Right in front of you stands Halle 116, a former vehicle garage that was transformed into a chilling symbol of the Nazi regime’s horrors. The building, constructed in the mid-1930s, was initially a part of the Luftwaffe Nachrichtenkaserne, a large military barracks complex.
But then, in 1944, the Nazis converted Halle 116 into a subcamp for the brutal Dachau concentration camp. The Halle was enclosed with barbed wire and divided into blocks for housing the prisoners who were brought to work in the Messerschmitt AG factory, building aircraft for the German war effort. Up to two thousand men from over 20 different countries were crammed inside Halle 116, subjected to brutal conditions, forced labor, and, as accounts from survivors attest, frequent abuse and executions. Imagine the despair these men must have felt as they walked past this very building, knowing what lay ahead. The mere sight of this building is a reminder of the terrible oppression that was carried out right here on this very ground. This former vehicle garage became a prison for souls, a place of unimaginable cruelty and suffering.
And this is not just a story of the past, but a story that continues to resonate today. After the war, the Americans utilized this site, calling it “Building 116” during their occupation of Augsburg. The complex remained until 1998, when the Americans departed. Halle 116, however, was spared from demolition thanks to the dedication of many concerned citizens.
And so, today, Halle 116 stands as a place of remembrance, a symbol of the grim reality of the Holocaust and a reminder of the importance of never forgetting. This unassuming building bears witness to one of the darkest chapters in Augsburg’s history, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving memory and fighting against all forms of intolerance and oppression.