Stutthof

Zivilgefangenenlager Stutthof, Konzentrationslager Stutthof, Durchgangslager Stutthof, Sonderlager Stutthof, Arbeitserziehungslager Stutthof - the German concentration camp established on September 2nd 1939 on the territory of the free city Gdansk/Danzig 34 km of this city. On a ground surrounded of water between the Vistula and the Baltic.

KL Stutthof was the first camp created outside the German territory. Already on August 31st, 1939, 1.500 people were stopped by the Nazis whose group of 150-200 was led to KL Stutthof. October 1st, 1940 it became a major camp subordinated to “SS-Oberabschnitt Weichsel”. After the visit of Heinrich Himmler on November 23rd 1941, Stutthof was built-in the plan of extermination and extends to 120 ha. In September 1942 crematory was built, in 1943 a gas chamber was also set up. From beginning of 1944 the prisoners were gauzes using Zyklon B.

Commanders of the camp:

  • SS-Hauptsturmführer max Pauly (September 2nd, 1939 - August 31st, 1942)
  • SS-Sturmbannführer Paul Werner Hoppe (September 1942 - May 1945)

The evacuation of the camp by the forced march intervened during the night of January 25th, 1945. The Germans left the camp several thousands of the prisoners by -20°C to oblige them to go 20 km per day towards the west. This walk cost to the life the month 12.000 people including 4.000 shot in the sea. The Red Army released the camp and some hundreds of prisoners on May 9th, 1945.

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