Dora-Mittelbau is a Nazi camp, which was one of the most difficult regime camps in Germany. It was formed in late August 1943 near the town of Nordhausen. It was a unit of the previously open concentration camp Buchenwald. He specialized in organizing arms production at the Mittelwerk factory, but underground. In particular, FAU-1 and -2 missiles were created there, as well as turbojet engines of two models for the world's first Me-262 fighter jet.
Construction of adits and tunnels
In 1936, in this area, on the initiative of the Economic Research Society, the construction of an underground fuel warehouse was started. The prisoners, who in the amount of 100 people were brought to Douro-Mittelbau on August 28, 1943, were to continue what was begun. At first, the prisoners were directly involved in the construction of the adit. That is, two parallel tunnels (A and B) were cut inside the mountain, and railroad tracks and necessary equipment were already placed in them. The length of the underground passages was slightly less than 2 km, and the height was 30 m. There were also transverse tunnels between adits A and B. By the way, it was the largest underground arms factory built during the Second World War.
Later, in January 1944, the production of the so-called “weapon of retaliation” was started. These are V-2 missiles. In the summer of that year, the production of V-1 missiles and, later, aircraft engines, began.
Zones and functional structures of the Dora-Mittelbau camp
The camp was divided into several sections, isolated among themselves. The movement of prisoners between these zones was carried out under the control of overseers. There were 4 sites in total:
- Camp.
- Medical unit (including crematorium and medical departments).
- SS troops camp.
- Industrial area of the Mittelwerk factory.
The industrial area consisted of underground (punched in the mountain) adits and galleries, with a total area of approximately 250,000 km². On the surface were railway tracks, a cargo station and a train station.
The Dora-Mittelbau camp also had the following units:
- administration;
- commandant's office;
- cages for service dogs;
- the Gestapo;
- parade ground for prisoners;
- sports ground;
- Fire Service;
- prison barracks;
- a place for the death penalty;
- workshop;
- the hut, where the military-interned Italians lived;
- canteen;
- food premises;
- kitchen;
- barracks for prisoners;
- warehouse for storing things;
- coal warehouse;
- a place for dumping garbage;
- brothel;
- a pond with water to extinguish fires;
- boiler room;
- viewing tower;
- laundry;
- bathhouse;
- disinfection chamber;
- cinema hall;
- labor statistics;
- camera for storing personal belongings of prisoners;
- crematorium.
A total of 29 functional structures necessary for work, recreation, food and leisure of prisoners and administrative staff.
Organization of the work of prisoners of the fascist concentration camp Dora
The Mittelbau Nazi concentration camp was one of the heaviest in Germany. The construction of the workshops was predominantly carried out by Jews. After the end of the “mission”, those who survived were taken to the Auschwitz and Mauthausen concentration camps, where they were then destroyed.
The working and prison conditions were extremely difficult. Especially at the stage of construction of adits and tunnels. Therefore, many prisoners died in 1943. The cause of death, as a rule, was overwork, exhaustion and diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract.
Since there was a mass death of prisoners of the fascist concentration camp Dora, prisoners were brought here regularly. It is known that during the existence of the concentration camp, 60,000 people of 21 nationalities passed through it. Of these, 20,000 died due to unbearable working conditions.
Each person was on the verge of survival. It was necessary to work a lot and hard, and the calorie content of food and drink given per day left much to be desired: 1 liter of black bitter coffee, 400 g of bread and 1 portion of potato soup, consisting of almost only water. In addition, it was quite cold underground - only 8 degrees above zero.
Memoirs of B. E. Chertok
Boris Evseevich Chertok, First Deputy and Assistant to S.P. Korolev, was sent to Germany in April 1945 as part of a special commission. There he was engaged in the study and development of long-range ballistic missile control technology. Since this activity took place on the territory of the former Dora-Mittelbau concentration camp, he happened to visit the factory and the camp as part of an excursion group led by the released prisoner Shmargun. Boris Evseevich wrote about what he managed to see there. The most vivid (in a negative sense) impression was made by the place for the execution. More precisely, it was a design for vertical testing and subsequent loading of missiles. It was a bridge crane overlapping the width of the adit. Beams were attached to it, if necessary, descending to the height of the person. There were loops. If the prisoner was guilty or was suspected of sabotage, a loop was thrown around the prisoner's neck, after which there was a mechanical hanging - the crane was raised after pressing the button. At the same time, up to 60 people could be executed. The "procedure" of the execution was carried out in front of other prisoners - such a lesson for everyone who decides to disobey.
The closure of Dora camp, the fate of the commandants and administrative staff
At the end of October 1944, the Nazi concentration camp was already independent, with 23 branches and external teams. In March 1945 there were approximately 34,000 prisoners who were evacuated to Bergen-Belsen on April 1 of that year. In the process of transportation several thousand people were shot. After 2 days, on April 3, the American Air Force camp was destroyed by bombing.
By April 12, almost no one was left in the camp. A small team of American infantry was stationed there, whose goal was to destroy the bodies of prisoners who had died and died by their death. So, the Dora-Mittelbau camp ceased to exist.
From August to December 1947, a military tribunal was held in Dachau. Before him appeared 17 employees of various positions. One of the commandants, Hans Karl Meser, was sentenced to death, and the second, Kurt Matesius, committed suicide before the start of the military court. One part of the concentration camp employees went to life imprisonment, the other received various terms of imprisonment (from 5 to 25 years). Several people were acquitted.