Salzgitter Leinde

Even though it only existed for a year, it was one of the biggest branches of KZ Neuengamme where 2,800–3,000 prisoners were kept. The conditions of stay and labour were comparable to those in concentration camps. The prisoners, e.g. those that could not meet the deadly daily norm, were tormented like everywhere else. KZ Leinde had its own executioner: Rapportführer and SS-Unterscharrführer (lieutenant) Rowold, who - together with an SS unit, would escort work commandoes on their way from the camp to the factory and back. In November 1944, under the cover of night, a Russian prisoner escaped from the column. Rowold told the fugitive's neighbour (Russian as well) to run in the same direction and then shot him dead to set an example. In December the same year he kept a commando of women for three hours in the roll-call square and when a Polish woman moved a bit to get warmer, he kicked her to death. He also executed at lest five people by hanging them in their place of work.

KZ Leinde was evacuated in various directions at the same time as KZ Drütte.

After many years of efforts, specifically of the former French prisoners, in 1991 a 2.5m-high stele of forged steel and a square cross-section was placed on the edge of the former camp on a cobbled rectangular plaza. It bears an inscription in five languages:

27. MAY 1944 –

 8.4.1945

WATENSTEDT/LEINDE

CONCENTRATION CAMPS

THE MYSTERY 

OF REDEMPTION

IS REMEMBRANCE [translated from Polish]

On the inner edge of the area, there is a small concrete wall with several metal plates. One of them has an outline showing the arrangement of the camp barracks, while the other plates bear inscriptions in German, French, English, Polish, Russian and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE LOCATION OF WATENSTEDT/LEINDE CONCENTRATION CAMP WHICH KEPT OVER 3.5 THOUSAND PEOPLE IMPRISONED - REPRESENTATIVES OF 20 NATIONALITIES, TRANSPORTED FROM THE CAMP IN NEUENGAMME. THEY WERE PERSECUTED FOR THEIR ANTI-NAZI ACTIVITIES, POLITICAL VIEWS OR BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE OR RELIGION. FORCED TO WORK IN INHUMANE CONDITIONS IN BRAUNSCHWEIG STEELWORKS, THEY FOUGHT FOR THEIR LIVES AND FOR HUMAN DIGNITY. MANY OF THEM DIED OR WERE MURDERED: SOME OF THE VICTIMS LIE AT THE CEMETERY IN JAMMERTAL (LEBENSTEDT). WE REMEMBER THEM! HONOUR TO THEIR MEMORY! [translated from Polish]