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Album: Germany 2008
Image: 111 / 466
Date: 2008-05-13 14:26:26
Tags: Bergen-Belsen, Concentration Camp, Germany

In September 1939, the Fallingbostel POW camp was established at the Bergen military training area.

From June 1940, the construction workers' camp at Bergen-Belsen was used as a POW camp.

In summer 1941, the Bergen-Belsen camp was expanded and the Oerbke and Wietzendorf camps were established to hold Soviet POWs.

By spring 1942, more than 40,000 of the prisoners had died due to the insufficient food, shelter and medical care and the ruthless treatment they received at the hands of the Wehrmacht.

In April 1943, a part of the Bergen-Belsen camp was transferred to the authority of the SS.

From September 1943, Italian military internees were imprisoned in the Bergen-Belsen, Fallingbostel, Oerbke and Wietzendorf camps.

From October 1944, captured soldiers of the Polish Home Army were imprisoned in the Fallingbostel and Bergen-Belsen POW camps.

In January 1945, the Bergen-Belsen POW camp was evacuated and the buildings were taken over by the SS.

In April 1945, the POWs in the Fallingbostel, Oerbke and Wietzendorf camps were liberated by the British Army.