaining 25, 23 were subsequently executed as a response to acts of resistance in Luxembourg.
731:
On
December 10, 2005, a memorial and documentation center was opened on the site of the former concentration camp. Designed by the architect firm Wandel Hoefer Lorch & Hirsch, the steel modern building houses a permanent exhibition of camp artifacts, photos and explanation notes.
589:
Because of the secrecy concerning their condition, many Night and Fog prisoners were attached to these internal
Kommandos. The camp had been built initially to house 560 prisoners but an average number of prisoners was 800. This number reached 1,600 at times.
684:
The bodies of the
Luxembourgish victims were transferred back to Luxembourg on March 9–10, 1946. All along the way, citizens lined the roads, some wearing the striped uniform of camp prisoners, to pay tribute. The bodies were first laid temporarily at the
443:
prisoners were sent to
Hinzert, mainly political prisoners from Luxembourg and France. Other prisoners, mainly forced laborers and POWs, were sent from Poland and the Soviet Union. Starting on December 7, 1941, when the Night and Fog directive was signed,
433:
and sentenced to death. He died of a heart attack before he could be executed. Zill was sentenced to life in prison by a West German court in the 1950s, which was reduced to 15 years on appeal. He was eventually released from prison, and died in 1974.
238:. At an altitude of 550m, the plateau was exposed to much humidity, wind, strong precipitation, fog and glacial temperatures in winter. The camp was surrounded by a coniferous forest that provided lumber for the camp's construction and maintenance.
610:
Prisoners of the
Hinzert concentration camp were kept under very harsh conditions; beatings were delivered on a regular basis and torture and execution sessions took place in public in order to establish a climate of constant terror and fear.
579:"Coal" Kommando transported every day the contents of a coal rail carriage from the neighbouring railway station to the camp over a distance of 4 km (2.5 mi). The four trips represented a total of 32 km (20 mi);
576:"Cart" Kommando consisting of eighteen prisoners pulling a cart transported the unearthed roots and other material (the SS sometimes released the brakes of the cart when travelling downhill in order to kill or wound the prisoners);
354:
or political section, a "detention and security" camp, a medical unit and the guard units. Following the arrival of Night and Fog prisoners, the political section and "detention and security" camp were closed down.
681:, the remains of many of the aforementioned victims were found and transferred to their respective homelands with full national honors. Those not repatriated were buried on site in a memorial cemetery.
573:"Forest" Kommando worked in the forests surrounding the camps cutting down lumber for the camp and creating a road (due to high risk of prisoners escaping, this Kommando was disbanded in 1943);
362:. The camp was partially destroyed by an air raid on February 22, 1945, but remained in operation until March 3 of the same year when many of the surviving prisoners were sent on a
328:. After the invasion of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France in 1940, Hinzert also became a prison camp for political prisoners from those countries who needed to be "re-
344:
of the
Luxembourg and Trier area. Until the first Night and Fog prisoners arrived, the camp operated following the organisational structure of other camps, and namely contained a
677:
has confirmed 321 deaths, including 82 Luxembourgers, but not all remains of murdered victims have been found. In 1946, following the liberation of the camp by the
90:
701:
623:
In 1941, two trucks transported 70 Soviet POWs to
Hinzert. The prisoners were told that they would undergo a medical examination, but were injected with
782:
915:
758:
704:
also estimates that approximately 1,500 Night and Fog prisoners were sent to Hinzert; 390 survived and returned to France and at least 804 died.
673:
The exact number of victims murdered at Hinzert remains unknown. Between 1,600 and 1,800 Luxembourgers had been sent to Hinzert. The Luxembourg
615:
lethal injection. According to trial records, SS guards also tortured prisoners, left them to die of sickness or hunger, or fed them to dogs.
370:, others having been transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp. The camp was discovered March 17, 1945, by reconnaissance units of the
1030:
1001:. Federal State Central Authority for Political Education Rhineland-Palatinate (Die Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Rheinland-Pfalz).
541:
525:
746:
521:
517:
305:, for prisoners condemned to light sentences (under 14 days) and for those workers that had demonstrated what the Nazi regime would call
485:
850:
489:
881:
964:
753:
585:"Romika" and "Black" Kommandos worked in the camp workshops and produced rubber items and armament equipment from 1942 onwards.
371:
297:. However, it burnt down on August 16, 1939, and was rebuilt in October 1939 as a police detention and re-education camp, or
336:". On February 7, 1942, command over the camp was transferred to the SS Central Office for Economics and Administration (
1025:
567:
from May to June 1942, "Swimming pool" Kommando dug a fish farming basin which was used as a fire extinguisher reserve;
337:
631:
411:
694:
1011:
313:
Gestapo worked not only on the West Wall, but also on other military infrastructure projects such as air bases in
51:
606:
bearing the names of those killed at KZ Hinzert has been erected on the site of the former concentration camp.
686:
456:
393:
359:
422:
in April 1942 as the camp's Deputy Commandant. He was replaced by the third and last commander of Hinzert,
392:
assumed command over the camp, a position he held until December 1941 when he took over the command of the
83:
222:
993:
919:
634:
directed against the German occupier and a new directive that enrolled the Luxembourgish youth into the
358:
Hinzert remained mainly autonomous until November 21, 1944, when it was administratively linked to the
207:
651:
556:
performed mainly maintenance forced-labour in air bases as well as marsh drainage and forestry work.
452:
407:
281:
offices, the administrative offices and the kitchen. Different zones were located around one central
293:
The Hinzert concentration camp was first established in 1938 to house workers who were building the
529:
195:
820:
657:
27:
325:
678:
234:
mountain range, the Hinzert concentration camp was named after the nearest village, now called
241:
An access road that first bordered the prisoners' cemetery led to a first area guarded by the
582:"Wood" Kommando cleaned and chopped the unearthed roots in order to provide fuel for the camp
627:, a deadly poison, and died shortly thereafter. They were buried in the neighboring forest.
462:
350:
203:
133:
8:
415:
300:
857:
644:, sentenced to death and shot between September 2 and 5, 1942. Among them was the boxer
399:
385:
888:
333:
995:
Blaetter Zum Land: The Memorial Site of the SS Special Camp/Concentration Camp Hinzert
968:
447:
prisoners transited through Hinzert on the way to larger concentration camps, such as
725:
690:
662:
624:
266:, a disinfection area and the "cloakroom" where the prisoners' belongings were kept.
235:
943:
645:
214:, who, according to survivors, were notorious for their brutality and viciousness.
570:
in July 1942, "Stone" Kommando was created to excavate a neighbouring stone mine;
271:
177:
882:"Night and Fog Prisoners or Lost in the Night and Fog or the Unknown Prisoners"
655:
The Hinzert Cross at the Notre-Dame Cemetery in Luxembourg City. The sculpture
389:
294:
712:
35:
1019:
549:
509:
430:
329:
211:
105:
92:
545:
481:
471:
199:
156:
137:
363:
282:
231:
721:
603:
533:
501:
493:
448:
259:
716:
Bronze monument by Lucien Wercollier at the Hinzert Concentration Camp
598:
693:, where dignitaries paid their respects, and were then buried in the
636:
497:
403:
40:
SS officers at a construction site in the Hinzert concentration camp
537:
476:
374:. Only a handful of prisoners were still in the camp at that time.
324:
On July 1, 1940, the camp was placed under the jurisdiction of the
314:
641:
341:
278:
72:
741:
419:
367:
310:
263:
856:. Fondation pour la Me´moire de la Déportation. Archived from
513:
318:
470:
Many Hinzert prisoners were also used as slave labourers in
505:
250:
245:. This area contained seven huts, a guard post, the camp's
466:
Hinzert commemorative plaque of the Night and Fog victims
429:
After the war, Pister was convicted of war crimes at the
309:. These workers, many of whom had been brought in by the
916:"Hinzert: rapatriement des morts luxembourgeois en 1946"
967:. Centre Regional Resistance et Liberte. Archived from
242:
277:
Three other buildings in the camp contained the local
226:
Historical road sign at the Hinzert concentration camp
728:
honors the prisoners and those murdered at the camp.
230:
Located on the Hochwald plateau, and overlooking the
249:
or command post, a garage, workshops, the officers'
918:. Centre National de l'Audiovisuel. Archived from
206:, 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the border with
1010:Vienne-Résistance-Internement-Déportation (VRID)
944:"European Killing & Atrocity Centers:Hinzert"
787:Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas
776:
774:
1017:
759:German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II
771:
474:spread out in the surrounding region. Some 23
818:
414:concentration camps, was transferred to the
187:
780:
702:Fondation pour la Mémoire de la Déportation
459:where they would eventually "disappear".
406:. Zill, who had previously served in the
957:
851:"Mémoire Vivante n° 46: Dossier Hinzert"
711:
650:
597:
461:
221:
938:
936:
754:List of Nazi-German concentration camps
563:existed directly within the main camp:
1018:
991:
910:
908:
874:
340:). It also then became a camp for the
288:
217:
987:
985:
845:
843:
841:
839:
837:
821:"Le camp de concentration de Hinzert"
814:
812:
810:
808:
806:
804:
299:Polizeihaft- und Erziehungslager des
933:
618:
480:were attached to Hinzert including:
1031:Nazi concentration camps in Germany
905:
640:, 20 strikers were arrested by the
13:
982:
834:
801:
377:
16:Concentration camp in Nazi Germany
14:
1042:
887:. Jersey Heritage. Archived from
675:Conseil National de la Resistance
632:1942 Luxembourgish general strike
437:
740:
648:. They were also buried nearby.
326:Inspector of Concentration Camps
57:
50:
34:
789:. European Sites of Remembrance
689:, in the center of the city of
58:
1:
946:. The Shoah Education Project
764:
593:
416:Natzweiler concentration camp
394:Buchenwald concentration camp
360:Buchenwald concentration camp
783:"Concentration Camp Hinzert"
332:" or who were placed under "
7:
735:
707:
661:is by Luxembourgish artist
190:Konzentrationslager Hinzert
125:Konzentrationslager Hinzert
71:Location of Hinzert within
10:
1047:
1026:Hinzert concentration camp
747:Hinzert concentration camp
174:Hinzert concentration camp
720:A bronze monument by the
163:
151:
143:
129:
121:
82:
45:
33:
26:
21:
658:Le prisonnier politique
28:Nazi concentration camp
992:Welter, Beate (2006).
717:
666:
607:
467:
372:94th Infantry Division
258:carpenter's area, the
227:
188:
183:SS-Sonderlager Hinzert
181:
22:SS-Sonderlager Hinzert
749:at Wikimedia Commons
715:
654:
601:
559:A number of internal
465:
301:Reichsarbeitsdienstes
225:
781:Uwe Seemann (2015).
396:and was replaced by
382:On October 9, 1939,
351:Politische Abteilung
204:Rhineland-Palatinate
134:Rhineland-Palatinate
106:49.69889°N 6.89278°E
695:Notre-Dame Cemetery
424:SS Hauptsturmführer
307:antisocial behavior
289:Operational history
218:Location and layout
102: /
823:. B&S Editions
819:Peter D. Hassall.
718:
667:
608:
468:
426:Paul Sporrenberg.
228:
196:concentration camp
745:Media related to
726:Lucien Wercollier
663:Lucien Wercollier
625:potassium cyanide
619:Murder operations
410:, Buchenwald and
202:, in what is now
171:
170:
152:Number of inmates
111:49.69889; 6.89278
1038:
1003:
1002:
1000:
989:
980:
979:
977:
976:
961:
955:
954:
952:
951:
940:
931:
930:
928:
927:
912:
903:
902:
900:
899:
893:
886:
878:
872:
871:
869:
868:
862:
855:
847:
832:
831:
829:
828:
816:
799:
798:
796:
794:
778:
744:
646:Ernest Toussaint
400:Hauptsturmführer
386:Standartenführer
193:
117:
116:
114:
113:
112:
107:
103:
100:
99:
98:
95:
61:
60:
54:
38:
19:
18:
1046:
1045:
1041:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1035:
1016:
1015:
1007:
1006:
998:
990:
983:
974:
972:
963:
962:
958:
949:
947:
942:
941:
934:
925:
923:
914:
913:
906:
897:
895:
891:
884:
880:
879:
875:
866:
864:
860:
853:
849:
848:
835:
826:
824:
817:
802:
792:
790:
779:
772:
767:
738:
710:
621:
596:
440:
380:
378:Camp commanders
291:
220:
157:satellite camps
110:
108:
104:
101:
96:
93:
91:
89:
88:
78:
77:
76:
75:
69:
68:
67:
66:
62:
41:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1044:
1034:
1033:
1028:
1014:
1013:
1005:
1004:
981:
956:
932:
904:
873:
833:
800:
769:
768:
766:
763:
762:
761:
756:
737:
734:
709:
706:
630:Following the
620:
617:
595:
592:
587:
586:
583:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
439:
438:Camp prisoners
436:
390:Hermann Pister
379:
376:
290:
287:
283:roll-call area
236:Hinzert-Pölert
219:
216:
169:
168:
165:
161:
160:
155:13,600 (in 20
153:
149:
148:
145:
141:
140:
131:
127:
126:
123:
119:
118:
86:
80:
79:
70:
64:
63:
56:
55:
49:
48:
47:
46:
43:
42:
39:
31:
30:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1043:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1012:
1009:
1008:
997:
996:
988:
986:
971:on 2007-07-04
970:
966:
960:
945:
939:
937:
922:on 2007-04-07
921:
917:
911:
909:
894:on 2011-07-23
890:
883:
877:
863:on 2009-07-17
859:
852:
846:
844:
842:
840:
838:
822:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
805:
788:
784:
777:
775:
770:
760:
757:
755:
752:
751:
750:
748:
743:
733:
729:
727:
723:
722:Luxembourgish
714:
705:
703:
698:
696:
692:
688:
687:Place d'Armes
682:
680:
676:
671:
664:
660:
659:
653:
649:
647:
643:
639:
638:
633:
628:
626:
616:
612:
605:
600:
591:
584:
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
565:
564:
562:
557:
555:
551:
550:Waechtersbach
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
519:
515:
511:
510:Langendiebach
507:
503:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
478:
473:
464:
460:
458:
454:
450:
446:
435:
432:
431:Dachau trials
427:
425:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
402:
401:
395:
391:
388:
387:
375:
373:
369:
365:
361:
356:
353:
352:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
322:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
302:
296:
286:
284:
280:
275:
273:
272:Night and Fog
267:
265:
261:
256:
252:
248:
244:
239:
237:
233:
224:
215:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
192:
191:
185:
184:
179:
175:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
139:
135:
132:
128:
124:
120:
115:
87:
85:
81:
74:
53:
44:
37:
32:
29:
25:
20:
994:
973:. Retrieved
969:the original
959:
948:. Retrieved
924:. Retrieved
920:the original
896:. Retrieved
889:the original
876:
865:. Retrieved
858:the original
825:. Retrieved
791:. Retrieved
786:
739:
730:
719:
699:
683:
674:
672:
668:
656:
635:
629:
622:
613:
609:
588:
560:
558:
553:
546:Wachtersbach
482:Farschweiler
475:
469:
444:
441:
428:
423:
397:
383:
381:
357:
349:
346:Kommandantur
345:
323:
306:
298:
292:
276:
268:
254:
247:Kommandantur
246:
240:
229:
200:Nazi Germany
189:
182:
173:
172:
138:Nazi Germany
700:The French
544:(1 and 2),
536:, Pollert,
520:(1 and 2),
472:SS subcamps
412:Ravensbrück
364:death march
274:prisoners.
167:over 1,000
144:Operational
122:Other names
109: /
84:Coordinates
1020:Categories
975:2007-04-24
950:2009-04-07
926:2007-04-25
898:2009-04-15
867:2009-04-09
827:2009-04-07
765:References
691:Luxembourg
604:catafalque
594:War crimes
542:Rheinsfeld
534:Nonnweiler
526:Hoppstaden
502:Hermeskeil
494:Gelnhausen
457:Buchenwald
449:Natzweiler
334:Schutzhaft
330:germanised
262:area, the
260:quarantine
208:Luxembourg
94:49°41′56″N
965:"Hinzert"
724:sculptor
637:Wehrmacht
561:Kommandos
554:Kommandos
522:Neubrucke
518:Mariahute
498:Gusterath
477:Kommandos
404:Egon Zill
366:to upper
295:West Wall
147:1939–1945
97:6°53′34″E
793:11 April
736:See also
708:Memorial
552:. These
538:Primstal
315:Mannheim
253:and two
232:Hunsrück
194:) was a
130:Location
642:Gestapo
486:Finthen
342:Gestapo
317:and in
279:Gestapo
73:Germany
65:Hinzert
679:Allies
490:Fluwig
453:Dachau
420:Alsace
408:Dachau
368:Hessen
311:Bremen
264:morgue
178:German
164:Killed
999:(PDF)
892:(PDF)
885:(PDF)
861:(PDF)
854:(PDF)
514:Mainz
319:Mainz
303:(RAD)
795:2015
548:and
530:Nahe
506:Konz
348:, a
338:WVHA
251:mess
455:or
418:in
398:SS
384:SS
198:in
186:or
1022::
984:^
935:^
907:^
836:^
803:^
785:.
773:^
697:.
602:A
540:,
532:,
528:,
524:,
516:,
512:,
508:,
504:,
500:,
496:,
492:,
488:,
484:,
451:,
445:NN
321:.
255:SS
243:SS
212:SS
180::
159:)
136:,
978:.
953:.
929:.
901:.
870:.
830:.
797:.
665:.
176:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
