Hohne Garrison next to Bergen/Belsen

[Tiger Fever]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone given me any history details about this camp?

[fabriekswacht]

Bergen Hohne is after the war especially known as a very large NATO exercise field, were exercise with tanks and heavy guns can be held. Most training troops visit the Bergen Belsencamp in the days they stay there.
Details before 1945 are unknown to me.

[Tiger Fever]

I think it used to be an SS Camp. Can anyone can tell me whcih units were based there?

[finola]

Hohne Ranges and Camp

In 1934 the German Wehrmacht of 100,000 men was radically expanded by universal conscription. To facilitate training more room was required for manoeuvre A training area to enable two divisions to train simultaneously was sought, and the sparsely populated Luneburger Heide was chosen for this purpose. In spite of protests from the local populace, eleven villages were evacuated between M 1936 and August 1938; the farmers receiving compensation from the government and many of the agricultural labourers finding employment on the training area.

By 1939 twelve ranges had been made and the first divisions arrived far training a complete division being trained in six weeks. Some of the divisions which fought in Poland. France and Russia were trained in Hohne. and the paratroopers who dropped in Holland were trained on Range 3. Rocket artillery was developed principally on Range I and the Tiger tanks first fired on Ranges 5 and 9. On April I 5t~ 1945, British troops took over Hohne Camp and the ranges remained under British administration until 31st March 1958. During this period the ranges were renovated and extensively developed from their semi- derelict, war damaged stat to what can be seen to day. At the same time as the farm owners were being evacuated, and forest clearance was taking place on the range area, work was starting on the Bergen-Hohne and Fallingbostel barracks. By 1936 the whole Hohne Camp, including the Roundhouse, then used as an officer’s club, was completed The railway sidings between Bergen and Belsen, and the bakery, warehouse and buildings now occupied by the Freight Distribution Point 4 had also been built After the camp fell into British hands and Belsen Camp had been destroyed, the inmates of the latter who did not require hospitalisation were moved into Hohne Camp. which then became a centre for Jewish refugees. As the Jews departed their accommodation was taken over’ and in 1950 work was started on the complete rehabilitation of the camp. Work proceeded from north to south and as each successive area was completed fresh troops moved in.

[Tiger Fever]

Cheers for all that Fin.
I can confirm that the Round House is still there, it was rumoured that in the main hall there was a huge swastika, on the floor which was covered over, with a wooden floor. There was definately Nazi stuff above the front door, in 2000 when I left. The hospital is also still there but no longer in use. 1 Armoured Field Ambulance used to be based there in the early 90`s. Bergen Belsen is still there, but theres not a lot to see. There is a large Russian graveyard on the camp. The railway sidings are still in use today!! Interestingly the barrack blocks still had the racks for the rifles in the corridors!!!! Thanks again.

[Jan-Hendrik]

There is an insteresting book on that topic:

Hinrich Baumann: Die Heidmark- Wandel einer Landschaft- Die Geschichte des Truppenübungsplatzes Bergen

first published in December 2005.

637 pages, format A4

Jan-Hendrik

[inmemorium]

A short history can be found at http://www.truppenuebungsplatzbergen.com/Briefhis.htm

In early April 1945 the Hohne barracks were used to house prisoners from the Dora-Mittelbau camp because the nearby Belsen concentration camp was overflowing. Hohne was the site of a few unusual events: after liberation on 15 April some prisoners revolted and killed a large number of their former kapos, and on 28 April (some sources say 20 April) part of the camp was strafed in what was possibly the Luftwaffe’s final attack of the war. By May 1945 Hohne housed all the survivors from Belsen which was then razed, and the name Bergen-Belsen was applied to the Hohne barracks, which were also known as Belsen Camp 2, Bergen-Belsen (Hohne) Barracks, and Bergen-Belsen Displaced Persons camp. The camp was closed in 1951 and the barracks were handed back to the British Army.

[Hans1906]

We, from the former german PzBtl 74 (Panzerbataillon 74) were in "Bergen-Hohne" in the year 1978 for training purposes.
(tank shooting).

The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was not shown to us young soldiers, that was not a topic at that time, not even rudimentarily.
This topic did not take place at that time, we were even forbidden to talk about it in the circle of comrades.

Few comrades at that time were even aware of where we were, what had happened there before 1945, general ignorance, very unfortunate, but unfortunately was.

If you were to ask a simple passerby on any German street today about Bergen-Belsen, you would most certainly get hardly any answer, or a huge question mark.

Germany 2021


Hans