Ohrdruf

Ohrdruf was a German forced labor and concentration camp located near the town of Ohrdruf, Thuringia, Germany. It was a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp and was established in November 1944.

Initially, the camp held mainly Soviet prisoners of war, Polish, Hungarian, and other foreign laborers. Later, as the Eastern Front advanced, Jewish prisoners from concentration camps further east were also transported to Ohrdruf. Conditions at Ohrdruf were extremely harsh. Prisoners were forced to perform grueling labor, often in the construction of fortifications and infrastructure, and were subjected to starvation, disease, and brutal treatment by SS guards.

In early April 1945, as American forces approached, the SS attempted to evacuate the camp, forcing prisoners on a death march. Many died of exhaustion, starvation, or were murdered by the guards. On April 4, 1945, Ohrdruf was liberated by the 4th Armored Division of the U.S. Third Army, becoming the first Nazi concentration camp liberated by U.S. troops.

The liberation of Ohrdruf provided early and stark evidence of the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazi regime. General Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the camp shortly after its liberation, accompanied by Generals Patton and Bradley. Eisenhower insisted that photographs and documentation be taken to ensure the world understood the horrors that had occurred there and to prevent future denial.

Today, a memorial site stands at the location of the former camp, serving as a reminder of the suffering endured by the prisoners of Ohrdruf and as a site for remembrance and education. The site aims to educate visitors about the Nazi regime's crimes and to promote tolerance and understanding.