KT Schwarzheide, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Brandenburg, Germany
| Latitude | 51.483056 |
| Longitude | 13.866667 |
| State/ Province | Brandenburg |
| Country | Germany |
| Enclosed By | |
|---|---|
| Oberspreewald-Lausitz | |
| Place Encloses |
Narrative
On Find-a-Grave:
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2488666/schwarzheide-concentration-camp
Located 50 km north of Dresden, Germany.
Schwarzheide Concentration Camp was a sub-camp of Sachsenhausen. It was established in July, 1944 initially to house 1000 Jewish slave laborers who were to work in the Braunkohlen-Benzinwerkes (Brabag) nearby. Because this factory produced oil and diesel from lignite coal, it was deemed essential to the German war effort. It was bombed by the Allies on several occasions and in June, 1944 it was completely put out of action. Once the complex had resumed operation, plans were made to transfer inmates from Auschwitz, who had all lost their families in the aftermath of the liquidation of the 'Familienlager' in Theresienstadt. Inmates from Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp were used to fill posts of responsibility in the camp administration. It was a brutal camp where many inmates were worked to death. In addition, many died or were injured as a result of Allied bombing attacks, primarily because they were not evacuated or given protection during air raids.
Today, there is only a combined memorial to the victims of Schwarzheide and Flossenbürg Concentration Camps located within Urnenhain cemetery in Dresden-Tolkewitz.