Farm buildings of the Dachau concentration camp
The former farm building of the Dachau concentration camp is a U-shaped masonry building that today houses the exhibition of the memorial. It was located on the prison grounds of the Dachau concentration camp , separated from the SS grounds . At the time of National Socialism , it housed a kitchen and the notorious bathroom, i. H. a shower system, which the SS u. a. used as a place of torture.
propaganda
The years 1936 to 1938 marked a kind of transition period in the history of the National Socialist concentration camps. The first wave of political persecution and imprisonment since 1933 had subsided somewhat. The NSDAP was keen to alleviate the bad reputation that the concentration camps already had at this point in time and to convince both domestic and foreign countries of the orderly situation. Himmler spoke of "modern concentration camps" and "atrocity propaganda and lies" were spread about the camps. On April 29, 1939, Himmler had given a radio speech on the subject:
- “I may take this opportunity to say a word about the concentration camps in all frankness. I know how lying and how foolishly foreign countries write, talk and blaspheme about this institution. The concentration camp, like any deprivation of liberty, is certainly a sharp and strict measure. Hard work that creates new values, a regulated curriculum vitae, unheard-of cleanliness in living and body care, impeccable food, strict but fair treatment, instructions to relearn work and to gain manual skills are the methods of Education. The motto that stands above these camps is: "There is a way to freedom. Its milestones are: obedience, hard work, honesty, order, cleanliness, sobriety, truthfulness, self-sacrifice and love for the fatherland"
Was composed by white tiles Himmler on the roof of the farm building can just write this slogan. The roll call square was directly in front of the farm building: so the prisoners had these words in front of their eyes for hours during the daily roll calls, which they found very cynical and provocative.
kitchen
The kitchen was used to prepare food for the prisoners. Prisoners assigned specifically for this purpose fetched it with meals in kettles and distributed it to all residential barracks, namely the so-called unassigned inmates (not assigned to work detachments). In later years, serving meals was the job of the imprisoned pastors .
The modern kitchen was also used for Nazi propaganda . The camp SS took visitors on propaganda tours through the cooking area, which was gleaming in red enamel and chrome, and showed the steam-heated kettles. The visitors always received a simple but ample meal, just as the prisoners allegedly received.
Thrust room
The posting procedure took place in the so-called “push room”. Separated by long tables, the newly arrived prisoners had to be registered by SS men and prison officials. Personal items including civilian clothes had to be handed in and were stored in the attic of the farm building. The next "station" was the so-called bath waiting for the new prisoners.
bath
A large, appropriately equipped shower system was in the building, in which between 100 and 150 people could wash at the same time. This room was known as the notorious “bath”: the SS also used it for corporal punishment ( beatings and hanging on stakes ) and torture. Other rooms were a laundry, clothes and effects room and storage rooms.
literature
- Stanislav Zámečník: (Ed. Comité International de Dachau): That was Dachau. Luxembourg 2002, ISBN 2-87996-948-4 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Bradley F. Smith, Agnes Peterson (ed.): Heinrich Himmler. Secret speeches from 1933 to 1945 and other speeches. Berlin 1974, p. 111. - from Zámečník: pp. 90–91.
- ^ Zámečník: That was Dachau. 2002, p. 97.
Coordinates: 48 ° 16 ′ 4 ″ N , 11 ° 28 ′ 8 ″ E