Pauline Landsberg
- Born on 23 January 1924 in Lodz
- Schoolgirl
- had to do forced labour in Lodz from September 1939 at the age of 15
- was sent to the ghetto in May 1940 and remained there until it was liquidated in August 1944
- was in Auschwitz concentration camp for a few days in August 1944
- was sent to Neuengamme concentration camp / Bremen-Hindenburgkaserne subcamp on 28 August 1944 (clearing work)
- Was in Neuengamme concentration camp/Bremen-Obernheide subcamp from 26 September 1944 to 4 April 1945
- 4 April 1945 to 15 April 1945 Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
- Emigrated to the USA
- Lost her parents and two sisters in Auschwitz
Before the War
Before the outbreak of persecution, I lived with my parents and siblings in Lodz, at Zawadskastr. 36. My father was a wealthy textile merchant and we lived in good economic circumstances. I attended primary schools and was later sent to grammar school. I enjoyed excellent health and can't remember ever having been ill.
Source: Unless otherwise stated: Konrad Kittl files, Pauline Landsberg affidavit
May 1940 to july 1944 Lodz ghetto
My home was occupied by the Nazis in September 1939. The persecution began a little later. Even in the first few months I was put to forced labour, i.e. dirty cleaning work. In May 1940, my family and I were herded into the ghetto. We lived here under the most oppressive conditions, crammed into the smallest of spaces. We had nothing to eat. I had to do hard forced labour in the saddler's workshop every day just to get enough to eat.
I fell ill with lung disease as early as 1941. I was seriously ill for six months. They were terrible months. In addition to all the agony caused by this illness, I reproached myself terribly and my parents worried about me terribly. My father tried to get me something to eat. He was arrested by the Gestapo and beaten up several times. When the lockdown came, everyone was afraid that I would be dragged away because I was ill. I had to go into hiding. Later, when I felt a bit better, I dragged myself back to work.
August 1944 Auschwitz
In 1944, we were sent to Auschwitz during the liquidation of the ghetto. In Auschwitz I was immediately separated from my parents and my two sisters. They were sent to the gas chambers and I was left alone. I only stayed in Auschwitz for a few days. I didn't have to work here. We were more or less held prisoner in the barracks and driven to roll calls every day.
28 August 1944 to 26 September 1944 Hindenburg-Kaserne
26 September 1944 bis 4 April 1945 Bremen-Obernheide
Then I came to Bremen. In spite of my poor health, I had to work on clearing bombed-out houses. I got an infection in my throat and had a high fever. Again, I didn't get any medical help.
| Subcamps of the Neuengamme concentration camp | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bremen |
| Name | Hindenburg barracks |
| Area | Bremen |
| Opening | 02 August 1944 as Akdo KZ Neuengamme/ There are indications for the existence of a camp in the barracks in September 1942 [LIT] |
| Closure | After a bombing raid on 26 September 1944, transfer to the Bremen-Obernheide satellite camp |
| Deportations | |
| Prisons | About 800 |
| Gender | Women |
| Employment of the prisoners at | Hamburg building administration [LIT] |
| Type of work | Clean-up work |
| Comments | The prisoners were imprisoned in the horse stables of the Hindenburg barracks between Boßdorfstraße and Niedersachsendamm. The barracks were destroyed by a bombing raid on 26 September 1944. As the prisoners were on labour duty at the time, they survived the air raid and were subsequently transferred to Bremen-Obernheide.</td |
| Source: deutschland-ein-denkmal.de | |
| Subcamps of the Neuengamme concentration camp | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bremen-Obernheide |
| Name | Makeshift housing |
| Area | Oldenburg |
| Opening | September 1944 |
| Closing | "Evacuation" on 4/6 April 1945 to Bergen-Belsen [LIT]; the women had to march on foot to Uphusen; together with the subcamp there they were taken by train to Bergen-Belsen. [LIT] |
| Deportations | |
| Prisons | Jewish women, about 500 from Hungary and 300 from Poland, who were deported via Auschwitz to Bremen (Hindenburg barracks). [LIT] |
| Gender | Women |
| Employment of prisoners at | Senator f. d. Bauwesen, Rodiek company, Lüning & Sohn company, / Ebeling, Rolf, Focke-Wulf, Joh. Heitmann, Bedecker, Kirbitz & Breitner, Siemen & Müller [LIT] |
| Type of work | Clean-up work, construction of makeshift dormitories for the Lüning & Sohn company |
| Remarks | At the beginning of February, 200 prisoners were transferred to the camp at the Rodieck company in Uphusen. / The camp was located on the municipal border between Stuhr and Brinkum. Around 800 prisoners had to live in barracks that had actually been built for 300 prisoners. The women were given completely inadequate rations and had to perform extremely hard physical labour. The sick and those no longer able to work were deported, and at least ten prisoners died in Obernheide.</td |
| Source: deutschland-ein-denkmal.de | |
4 April 45 to 15 April 45 Bergen-Belsen
Then, at the end, we were driven on an extermination train to Bergen-Belsen, where I was liberated.
After the War
When I was liberated, I had typhoid fever and was immediately taken to a provisional Red Cross hospital. Later I stayed in West Germany until I emigrated to the USA and was looked after by UNRRA and IRO doctors in the DP camp. I can no longer remember the individual names.
Notes
Further Sources
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Office for Compensation
Darmstadt
Notes
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Picture Credits
- Jüdisches Museum Frankfurt am Main, Lodz-A231, Foto: Walter Genewein ( siehe Yad Vashem 3435/231)
- Staatsarchiv Bremen 10, B 1944-03/137. LA
- Staatsarchiv Bremen IO.B 1944-03/137. LA