Read on Twitter
[THREAD]
1/16
Someplace deep in the German state of Lower Saxony lies the NATO-controlled Bergen-Hohne Training Area. Spread over a sprawling 70,000 acres, it's the largest military training area in Germany. Now, NATO was born in 1949, but this training area? 1935.
1/16
Someplace deep in the German state of Lower Saxony lies the NATO-controlled Bergen-Hohne Training Area. Spread over a sprawling 70,000 acres, it's the largest military training area in Germany. Now, NATO was born in 1949, but this training area? 1935.
2/16
Known locally as Schießplatz Bergen-Hohne, this training area was established by the Third Reich's armed forces, known as the Wehrmacht (literally, war machine). The first plans for this establishment were drawn in August 1934 as part of Hitler's Reich rearmament efforts.
Known locally as Schießplatz Bergen-Hohne, this training area was established by the Third Reich's armed forces, known as the Wehrmacht (literally, war machine). The first plans for this establishment were drawn in August 1934 as part of Hitler's Reich rearmament efforts.
3/16
At the time, the region was home to scattered farming communities and their barns. When news of this plan reached them, more than 80 farmers drove to Berlin to express their concerns and, if possible, have the plans changed. Their efforts failed.
At the time, the region was home to scattered farming communities and their barns. When news of this plan reached them, more than 80 farmers drove to Berlin to express their concerns and, if possible, have the plans changed. Their efforts failed.
4/16
Over the next couple years, as many as 25 villages with over 3,000 inhabitants vanished from the map. By 1937, the work was complete and Germany had its largest military establishment of its time. The workers who constructed the buildings were housed in a nearby camp.
Over the next couple years, as many as 25 villages with over 3,000 inhabitants vanished from the map. By 1937, the work was complete and Germany had its largest military establishment of its time. The workers who constructed the buildings were housed in a nearby camp.
5/16
This camp, the Bergen-Belsen Army Construction Camp, fell into disuse once the construction work was over. However, after the invasion of Poland in 1939, the Wehrmacht decided to use it to house Polish and later other prisoners of war. The camp housed more than 100,000 POWs.
This camp, the Bergen-Belsen Army Construction Camp, fell into disuse once the construction work was over. However, after the invasion of Poland in 1939, the Wehrmacht decided to use it to house Polish and later other prisoners of war. The camp housed more than 100,000 POWs.
6/16
Then came April 1943. Himmler's Schutzstaffel took over part of the camp and turned it into a Zivilinterniertenlager (civilian internment camp). By June, it was upgraded to an Aufenthaltslager (holding camp). This was a concentration camp but not like the one in Auschwitz.
Then came April 1943. Himmler's Schutzstaffel took over part of the camp and turned it into a Zivilinterniertenlager (civilian internment camp). By June, it was upgraded to an Aufenthaltslager (holding camp). This was a concentration camp but not like the one in Auschwitz.
7/16
Holding camps housed Jews meant to be used as bargaining chips in exchange for German prisoners in other countries. Why this upgrade? Because the Geneva Conventions mandated that all civilian camps be open to international inspections and Hitler didn't want that.
Holding camps housed Jews meant to be used as bargaining chips in exchange for German prisoners in other countries. Why this upgrade? Because the Geneva Conventions mandated that all civilian camps be open to international inspections and Hitler didn't want that.
8/16
Thanks to their perceived exchange value, prisoners in this holding camp were treated less harshly than their Auschwitz counterparts and had better life expectancy. Between 1943 and 1944, at least 14,000 Jews including about 3,000 kids were sent to the Bergen-Belsen camp.
Thanks to their perceived exchange value, prisoners in this holding camp were treated less harshly than their Auschwitz counterparts and had better life expectancy. Between 1943 and 1944, at least 14,000 Jews including about 3,000 kids were sent to the Bergen-Belsen camp.
9/16
Of these, only about 2,500 ever got to leave the camp upon successful exchange deals. In August 1944, the SS created a new section within this camp for women prisoners. By November, it received about 9,000 women. Many of these died within months.
Of these, only about 2,500 ever got to leave the camp upon successful exchange deals. In August 1944, the SS created a new section within this camp for women prisoners. By November, it received about 9,000 women. Many of these died within months.
10/16
There were no gas chambers in this camp, albeit it did have a crematorium. Mass killings weren't very popular here even after German invasion of Russia when the special exchange-status privilege was lifted. At that point, prisoners just died of starvation and disease.
There were no gas chambers in this camp, albeit it did have a crematorium. Mass killings weren't very popular here even after German invasion of Russia when the special exchange-status privilege was lifted. At that point, prisoners just died of starvation and disease.
11/16
Those who were too sick to work were injected with phenol and swiftly cremated. Typhoid, tuberculosis, and dysentery were commonplace. Postwar visitors described the camp as Hell on Earth. Living conditions were far from life-affirming especially toward the end of 1944.
Those who were too sick to work were injected with phenol and swiftly cremated. Typhoid, tuberculosis, and dysentery were commonplace. Postwar visitors described the camp as Hell on Earth. Living conditions were far from life-affirming especially toward the end of 1944.
12/16
In October 1943, the SS learned that about 1,800 prisoners holding Latin American passports were no longer valuable because those governments wouldn't accept them. Under the pretext of sending them to a fictitious Lager Bergau, they were transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
In October 1943, the SS learned that about 1,800 prisoners holding Latin American passports were no longer valuable because those governments wouldn't accept them. Under the pretext of sending them to a fictitious Lager Bergau, they were transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
13/16
Once there, these 1,800 men and women were promptly ushered into the gas chambers and killed. Even without gas chambers, the Bergen-Belsen camp lost more than 50,000 Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, Czechs, and Poles to disease and malnutrition.
Once there, these 1,800 men and women were promptly ushered into the gas chambers and killed. Even without gas chambers, the Bergen-Belsen camp lost more than 50,000 Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, Czechs, and Poles to disease and malnutrition.
14/16
Among the Czechs who died there was . Josef Čapek, the man who coined the word "robot." Among the women who died here was Annelies Marie Frank and her sister Margot Betti Frank. Anne was 15; Margot, 19. Margot, like her sister, kept a diary too but it was never found.
Among the Czechs who died there was . Josef Čapek, the man who coined the word "robot." Among the women who died here was Annelies Marie Frank and her sister Margot Betti Frank. Anne was 15; Margot, 19. Margot, like her sister, kept a diary too but it was never found.
15/16
As the war drew to a close, British and Canadian troops inched their way into Bergen-Belsen. Today is the 75th anniversary of this camp's liberation. On April 15, 1945, the Allied forces stormed the camp and found over 13,000 corpses and 60,000 inmates.
As the war drew to a close, British and Canadian troops inched their way into Bergen-Belsen. Today is the 75th anniversary of this camp's liberation. On April 15, 1945, the Allied forces stormed the camp and found over 13,000 corpses and 60,000 inmates.
16/16
At the time of liberation, about 500 were dropping dead in this camp each day from typhus alone.
This is the story of a death camp that was neither called a death camp, nor had a gas chamber. Of a camp that rarely features in any conversation around the holocaust.
At the time of liberation, about 500 were dropping dead in this camp each day from typhus alone.
This is the story of a death camp that was neither called a death camp, nor had a gas chamber. Of a camp that rarely features in any conversation around the holocaust.
