Gardelegen Massacre/Gedenkstätte Gardelegen

Location:

The massacre took place in a shed near the town of Gardelegen, 30km north of Magdeburg, Germany.

History:

On the 4th of may 1945, a evacuation transport left from the concentration subcamp Rottleberode (Aussenlager Rottleberode). The destination probably was the Ostsee. The Germans wanted to evacuate prisoners from concentrationcamp over the Ostsee.

On May 11th, 1945, the train with the prisoners arrives at the railway station of Gardelegen. The prisoners were unloaded and had to walk to a shed on a country-seat named Isenschnibbe. When all prisoners were in the shed, it was on fire by the SS. Prisoners that wanted to escape were shot by the SS.

The area of Gardelegen was liberated by the 102nd US Infantry Division. When the American troops first saw the site of the SS atrocities, they were very upset. They ordered the local population of Gardelegen bury the burned prisoners from the shed. The also placed a sign saying that the locals were responsible for maintaining the graves of the 1016 murdered prisoners.

Current status:

The location of the massacre and the remains of the shed are an official Gedenkstätte (place of remembrance).

The shed were the massacre took place (1992)   The shed were the massacre took place.
     
The entrance to the place of remembrance (Gedenkstatte) (1992)   The entrance to the place of remembrance (Gedenkstätte).
     
The entrance to the place of remembrance (Gedenkstatte) (1992)   The graves of the 1016 murders prisoners.
     
Replica of the American sign   Replica of a sign put at the place of the massacre by the Americans after the war.
     
Detail of the sign   Detail of the sign.
    All photos were taken in 1992.

References:

 

 

Back to the: Home page Camps Section War Industry Section Complexes Section Museum & Monument Section