Was it the wind that carried whispers of the past, or the stones themselves? We are standing before the Ehem. Zwangsarbeiterlager Neuaubing. This was once a place of immense suffering. It is now a place of remembrance.
The Ehem. Zwangsarbeiterlager Neuaubing stands as a stark reminder of a dark chapter. It is a chapter in Munich’s history during World War II. Munich became a hub of forced labor. Almost every company profited. Private individuals also exploited deported laborers. At least 150000 people were forced to work. They came from areas occupied by the German army. By the war’s end, a quarter of Munich’s population was forced laborers. Many arms factories relied on them. Over half their workforce consisted of forced laborers.
The Neuaubing camp was one of over 400 such complexes in Munich. The Reichsbahn or German Railways built it in 1942. Until 1945, it housed up to 1000 laborers. They toiled at the nearby Neuaubing Railway Maintenance Workshops or RAW. The camp initially housed civilian forced laborers. Many came from the Soviet Union. Women, children, and adolescents were among them. Later, people from Poland, Italy, and possibly the Netherlands and France were housed there as well.
After 1945, the camp’s history faded from public memory. Only in the 2000s did efforts begin to revive it. Civil society initiatives worked hard. They aimed to make the site’s history visible again. Today, eight barracks still stand. They are among the last preserved camp buildings in Germany. These barracks now serve diverse purposes. They are used as studios and workshops. A kindergarten and a recreational farm also occupy the site.
The plan is to preserve the complex permanently. The current uses will continue. A memorial site will be created alongside them. The Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism is responsible. An annex is planned for 2025. It will offer exhibitions and educational events. Regular tours already take place.
The digital history project accompanies the site’s development. It is called Departure Neuaubing: European Histories of Forced Labor. Artistic and narrative formats are used. They make the history of Nazi forced labor accessible. The project highlights its impact up to the present day.
The Ehem. Zwangsarbeiterlager Neuaubing serves as a place of remembrance. It allows for a more extensive examination of Nazi forced labor. It offers more background information. It also provides new approaches to remembrance. The site is evolving. It preserves the stories it holds. It remains a special historic location. It is open to the public. As you leave this place consider the weight of history. Think about the resilience of the human spirit. Remember those who suffered and those who are working to keep their memories alive.