Area became part of German Democratic Republic after World War II
Built alongside Lake Schwedt
Lake is filled with womens ashes from the cremotorium
Camp was mainly off limits to visitors until the fall of the Berlin Wall
New barracks were built for the soviet troops stationed there after World War II
Polish, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Jewish, French, Gypsie and many other ethnic backrounds passed through Ravensbrueck.
132,000 women from all over Europe passed through Ravensbrueck
Opened in May 1939
92,000 out of 132,000 women perished at Ravensbrueck
Was staffed by men and women
Was a training camp for female supervisors and female SS guards
RAVENSBRUECK TRIALS
Hamburg Ravensbrueck Trials were seven trials on the war crimes in the concentration camp
These trials were heard in front of a military tribunal
Three out of the five judges were British officers accompanied by lawyers
Defendents included camp personel of all levels
In total 38 defendents stood, 21 were woman
All seven trials took place in the "curio" house in Hamburg
First Ravensbrueck Trial was held on December 5, 1946 until February 3, 1947
DEFENDENT FUNCTION SENTENCE
Johann Schwarzhuber Deputy Camp Leader Death
Gustav Binder Warden Death
Heirich Warden Warden 15 years prison
Ludwig Ramdohr Gestapo Inspecter Death
Martin Hellinger Medical Doctor 15 years prison
Rolf Rosenthal Medical Doctor Death
Gerhard Shiedlausky Medical Doctor Death
Percy Treite Medical Doctor Death; Commited Suicide
Adolf Winklemann Medical Doctor Died During Trials
Borothea Binz Chief Warden Death
Greta Bosel Warden Death
Margarate Mewes Warden 10 years prison
Elisabeth Marschell Nurse Death
Carmen Mory Inmate Death; Commited Suicide
Vera Salvequart Inmate Death
Eugenia von Skene Inmate 10 years prison
In the second Ravensbrueck Trial which lasted from November 5 - 27, 1947, only one defendent, Friedrich Opitz, fleed before the first trial and had his trial at the second ravensbrueck trial. He got the death sentence.
The third Ravensbrueck Trial or the "Uckermark Trial" took place from April 14 - 26, 1948
Five female camp officials of the extermanation camp Uckermark were indicted on four charges:
1. Mistreatment of allied women in Uckermark
2. Participation in the selection of allied women to the gas chamber in Uckermark
3. Mistreatment of allied women in Ravensbrueck
4. Participation in the selection of allied women to the gas chamber in Ravensbrueck
The camp Uckermark was about one mile from Ravensbrueck
Opened in May 1942 as a prison or Concentration camp for girls aged 16 to 21 that were considered a criminal or just difficult
Girls that reached the upper age limit were transfered to the Ravensbrueck
Fourth trial from May to June 8, 1948
All were from the medical staff
One inmate worked as a nurse and was involved in the trial
Fifth trial lasted from June 16-29, 1948
Three SS members were accused of having killed allied inmates at Ravensbrueck
Sixth trial lasted from July 1-26, 1948
Seventh trial lasted from July 2-21, 1948
QUOTES FROM SURVIVORS OF RAVENSBRUECK
Judith Sherman, 76, Cranbury, NJ- "I think of Ravensbrueck every time I feel hungary. I think of Ravensbrueck every time I feel cold." "Every time my grandchildren cry I think of Ravensbrueck"
Pierette Pierrot- "There was a lot of friendship ... and only through that could I keep my child".
She was pregnate and was able to hide her pregnancy with her baggy clothes and the help of others
When she gave birth to her son Guy, she really needed to lean on people to help keep it secret, including a German nurse.
"I only really felt saved when we made it to Denmark"
Ravensbruek