Polenlager

The Polenlager (, Polish Camps) was a system of forced labor camps in Silesia that held Poles during the World War II Nazi German occupation of Poland. The prisoners, originally destined for deportation across the border to the new semi-colonial General Government district, were sent to the Polenlager between 1942 and 1945, once the other locations became too overcrowded to accommodate the prisoners.

There were over 30 Polenlager camps, mostly in Silesia.

History All Polenlager camps were classified by the Germans as "labour reformatories". They were built near major military work-sites for the steady supply of slave labor. The camps had permanent German staff, augmented by captives and volunteers from other Eastern European countries (known as Hiwis). The Poles were delivered to Polenlagers by trainloads from German temporary transit camps, after they had been evicted from their homes to make way for new settlers (see: Action Saybusch). Some of the Silesians who were imprisoned there, refused to sign the Volksliste (DVL) or claim German nationality.

The Polenlager idea was part of Adolf Hitler's plan, known as Lebensraum, which involved Germanization of all Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany with the help of settlers from Bukovina, Eastern Galicia and Volhynia. The main purpose of the forcible displacement of Poles was to create a German-only enclave known as Reichsgau Wartheland across the formerly Polish territories.

Camp distribution There were over 30 Polenlager camps identified in research – mostly in Silesia (26), but also in other locations across the Third Reich and in the present day Czech Republic. Historians estimate their number to have been even higher. In some camps, such as Polenlager 92 in Kietrz (Katscher), the living accommodations were set up in the factory where prisoners worked; they were given about per person to live on, at a redesigned floor of the Schaeffler textile factory. – In 1943, they processed into yarn 3 tons of human hair delivered from Auschwitz in two railroad cars.

At the Polenlager 75 in Racibórz (Ratibor) – with 142 prisoners as of January 14, 1943 according to records – 22,1% were below the age of 14 years. At the Polenlager 10 in Siemianowice Śląskie (pictured), children as young as eight were forced to work at a stone quarry. The extant documentation indicates that plans for further expansion of the Polenlager camp system had also been made. All of them were designated within the general numbering framework of the Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle camps. They were not numbered successively.

#Camp designationCity or town (in Polish and German)Notes1Polenlager 4Dąbrówka Mała (Eichenau)in Katowice neighborhood2Polenlager 7Ruda Śląska (Ruda-Kochlowitz, Aug 20, 1942 – Jan 1945)in school at Młodzieżowa 26 Street Polenlager nr 7 w Kochłowicach. "Fotohistoria.pl." . Hm.fotohistoria.pl.3Polenlager 10Siemianowice Śląskie (Laurahutte)at Donnersmarck manor, for ethnic Poles4Polenlager 11Siemianowice Śląskieforced labor camp for Jews Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden, Laurahütte. "Das Bundesarchiv.". Bundesarchiv.de (March 27, 2001).5Polenlager 28Orzesze (Orzesche)at hospital buildings in Kolonia Marii Polenlager Nr. 28 Orzesze. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).6Polenlager 32Bogumin (Polenlager Oderberg)Jun 1942 – May 1945, with 104 Poles confirmed dead (42 men, 39 women, 23 children including 14 toddlers)7Polenlager 40Frysztat, pow. cieszyńskiJun 1942 – Apr 1945, district of Frysztat8Polenlager 41Piotrowice, pow. cieszyńskiJun 1942 – Apr 19459Polenlager 56Lyski (Lissek) Polenlager Nr. 56 Lissek. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).Jun 1942 – Nov 194310Polenlager 58Pszów (Pschow),Polenlager 58 in Pszów (Pschow, pow. rybnicki), "Zapomniane obozy nazistowskie . Hm.fotohistoria.pl. pow. rybnickiset up September 10, 1942 at a presbytery 11Polenlager 63Czechowice-Dziedzice (Tschechowitz-Dzieditz) Polenlager Tschechowitz-Dzieditz. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).Jul 1942 – Jan 194512Polenlager 75 Racibórz Strzelnica (Polenlager Ratibor) Polenlager Ratibor. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).closed Nov 1943, prisoners moved to Kietrz 13Polenlager 82Pogrzebień, pow. raciborskiwith children captured in Aktion Oderberg 14Polenlager 83Dolní Benešov, Beneszów, pow. raciborskiJun 1942 – Apr 194515Polenlager 86Otmuchów (Ottmachau),Polenlager Ottmachau. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001). pow. grodkowskiuntil 194516Polenlager 92Kietrz (Polenlager Katscher)from August 1942, at the Schaeffler textile factory 17Polenlager 93Gliwice Sobieszowice, pow. gliwickiAug 1942 – Apr 194418Polenlager 95Żory (Sohrau), pow. rybnicki Polenlager Sohrau. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).from August 194219Polenlager 97Rybnik, pow. rybnicki Polenlager Nr. 97 Rybnik. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).in barracks by glider airstrip 20Polenlager 168Gorzyce (Polenlager Groß Gorschütz) Polenlager Groß Gorschütz. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).located at Lower Castle (Mały Zamek) 21Polenlager 169Kolonia Fryderyk, pow. raciborskipossibly Klein Gorschütz (?)22Polenlager 188Piekary Śląskie (Deutsch Piekar) Polenlager Nr. 188 Deutsch Piekar. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).from 194223Polenlager 189Zawiść (Zawisch), pow. pszczyńskiOrzesze-Zawiść, at old Thiele-Winkler manor Polenlager nr 189, "Zapomniany Rybnik.". Forum.zapomniany.rybnik.pl. 24Polenlager 209Chorzów (Polenlager Königshütte) Polenlager Königshütte. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).in Królewska Huta neighborhood 25Polenlager TichauTychyPolenlager Tichau. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).possibly Zawisch (?)26Polenlager FriedlandMieroszówPolenlager Friedland. German Federal Archives (March 27, 2001).until 194527Polenlager Friedland 0/SKorfantówmid 1942 – Oct 194329Polenlager KattowitzKatowice (Kattowitz-Eichenau 15, & Kattowitz-Idaweiche) Polenlager Kattowitz-Eichenau and Kattowitz-Idaweiche, Das Bundesarchiv.from July 194328Polenlager Klein GorschützGorzyczki (Klein Gorschütz) Jun 1942 – Nov 1943, in old coal-mine buildings 30Polenlager OstMunich, Germany Außenkommando31Polenlager SüdMunich, Germany Außenkommando32Polenlager HASAG Leipzig, GermanyBautzner Straße 33Gefangenlager SkrochowitzSkrochovice (Skrochowitz), pow. opawski, Sudetenland, Germanyfrom September 1939; in former sugar refinery

See also "Polish death camp" controversy

References

Polenlager

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