Hamburg-Hammerbrook (Bomb Clearance Commando)

From mid-1944, around 35 concentration camp prisoners were housed in the Brackdamm primary school in Hamburg-Hammerbrook. Their job was to look for and defuse unexploded bombs, though they were not trained to do so. This work was both physically strenuous and extremely dangerous. The prisoners had been forced to recover unexploded bombs before mid-1944 as well, but they had always returned to Neuengamme main camp each day or spent the nights in public buildings near their places of deployment, which changed continuously.

According to a report by Dr. Trzebinski, the SS Garrison Physician at Neuengamme concentration camp, the bomb clearance commando at Brackdamm still existed as of 25 March 1945. Nothing is known about the fate of the concentration camp prisoners after this date.

Period

Mid 1944 to 25 March 1945

Number of Prisoners

35 Male Prisoners

Kind of Work

Recovery of unexploded bombs

Labor on Behalf of

Location

Directions

Brackdamm 14/16, between Ausschläger Weg and Heidenkampsweg, 20537 Hamburg, Germany.