Didn’t they realize human dignity is inviolable? The KZ-Außenlager Regensburg Plaque stands as a stark reminder of a dark chapter in this city’s history. This plaque marks the spot of the Regensburg subcamp. It existed as a satellite camp of the Flossenbürg concentration camp. The Regensburg subcamp operated briefly in 1945.
Specifically, the KZ-Außenlager Regensburg existed from March 19 to April 23. It was also known as the Colosseum subcamp. The name came from the Colosseum inn where prisoners were housed. This building stood in the Stadtamhof district. About 400 male prisoners were forced to repair bomb damage. This damage was inflicted on railroads by Allied bombing. The prisoners had to clear debris and lay new tracks. Their main work area was the Regensburg Hauptbahnhof and its facilities.
The prisoners came from many nations. There were 128 Jews, including Poles and Hungarians. There were also non-Jewish Poles, Russians, Belgians, French, and Germans. These men had already suffered greatly. Many had been through Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Gross-Rosen.
At night, prisoners were crammed into the inn’s dance hall. They slept on wood shavings covering the floor. The conditions were terrible. Windows were nailed shut and barb-wired. There was only one toilet and one water tap. The food was inadequate consisting of bread and soup only. Sick prisoners received no care. The camp kitchen was located across the street. Two Polish prisoners staffed it.
Each day, the prisoners marched to the railway station. They crossed the Stone Bridge through Regensburg’s old town. People could hear their wooden clogs on the cobblestones. The work was dangerous. Air raids continued without shelter for the prisoners. Unexploded bombs were a constant threat. SS guards and kapos harassed and beat prisoners. They wanted them to work harder. Prisoners were warned that any escape attempt would result in ten deaths. Exhausted prisoners often dragged the injured. Carts carried the dead and dying.
The guards were cruel. Ludwig Plagge was known as one of the most brutal SS men. John Demjanjuk is said to have been among the SS guards here at KZ-Außenlager Regensburg. On April 22-23, 1945, the camp was evacuated. Twenty-eight sick prisoners and one dead prisoner stayed behind. The rest endured a nine-day death march. They headed south toward Landshut and Mühldorf. They marched at night to avoid Allied aircraft. By day, they slept in roadside barns. Many prisoners were shot for being too tired to continue or for trying to escape. Only about 50 survived. The U.S. Army liberated the survivors on May 1, 1945.
The exact death toll of the KZ-Außenlager Regensburg is unknown. The Regensburg registry recorded 35 deaths between March 23 and April 10 alone. A survivor estimated 70 deaths. Some corpses were likely thrown into the Danube.
After the war, the Colosseum became a bar and dance hall again. Later, it hosted a peasant theater. In 2006, a new owner renovated the building.
Today, this KZ-Außenlager Regensburg Plaque serves as a memorial. It was created after a student project raised awareness. A memorial stone stands nearby. Its inscription reads: Never Again. Human dignity is inviolable. This place reminds us to never forget the suffering that occurred here.