Farge concentration camp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KZ Farge |
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|---|---|
| Concentration camp | |
| Location | Schwanewede in Lower Saxony, Germany |
| Operated by | Schutzstaffel |
| Operational | 1 July 1943 to 10 April 1945 |
Farge was a small part of a much larger network of prison camps during World War II. It was a "subcamp" of the main Neuengamme concentration camp in Germany. This camp was set up in the autumn of 1943. It was one of the biggest satellite camps connected to Neuengamme.
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Farge Concentration Camp
Farge was officially known as subcamp number 179 of the Neuengamme concentration camp system. In March 1945, records show that 2,092 prisoners were held there. The main purpose of the Farge camp was to provide forced labor for a massive construction project nearby.
What Was Farge?
The Farge camp was located near a large storage area for naval fuel oil. Some prisoners were even housed inside a huge, empty underground fuel tank. The camp was led by an army captain named Ulrich Wahl. Naval soldiers guarded the prisoners. Only a few members of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a powerful Nazi organization, were involved in running the camp.
Life as a Prisoner
Prisoners at Farge were forced to work long, hard hours. They worked around the clock in 12-hour shifts. The extremely difficult work led to many deaths among the prisoners.
Who Were the Prisoners?
The people held at Farge came from many different places. They included German political prisoners, who were people arrested for opposing the Nazi government. There were also prisoners of war from Russia, Poland, France, and Greece.
The Valentin Bunker Project
The prisoners were forced to work on building the U-boat Bunker Valentin. This was a huge, reinforced concrete shelter designed to protect German submarines during construction and repair. It was a very demanding and dangerous construction site.
The End of the Camp
The harsh conditions at Farge caused many deaths. While the exact number is hard to know, the deaths of 553 French prisoners have been confirmed. It's believed that the total number of deaths, including Polish and Russian prisoners whose names were not recorded, could be as high as 6,000.
The camp began to be emptied on April 10, 1945, as Allied forces advanced. Some survivors included Raymond Portefaix and Harry Callan.
