Bremen-Blumenthal

At the end of August 1944, the SS established a satellite camp of Neuengamme concentration camp in Bremen-Blumenthal. Initially, around 800 prisoners were transferred there. The camp was located on the "Bahrsplate", a large open space in Blumenthal directly on the Weser River. The prisoners were deployed to the largest shipyard in Bremen, Deschimag (Deutsche Schiffs- und Maschinenbau AG), which belonged to the Krupp group. Each day, one work commando was taken by ship on the Weser to the shipyard's main facility in Bremen-Gröpelingen, about ten kilometres away. When increased Allied bombing made this trip too dangerous, part of the commando was relocated at Christmas 1944 to the Bremen-Schützenhof satellite camp near the shipyard.

Another large commando at the camp also worked for Deschimag. However, these prisoners had to march around one kilometre to work each day. Deschimag had rented part of the grounds of the nearby Bremen wool-combing works, and it used the prisoners to build turbines for submarines here.

After the work commando had been transferred to the Bremen-Schützenhof satellite camp, another 1,000 prisoners were sent from Neuengamme main camp to the Blumenthal satellite camp. Some of these prisoners were probably used in the construction of the "Valentin" submarine pens in Bremen-Farge. According to a report by the SS Garrison Physician at Neuengamme concentration camp, Dr. Trzebinski, 929 male concentration camp prisoners were used as slave labourers in Blumenthal. There were many Belgium prisoners in the camp, as well as prisoners from France, the Soviet Union, and Poland. There were also app. 190 Jewish prisoners in the camp, most of whom were probably assigned to the work commando which was sent to the Bremen-Schützenhof satellite camp in December.

The commander of the satellite camp was Oberfeldwebel Richard-Johann vom Endt, a Wehrmacht sergeant who had been given the rank of SS-Oberscharführer when he took over the camp.

Between 7 and 9 April 1945, the prisoners from Blumenthal were transferred to the Bremen-Farge satellite camp, which served as an assembly camp for all male concentration camp prisoners in the Bremen region. The prisoners who were "able to march" were forced to walk to Bremervörde, where they were loaded onto cattle cars and taken back to Neuengamme main camp via Winsen/Luhe. Other prisoners were taken on foot or by train directly to the Sandbostel POW camp near Bremervörde. The Jewish prisoners in the Blumenthal camp were transported directly to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

Period

End of August 1944 to 9 April 1945

Number of Prisoners

1000 Male Prisoners

Kind of Work

Shipyard work

Labor on Behalf of

Deutsche Schiffs- und Maschinenbau AG (Deschimag), Krupp Group

Location

Directions

Take motorway 27 in the direction of Cuxhaven to the Burglesum/Verteilerkreis Bremen-Nord exit, then take the A 270 to Exit 2 in the direction of Bremen-Lüssum/Schwanewede. Turn left at Lüssumer Straße and then turn right at Landrat-Christians-Straße onto Weserstrandstraße, where there are signs for the "Bahrs Plate" memorial.

Directions by public transportation: Take the train to Bremen-Vegesack, then bus 70 or 71 in the direction of Farge/Neuenkirchen to the "Zum Donaufleet" or "Fähre Blumenthal" stop. The grounds of the former camp can be reached by crossing the Weser dike.

Opening hours: The park is always open.

Memorial

Since 1985, there has been a concrete plinth with a memorial plaque surrounded by a rose garden on the grounds of the former satellite camp, now the Bahrsplate Memorial.

The memorial plaque was initiated by the "Anti-fascist Working Group" of the Gustav Heinemann Community Centre in Bremen-Vegesack. A long debate was carried out between the Bremen city council and private initiatives regarding the signposting of the memorial.

In 1991, two sandstone sculptures by the artist Paul Bilcher were erected next to the memorial plaque. The sculptures are dedicated to the POWs who were also forced to work in camps on the Bahrsplate.

Seit 4.11.2009 erinnert das Mahnmal „Stein der Hoffnung“ mit 124 Namenstafeln an das Schicksal der KZ-Häftlinge dieses Außenlagers. Das torähnliche Denkmal wurde von Mitarbeitern der Internationalen Friedensschule Bremen in Zusammenarbeit mit Schülern und Lehrern der FOS Architektur/Bau der Alwin-Lonke-Schule in Bremen unter Einbeziehung von Pflastersteinen des Arbeitsweges der Häftlinge erbaut.

Contact

Gustav-Heinemann-Bürgerhaus
Kirchheide 49
28757 Bremen
Germany

Tel.: +49 (0) 421 – 6 59 97 0
Fax: +49 (0) 421 – 6 59 97 11

SPD-Ortsverein Farge-Rekum
Arbeitsgruppe Geschichte
Jagdweg 16
28779 Bremen
Germany

Tel.: +49 (0) 421 – 6 09 92 53
Email: info@spurensuche-bremen.de