Upper Kuhberg concentration camp

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Indoor terrain

The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm was an early concentration camp under National Socialism in the state of Württemberg, established from November 1933 to July 1935. The concentration camp was thus part of the apparatus for persecuting political and ideological opponents of the National Socialists. The concentration camp was housed in Fort Oberer Kuhberg, part of the Ulm federal fortress built around 1850 . Today there is a memorial at the historic site that serves as a place of remembrance and learning.

prehistory

The official persecution of political and ideological opponents of the National Socialists began immediately after the transfer of power to the National Socialists on January 30, 1933. With the " Ordinance of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State " of February 28, 1933, a state of emergency was declared. This ordinance and the “ Enabling Act ” of March 24, 1933 suspended fundamental rights and laid the foundations for the persecution and imprisonment of supporters of the political opposition. Within a very short time, tens of thousands of people across the country were taken into " protective custody " and numerous concentration camps were set up at the same time. The first concentration camp established in Württemberg was the Heuberg concentration camp , near Stetten on the cold market . Since the Reichswehr needed the site for military purposes, the prisoners were transferred to the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm at the end of 1933.

The concentration camp

Emergence

The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp was set up in autumn 1933 by decree of the Württemberg governor Wilhelm Murr as the immediate successor to the Heuberg concentration camp and was under the Württemberg political police and thus the Ministry of the Interior of the State of Württemberg.

division

The early concentration camp already had many of the basic functional areas of later concentration camps. This not only included a tiered accommodation system for the inmates, but also solitary confinement cells, detention cells, the commandant's office, rooms for the guards, roll call area and sick bay.

The Reduit building contained the concentration camp headquarters and interrogation rooms, SS service rooms, the censorship center and detention cells in which prisoners were locked in the event of alleged violations of the camp regulations. The prisoners' quarters were in the casemates . Up to 300 prisoners were housed in these underground corridors when fully occupied.

Prisoners

Between November 1933 and July 1935, an estimated 600 people were imprisoned in the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp. Most of them were communists and social democrats , but also three Catholic clergymen and a free-church evangelical preacher. The most famous prisoners were the SPD Reichstag member Kurt Schumacher and the KPD state parliament member Alfred Haag , who were each locked in solitary confinement. Other known prisoners were the KPD city council from Esslingen, Hans Rueß and the later Minister of Liberation in Württemberg-Baden , Gottlob Kamm . There were also prisoners who were persecuted for social reasons and were stigmatized as "anti-social" or "work shy". These included B. peddlers, resident and unemployed but also some artists.

Conditions of detention

Outwardly, the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp was portrayed as a place of “re-education” and was also given the title in propaganda depictions. The treatment of the prisoners was described to the public as strict but fair, with the aim of breaking the political resistance in the region and integrating the prisoners into the "national community". Everyday life in detention was characterized by the terror of the SA and SS guards and the camp manager Karl Buck . Part of this terror were u. a. arbitrary punishments, hour-long roll calls, physical violence and mock shootings. The conditions prevailing in the inmate quarters led to serious illnesses among the inmates. In the underground casemates it was constantly damp, dark and cold. Medical care was sporadic. Diseases mostly remained untreated. It also happened that very sick prisoners were released early from the concentration camp in order to prevent a possible connection between deaths and the concentration camp. As far as we know today, no deaths are known.

Camp management

The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp was headed the entire time by Karl Buck from Stuttgart, who also held this position in the Heuberg concentration camp. The guards, which consisted of the Schutzpolizei, SA and SS, were subject to the orders and orders of Karl Buck, who demanded a tough crackdown on the prisoners.

After the closure of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp, Karl Buck took over the command of the Welzheim concentration camp (1935–1940). He then became the commandant of the "security camp" Schirmeck-Vorbruck in Alsace .

resolution

The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp was dissolved in July 1935 as part of the general centralization of the concentration camp system. About 30 prisoners remained and were transferred to the Dachau concentration camp , including Kurt Schumacher and Alfred Haag. For many of the prisoners, imprisonment in the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp was the beginning of a long path of suffering through other Nazi concentration camps and detention centers.

memorial

Since 1985 there has been a concentration camp memorial at the historic site, which is operated by the association "Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg eV" in Ulm and goes back to the initiative of former prisoners.

The buildings and the grounds of the former concentration camp, which have been largely preserved to this day, are accessible to visitors on guided tours. The "Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg eV" offers various educational offers and events as a research, learning and education center.

  • Reduit , former headquarters of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp

  • View of the casemates that were used as prisoners' quarters

  • Replicas of the prisoners' beds

literature

  • New Year's Lechner: The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp and the Nazi era in the Ulm / Neu-Ulm region. Silberburg-Verlag , Stuttgart 1988. ISBN 3-925344-28-4 .
  • Nicola Wenge: The Establishment of Terror: Early Persecution of the Political Opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm. in: Reinhold Weber: Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi History and Culture of Remembrance in the German Southwest. Writings on political regional studies in Baden-Württemberg , Volume 45, Stuttgart, 2016. pp. 61–92.
  • House of History Baden-Württemberg (ed.): But freedom is coming back - Nazi opponents in the Württemberg protective custody camp in Ulm 1933–1935 . With contributions from Myrah Adams. Exhibition in Ulm, Oberer Kuhberg Concentration Camp Memorial, June 30 to November 13, 1994, Süddeutsche Verlagsgesellschaft für das Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart 1994.
  • Stephan Podes, Nicola Wenge, Annette Lein: Württemberg protective custody camp Ulm. An Early Concentration Camp During National Socialism (1933–1935) . Information and tools for visiting the Ulm concentration camp memorial with schoolchildren. Published by the Tübingen Regional Council and the Oberer Kuhberg Documentation Center, Ulm, 2004. ISBN 978-3-9805396-6-1 .
  • New Year's Eve Lechner: The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm In: Wolfgang Benz , Barbara Distel (ed.): The place of terror . History of the National Socialist Concentration Camps. Volume 1: The Organization of Terror. CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-406-52961-5 .
  • Myrah Adams: Human dignity is inviolable, The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm 1933–1935. Catalog for the exhibition, Ulm 2002. ISBN 3-9805396-5-2 .
  • Nicola Wenge: "The system of torture, intimidation, humiliation ..." The early Württemberg concentration camps Heuberg and Oberer Kuhberg . In: Jörg Osterloh, Kim Wünschmann (eds.): "... at the mercy of the most unrestricted arbitrariness" prisoners of the early concentration camps 1933–1936 / 37. Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / New York 2017, ISBN 978-3-593-50702-6
  • New Year's Eve Lechner: "... an extremely necessary repository for unteachable public enemies of the growing Germany ..." - The Württemberg concentration camps Heuberg and Oberer Kuhberg . In: Victims of Injustice. Stigmatization, persecution and destruction of opponents by the Nazi tyranny using case studies from Upper Swabia . Jan Thorbecke Verlag, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-7995-1070-7 .

Web links

Commons : Oberer Kuhberg Ulm  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ New Year's Eve Lechner: The concentration camp Oberer Kuhberg in Ulm . In: Wolfgang Benz, Barbara Distel (Hrsg.): History of the concentration camps 1933-1945 . B. 1. Berlin 2001, ISBN 978-3-925344-28-2 , pp. 84 .
  2. ^ A b Nicola Wenge: The establishment of terror: early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (Ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi History and Culture of Remembrance in the German Southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, ISBN 978-3-945414-20-0 , pp. 61 .
  3. ^ New Year's Eve Lechner: The concentration camp Oberer Kuhberg in Ulm . In: Wolfgang Benz, Barbara Distel (Hrsg.): History of the concentration camps 1933-1945 . tape 1 . Berlin 2001, ISBN 978-3-925344-28-2 .
  4. ↑ DZOK || The historical place. Retrieved October 4, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Wolfgang Benz and Barbara Distel: The Place of Terror: History of the National Socialist Concentration Camps . tape 2 . CH Beck oHG, Munich 2005, ISBN 978-3-406-52962-7 , p. 127 .
  6. ↑ Nicola Wenige: The Establishment of Terror: Early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi history and culture of remembrance in the German southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 69 .
  7. ↑ Nicola Wenge: The establishment of terror: early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi history and culture of remembrance in the German southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 68 f .
  8. ↑ Stephan Podes, Nicola Wenge and Annette Lein: Württembergisches Schutzhaftlager Ulm. An Early Concentration Camp During National Socialism (1933–1935). Information and working aids for visiting the Ulm concentration camp memorial with schoolchildren . Ed .: Regional Council Tübingen; Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg Ulm. Stuttgart, Ulm 2004, ISBN 978-3-9805396-6-1 , pp. 87 .
  9. ↑ Myrah Adams: Human dignity is inviolable. The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm 1933–1945. Exhibition catalog . Ed .: Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg. Ulm 2002, p. 21 .
  10. ↑ Nicola Wenge: "The system of tormenting, intimidation, humiliation ..." The early Württemberg concentration camps Heuberg and Oberer Kuhberg . In: Jörg Osterloh, Kim Wünschmann (ed.): "... at the mercy of the most unrestricted arbitrariness" prisoners of the early concentration camps 1933–1936 / 37 . Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / New York, ISBN 978-3-593-50702-6 , pp. 144 .
  11. ^ New Year's Eve Lechner: The concentration camp Oberer Kuhberg in Ulm . In: Wolfgang Benz , Barbara Distel (ed.): History of the concentration camps 1933–1945 . tape 1 . Berlin 2001, ISBN 978-3-925344-28-2 , pp. 99 ff .
  12. ^ New Year's Eve Lechner: The concentration camp Oberer Kuhberg in Ulm . In: Wolfgang Benz , Barbara Distel (ed.): History of the concentration camps 1933–1945 . tape 1 . Berlin 2001, ISBN 978-3-925344-28-2 , pp. 98 .
  13. ^ New Year's Eve Lechner: The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp and the Nazi era in the Ulm / Neu-Ulm region . Silberburg-Verlag, Stuttgart 1988, ISBN 978-3-925344-28-2 , p. 52 .
  14. ^ Bertold Kamm, Wolfgang Mayer: The Liberation Minister - Gottlob Kamm and the denazification in Württemberg-Baden . Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 978-3-87407-655-5 , pp. 23 .
  15. ↑ DZOK || Prisoner Database || Grounds for detention. Retrieved October 4, 2018 .
  16. ↑ Nicola Wenge: The establishment of terror: early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi history and culture of remembrance in the German southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 78 .
  17. ↑ Nicola Wenige: The Establishment of Terror: Early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi history and culture of remembrance in the German southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 74 .
  18. ↑ Nicola Wenge: The establishment of terror: early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi history and culture of remembrance in the German southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 71 .
  19. ↑ Nicola Wenge: "The system of tormenting, intimidation, humiliation ..." The early Württemberg concentration camps Heuberg and Oberer Kuhberg . In: Jörg Osterloh, Kim Wünschmann (ed.): "... at the mercy of the most unrestricted arbitrariness" prisoners of the early concentration camps 1933–1936 / 37 . Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / New York 2017, ISBN 978-3-593-50702-6 , pp. 144 .
  20. ↑ Myrah Adams: Human dignity is inviolable. The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm 1933–1945. Exhibition catalog . Ed .: Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg e. V. Ulm 2002, p. 15 .
  21. ↑ Nicola Wenge: The establishment of terror: early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi history and culture of remembrance in the German southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 81 .
  22. ^ A b Nicola Wenge: The establishment of terror: early persecution of the political opposition in Baden and Württemberg. History and post-history of the Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm . In: Reinhold Weber (Ed.): Disenfranchised-Persecuted-Destroyed: Nazi History and Culture of Remembrance in the German Southwest. Writings on political regional studies of Baden-Württemberg . tape 45 . Stuttgart 2016, p. 73 .
  23. ↑ Myrah Adams: Human dignity is inviolable. The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm 1933–1945. Exhibition catalog . Ed .: Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg e. V. Ulm 2002, p. 39 .
  24. ^ New Year's Eve Lechner: The concentration camp Oberer Kuhberg in Ulm . In: Wolfgang Benz , Barbara Distel (ed.): History of the concentration camps 1933–1945 . tape 1 . Berlin 2001, ISBN 978-3-925344-28-2 , pp. 211 .
  25. ↑ Myrah Adams: Human dignity is inviolable. The Oberer Kuhberg concentration camp in Ulm 1933–1945. Exhibition catalog . Ed .: Documentation Center Oberer Kuhberg e. V. Ulm 2002, p. 45 .

Coordinates: 48 ° 22 ′ 56 ″  N , 9 ° 57 ′ 2 ″  E