WW2: Mass Graves 1945 (1 Viewer)

[DeathHand]

The corpses of female prisoners exhumed from a mass grave near Hirzenhain, Germany​

In March 1945, approximately 250 slave laborers, 200 of them women, were interned in a factory slave labor camp half a mile from Hirzenhain, near Buedingen. The prisoners were of mixed nationality and included Russians, Poles, French, and Belgians.

On March 25, 13 male prisoners were instructed by five SS guards to dig a large pit three-quarters of a mile northeast of Hirzenhain.

The following morning, when the prisoners were assembled for evacuation to Buedingen, they were taken instead to the pit and shot at close range in the back of the head. A total of 87 bodies were buried in the pit, and their clothing was burned in a pile next to the grave.

Although most of the bodies were fully clothed, some of the women were completely or partially undressed. All of the bodies had bullet wounds.

Hirzenhain, Germany, May 7, 1945

Set 1.

1. German civilians digging up the corpses and laying them out for reburial.

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[DeathHand]

The bodies of female prisoners exhumed from a mass grave near
the Helmbrechts concentration camp, a sub-camp of Flossenbuerg.​

Towards the end of the war, as Allied troops closed in on Germany from all sides the prisoners in concentration and slave labor camps were evacuated to camps further from enemy lines. Although some prisoners were evacuated by train, most were sent on forced marches that covered hundreds of miles.'

One such "death march" began in Gruenberg, a sub-camp of Gross Rosen in Lower Silesia. The 900 female prisoners of Gruenberg were evacuated along with a similar number of female prisoners from the Gross Rosen sub-camp of Schlesiersee. The prisoners were divided into two smaller groups and accompanied by SS men and women. Approximately 1,100 prisoners were sent in the direction of the Flossenbuerg concentration camp, while the remainder was sent to Bergen-Belsen.

On January 29, 1945 the two groups left Gruenberg. On March 6, after five weeks of marching, the first group of prisoners reached Helmbrechts, a sub-camp of Flossenbuerg, 300 km. from Gruenberg.

On April 13, the remaining women were sent on a second death march along with the rest of the 590 prisoners from Helmbrechts. The group which headed toward the southeast, ended up in Volary, Czechoslovakia, 200 km. away.

After the liberation of Helmbrechts and the surrounding area by American troops, a mass grave was discovered near the concentration camp.

Helmbrechts, Germany, April 18, 1945

Set 2.

1. German civilians removing bodies from the mass grave.

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[DeathHand]

Mass grave near Volary containing the bodies of Jewish women who died at the end of a death march
from Helmbrechts, a sub-camp of Flossenbuerg.​

The Helmbrechts death march was one of hundreds of forced marches that occurred near the end of the war.

Prisoners were marched in the direction of Prachatitz, a small town just east of the Czechoslovakian border. Along the way, 10-12 women died daily of fatigue and starvation, in addition to the 4-8 who were shot or beaten to death by the SS each day, often for no reason. On the 21st day the group reached Volary (Wallern), after having marched 200-300 km, with fewer than half of the prisoners still alive.

On May 11, the mass graves near Volary were discovered. Of the 83-89 bodies exhumed, many of them showed evidence of having been murdered.

Volary, Czechoslovakia, May 11, 1945

Set 3.

1.

2. A civilian helps remove bodies from the mass grave. The woman was a survivor of the death march to Volary.

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8. Locals walking past the exhumed bodies.

 

[DeathHand]

I still have a few more sets to post up, once I get the images set up.

 

[Keka]

My family lost five members to the Second World War. One of my great uncles was lost on the submarine "Leonardo da Vinci" in May of 43 that we know for sure. Three we may have an idea but do not know the circumstances but they were found later in Egypt, and a great aunt we'll never know for certain.. We have several photographs I viewed as a child. I will have to have them sent to me.

 

[DeathsDoor]

Quality old images.

 

[EllerSure]

great post, thanks

 

[samael88]

Nothing better than an old black and white photograph. Great pictures.

 

[rottenfresh]

The bodies of female prisoners exhumed from a mass grave near
the Helmbrechts concentration camp, a sub-camp of Flossenbuerg.​

Towards the end of the war, as Allied troops closed in on Germany from all sides the prisoners in concentration and slave labor camps were evacuated to camps further from enemy lines. Although some prisoners were evacuated by train, most were sent on forced marches that covered hundreds of miles.'

One such "death march" began in Gruenberg, a sub-camp of Gross Rosen in Lower Silesia. The 900 female prisoners of Gruenberg were evacuated along with a similar number of female prisoners from the Gross Rosen sub-camp of Schlesiersee. The prisoners were divided into two smaller groups and accompanied by SS men and women. Approximately 1,100 prisoners were sent in the direction of the Flossenbuerg concentration camp, while the remainder was sent to Bergen-Belsen.

On January 29, 1945 the two groups left Gruenberg. On March 6, after five weeks of marching, the first group of prisoners reached Helmbrechts, a sub-camp of Flossenbuerg, 300 km. from Gruenberg.

On April 13, the remaining women were sent on a second death march along with the rest of the 590 prisoners from Helmbrechts. The group which headed toward the southeast, ended up in Volary, Czechoslovakia, 200 km. away.

After the liberation of Helmbrechts and the surrounding area by American troops, a mass grave was discovered near the concentration camp.

Helmbrechts, Germany, April 18, 2015

Set 2.

1. German civilians removing bodies from the mass grave.
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I think the year might be a tad off. Interesting reading I am really enjoying this, thanks!

 

[relayer25]

thank you for the pics.

 

[Tooly]

Amazing how lifeless a body looks when it's dead!

 

[not_a_robot]

The whole thing was so sad. I also have several family members that were killed in WWII. I know one is buried in the British Cemetery in Cairo.

 

[DeathHand]

I think the year might be a tad off. Interesting reading I am really enjoying this, thanks!

Lol, ya, just a tad. Thanks for spotting that one.

 

[tero]

I still have a few more sets to post up, once I get the images set up.

Deayhand, I thought ive seen all ww2 had to offer by photos. These are astounding great job. Can I ask where you found these?

 

[DeathHand]

Deayhand, I thought ive seen all ww2 had to offer by photos. These are astounding great job. Can I ask where you found these?

They were on a few different war websites and I had to enlarge them and do some other work to them.

I can't remember which sites I found these on (I go to dozens of war sites and forums) but I'll post the sites once I get the proper URL's.

 

[tero]

OK deathabd thanks again.................

 

[jerzee]

:'(

 

[McM]

This photo shows the usual re-education of German civilians, which lived near a opened mass-grave or liberated concentration camp by the Americans. They had to walk along the dead bodies. Who refused got difficulties to achieve their 'denazification' and the related paperwork.
Interesting thread, I didn't know these cases and photos.
(Maybe, I'm not denazified)

 

[jimbob]

I went to Belsen ,rumour is the birds don't fly over the whole area of the graves in Belsen to be fair I never saw any can anybody shed any light

 

[girl101]

what a sad fate for those women mayby death was a better option for them