Beneath our feet lies more than meets the eye. This is the Kreuzungsbauwerk Thekla. It’s a railway bridge with a story etched in steel and concrete.
Kreuzungsbauwerk Thekla is a vital part of Leipzig’s transport network. It carries railway lines, connecting different parts of the city. But its history is intertwined with a darker chapter.
During the Second World War, this area was home to forced labor camps. The Erla-Maschinenwerke factories nearby relied on forced laborers. They produced aircraft for the German Air Force.
One of the factories, Factory III, was directly connected to a concentration camp. Prisoners were forced to work long hours. They assembled wing sections and landing gear. The conditions were brutal and many died.
The “Leipzig-Thekla” sub-camp of Buchenwald concentration camp was set up here. It comprised three camp sites each for approximately 1000 male concentration camp prisoners. The SS was in charge of the organisation as well as provisioning and guarding the prisoners.
Most transports of prisoners arrived at the Leipzig-Thekla and Leipzig-Schönefeld railway stations. These stations were located in the immediate vicinity of the concentration camps. In 1943, more than 2000 concentration camp prisoners were used as forced labourers at the Erla factories in Leipzig.
The forced laborers lived in fenced-in and guarded camps. They were not allowed to leave. “Ostarbeiter” worked under the most difficult working conditions. They received the lowest wages and food rations. They were subject to strict supervision. They were punished for even the smallest offenses.
In August 1941, Erla-Maschinenwerke constructed a barrack camp near the Thekla sandpit. In 1943, around 900 civilian forced labourers from Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the Ukraine lived there in 14 barracks. In March 1943, the first Leipzig concentration camp was built in the southern part of this camp.
The Abtnaundorf massacre occurred not far from here. In April 1945, SS men locked sick prisoners in a barrack. They set it on fire. Those who escaped were shot. The exact number of victims remains unknown to this day.
After the war, the Erla factories were dismantled. A memorial was constructed to commemorate the victims of the Abtnaundorf massacre. It serves as a reminder of the atrocities that occurred here.
Kreuzungsbauwerk Thekla stands as a testament to Leipzig’s complex past. It connects not only railway lines but also echoes of war, suffering, and resilience. Its story is a stark reminder of the importance of remembering history. This is to prevent such horrors from ever happening again.
As we move on, consider the weight of history beneath your feet. Remember the victims of forced labor and the Abtnaundorf massacre. Let their memory inspire us to build a more just and peaceful future.