Between April 1944 and April 1945, thousands of prisoners from the Langenstein-Zwieberge camp built 13 km tunnel system under the Thekenberge mountains near Halberstadt.
Among other things, fighter planes and V2 rockets were to be built in the tunnels for the alleged “final victory”.
“The working and living conditions were so difficult that within twelve months, over 4.3 thousand people as a result of work accidents, diseases, executions and death marches. The monument now commemorates the suffering of these people and the history of the camp, and visitors can tour the tunnel system in question,” wrote “Spiegel.”
Germany. Langenstein-Zwieberge camp after the war
After the war, the facility was first used by the GDR National People's Army and then by the Bundeswehr. In 1995 the land was sold to a private personwhich provided it free of charge, together with the tunnel system, for the needs of Langenstein-Zwieberge Memorial Centre, built in 1976. However, the owner ran into financial problems and the land became part of the bankruptcy estate.
Representatives of politics and civil society are wondering, why this place was not bought by the state authorities. The responsible bankruptcy administrator blames the government for this, to which he made several purchase offers, but all were rejected.
– The state of Saxony-Anhalt has been receiving purchase offers for many years – legal expert André Loeffler told “Spiegel”. However, they were rejected and “free use” was requested.
Langenstein-Zwieberge camp. Sale offer with gaps?
The state's Ministry of Culture firmly rejects the trustee's claim that the government was not interested in acquiring the property. On the contrary, the offers received were unacceptable.
“On the one hand, due to a high price of over one million eurosand on the other hand, because these offers did not contain no specific information about the object intended for sale” – writes the t-online website.
The bankruptcy trustee was appointed several times asked for missing informationbut did not respond to inquiries. As a result, the government's hands were tied because it never received formal correct purchase offer.
Germany. What will the new buyer do?
Loeffler sold the tunnels of the former Langenstein-Zwieberge concentration camp to a Saxon investor for 500 thousand euros. The new owner, Peter Jugl, a businessman from Saxony who specializes in “problem properties”, He hasn't revealed anything about his plans yet regarding this place.
“We are interested in all types of properties. The larger the property, the more interesting it is to us,” his company's website says.
The state government is trying to reassure all those who fear that the former concentration camp could become a profit-making museum or something similar.
“The use of the land is strictly limited by the conservation order. Any construction activity must be approved and commercial use is excluded” – explains the t-online service.
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