“Lieber Gott, mach mich stumm, dass ich nicht nach Wittmoor kumm!” That was a common saying. Today we stand at the site of Konzentrationslager Wittmoor. It was one of the first concentration camps in Germany. Konzentrationslager Wittmoor existed from April to October 1933.
In March 1933, the Nazi’s ordered the establishment of a concentration camp. It was to be built in Glashütte, now part of Norderstedt. The site was a derelict peat processing plant. Political opponents of the Nazi regime were imprisoned here. Most were members of the KPD. Others included members of the SPD, SAPD, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, and transvestites. The goal was to “re-educate” them through hard labor.
The first 20 prisoners were incarcerated on April 10, 1933. Their initial task was to repair the dilapidated buildings. By September 1933, the camp held its maximum capacity of 140 inmates. Prisoners were forced to work in peat extraction and moorland cultivation.
Originally, there were plans to house 800 prisoners. The site was too small. The accommodations were not winter-proof. Allegedly, Karl Kaufmann, the Reich Governor, felt the treatment of prisoners was too lenient. While guarded by police officers and auxiliary police, there were no major acts of violence. Yet, the camp’s existence had an intimidating effect. Locals quipped: “Dear God, make me mute, so I don’t end up in Wittmoor!”
As the SS consolidated control over the concentration camp system, Konzentrationslager Wittmoor closed. Justice Senator Curt Rothenberger ordered its closure. On October 17, 1933, the camp was completely evacuated. The prisoners were transferred to the Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel concentration camp. It was also known as Kola-Fu.
The city of Hamburg erected a memorial stone in 1986. It stands at the corner of Bilenbarg and Am Moor. In 1987, Norderstedt followed suit with a memorial stone on Fuchsmoorweg. Excerpts from Richard von Weizsäcker’s speech are engraved in the stone. He spoke on the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II. The annual memorial events take place on Fuchsmoorweg.
The memorial plaque at the KZ-Gedenkstätte Wittmoor has been vandalized several times. Since 1999, the Norderstedt association “Chaverim – Friendship with Israel” has held memorial services. These take place on Holocaust Remembrance Day and the anniversary of Kristallnacht. The association commemorates the six million European Jews murdered in the Holocaust. They also remember other victims of the Nazi regime. These include Roma, Sinti, and political prisoners. Chaverim initiated the planting of trees and flowers to honor the victims.
In 2009, Chaverim erected a memorial stele with an inscription. It stands at the site of the former Konzentrationslager Wittmoor. It is located on Bundesstrasse 432. Today, Konzentrationslager Wittmoor serves as a reminder. It reminds us of the horrors of the Nazi regime. It urges us to remember the victims and fight against all forms of hatred and intolerance. Let us reflect on this dark chapter of history and work towards a future of peace and understanding.