Rücksiedlerlager in Ludwigslust?

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Glider42
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Posts: 25
Joined: 04 Apr 2019, 05:40
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Rücksiedlerlager in Ludwigslust?

#1

Post by Glider42 » 12 Apr 2019, 07:36

Hi all. First post to this forum. I am trying to identify the exact location of a Rücksiedlerlager (camp for displaced persons) that existed in Ludwigslust (Mecklenburg, Germany) in 1941. The name of this camp was Waldschlösschen, and it housed refugees from Latvia at the time. From personal correspondence I have, this "camp" was more a converted guesthouse or inn. This would fit in with the only relevant photo I have found online, of a cafe-restaurant Waldschlösschen in Ludwigslust:

http://www.fentsahm.de/tng/showmedia.php?mediaID=83

Is there anyone in or near Ludwigslust that could provide more info about this camp? A precise address would be fantastic, but any information would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Glider42

GregSingh
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Posts: 3877
Joined: 21 Jun 2012, 02:11
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Rücksiedlerlager in Ludwigslust?

#2

Post by GregSingh » 12 Apr 2019, 14:53

:welcome:

Hi,
The address of that place from your photo was Hamburger Tor 9.
But I can't confirm if this was the location of the camp you mentioned.
More research is needed.
Greg


Glider42
Member
Posts: 25
Joined: 04 Apr 2019, 05:40
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Rücksiedlerlager in Ludwigslust?

#3

Post by Glider42 » 13 Apr 2019, 04:02

Thanks very much, Greg. If that's the correct address, that's a real breakthrough for me. Out of curiosity, how did you manage to get that address? I have tried and tried to locate the camp online, but no luck. There is a file in the Berlin Bundesarchiv entitled "Rücksiedlerlager im Gau Mecklenburg" (https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothe ... 7BH22VNCIZ), but I have not yet visited the archive.

Thanks again,

Glider42

GregSingh
Member
Posts: 3877
Joined: 21 Jun 2012, 02:11
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Rücksiedlerlager in Ludwigslust?

#4

Post by GregSingh » 13 Apr 2019, 05:32

how did you manage to get that address?
From 1935 Ludwigslust address book

Glider42
Member
Posts: 25
Joined: 04 Apr 2019, 05:40
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Rücksiedlerlager in Ludwigslust?

#5

Post by Glider42 » 20 Sep 2019, 04:35

An update on my research, for anyone who's interested. :) I've had it confirmed by the Ludwigslust archives that the cafe-restaurant Waldschlösschen was used as a resettler camp (Rücksiedlerlager) from Feb to June 1941. It was one of 3 such camps in Lu-lu alone. The building, located at Hamburger Tor 9 (also given as 5), is no longer there.

There aren't many details available, but it appears that at least Latvians and Estonians were housed in the camp, which had the capacity for 120. Numbers decreased from 102 in Feb 41 to 0 in July. It then closed, but reopened as a cafe-restaurant after the war.

That's about it. If anyone has further info, I'd be very grateful.

I haven't been able to find contemporary images of the camp. However, I have come across pictures of another Rücksiedlerlager nearby, in Demen, which housed Estonians in 1941. I put the link below for anybody who's interested.

https://tinyurl.com/y537ntcm

Cheers.

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