Endless rows of figures standing at attention. This is the Ehemaliger Appellplatz. This place echoes with the chilling history of roll calls in Nazi concentration camps. Appellplatz is a German word. It means roll call area.
The Ehemaliger Appellplatz served a dark purpose. It was the central location for daily roll calls. These weren’t mere headcounts. They were tools of inspection and intimidation. Imagine prisoners forced to line up. They had to stand for hours. This occurred in all weather extremes.
The purpose of the Ehemaliger Appellplatz was multifaceted. The prisoners had to line up in rows. They were counted early in the morning and again at night. Even the bodies of the dead were dragged here. They had to be counted.
Consider the ordeal. Prisoners stood at attention. They endured driving snow and pouring rain. Extreme temperatures offered no respite. Counting thousands took time. Mistakes meant repeating the process. Some prisoners died during these roll calls. Discipline was brutal. Beatings and death awaited those late or not perfectly still.
The Ehemaliger Appellplatz witnessed selections. SS officers scrutinized prisoners. Those deemed too weak to work were sent to their deaths. The weak had no chance.
The daily routine was cruel. After morning roll call, Kapos assigned work details. Prisoners returned to the camp for a midday meal. If their sleeping quarters were untidy, they were punished. The prisoner was refused food. Instead, they had to restore order. Barracks had to be cleaned after every meal. Some camps had a brief roll call after lunch.
Evening roll call on the Ehemaliger Appellplatz was longer. It lasted until all work details returned. This could take about an hour. It took longer in larger camps. Any complications extended the ordeal. Escape attempts meant hours of standing. Food was distributed after the evening roll call.
The Ehemaliger Appellplatz also held those unassigned to work details. These prisoners performed odd jobs for the SS. They carried heavy kettles of food to the barracks. Spilling food resulted in accusations. The prisoner was accused of depriving others. These prisoners stood at attention. They marched and drilled under guard. Exercises included running in wooden shoes. They also had to do squats. Female prisoners were often barefoot. Standing for hours was especially brutal in winter. Ironically, exercises offered some warmth compared to standing still.
In Sachsenhausen, the SS tested shoe soles. Prisoners marched up to 40 kilometers a day on the Appellplatz.
If a prisoner escaped, the others suffered. All prisoners had to stand as punishment. This could last all night. Deaths occurred during these punishments. Group punishment for one prisoner’s actions fostered control. The SS needed less staff because of this and prisoner functionaries.
Weak prisoners, “Muselmänner,” struggled to endure. The SS used these moments for selection. They selected those deemed unfit for work.
Selections for death often occurred on the Appellplatz. Prisoners deemed unfit were sent to their deaths. Camp doctors and Kapos carried out these selections.
The Ehemaliger Appellplatz stands as a stark reminder. It reminds us of the suffering and brutality. It urges us to remember and prevent such horrors.