While travelling overland across Europe, it’s easy to enjoy the scenery and hospitality without a second thought to horrific acts which took place over the centuries. We often don’t realise how special our generation is to live in a Europe where there hasn’t been a major war in over 70 years. This article describes one lesser-known brutal aspect of recent European history – the Nazi Death March.
Background
During the last months of World War II, the Axis powers the Axis powers felt they were losing the war. The general story I learnt in school was that the Axis powers kept thinking they would win until the end. In reality, they put in place contingency plans anticipating a defeat. One of these plans was to hide or disguise the true purpose of their concentration camps1.
I’ve explained how the Nazis used fake news to justify annexing of parts of Czechoslovakia.
By 1945 an estimated 15 million people were in concentration camps. At this point in the war, Allied forces advanced from the West and the Red Army was pushing its own way from the East1. There was a huge effort to move people in camps further into Germany, away from invading armies.
As they evacuated people, they also destroyed camps to hide evidence of the atrocities1. The conditions in the camps were awful. Inmates were weak from malnutrition, overwork, violence and starvation. This didn’t stop camp commanders from forcing them to walk for hundreds of kilometres2 in hostile weather, sometimes without food or water2. Many died of pneumonia, diphtheria, pellagra, or other diseases2.
The death march
Sometimes they transported prisoners in freight carriages but for the most part they forced them to walk. These are the ‘Nazi Death Marches’ because anyone who collapsed or couldn’t keep up was shot1 2 3.
In one shocking case, the Nazis marched 7 000 people for ten days from the Danzig region to the Baltic coast. They shot 300 of them en route3. They forced survivors into the Baltic Sea and shot them there3. Only 13 survived3.
Specific death marches
The village of Bělotín in east Czechia is a homely and simple place. During the war it was the base for Work Camp E540 (Arbeitskommando E540)4. This was a POW camp for British and Commonwealth prisoners. In January 1945 the Nazis marched prisoners westwards as the Soviets advanced. Many died from exhaustion in temperatures plummeting to -25 degrees (-13 Fahreheit)2. After four months of continuous walking, the allies liberated the lucky survivors.
The town of Zlaté Hory (Golden mountain) saw a death march pass through on 29 January 1945. They shot 138 prisoners on the road leading to Konradow.
The Czech town of Vidnava was a familiar stopping place for about 30 000 prisoners on many a death march.
I confess to finding it hard to imagine such things. I’m fortunate to live in a peaceful Europe and such stories are as distant to me today as any other part of history is. I know that if I had been born in other continents, I would have seen – or been a victim of – similar atrocities.
It’s easy to think these things happen to other people.
Our grandparents wouldn’t agree with that sentiment.