Zeithain

Zeithain was a prisoner-of-war camp (Stammlager) established by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was located near the town of Zeithain in Saxony. Specifically, it formed part of the large Mühlberg POW camp complex, designated Stalag IV-B.

Zeithain served primarily as a subcamp, focusing on housing and providing medical care for sick and incapacitated Soviet prisoners of war. Conditions within the camp were notoriously poor, with rampant disease, inadequate medical resources, and malnutrition contributing to extremely high mortality rates. Tens of thousands of Soviet prisoners perished in Zeithain due to these conditions.

The camp was also used to house smaller numbers of Italian military internees after Italy's surrender in 1943, as well as other nationalities. These prisoners also suffered under the harsh conditions.

After the war, the Zeithain site became a memorial to the victims of Nazi persecution, particularly those who died as prisoners of war. The memorial includes a cemetery and a documentation center dedicated to preserving the history of the camp and commemorating the lives lost there.