Work Detail at the Main Camp
Work detail at the camp was marked by violence and harassment. During the first years, most prisoners were forced to do construction and excavation work at the camp, dig canals at the Dove Elbe, or help to transport goods and materials. Spurred on by blows from the guards, the prisoners worked from morning to evening, in the rain, the heat, and the freezing cold. Some prisoners also worked in the camp itself. From 1942, more and more prisoners had to work in the camp’s production facilities, particularly in the brickworks, the Jastram, Messap and Walther (Metallwerke Neuengamme) armaments factories, and in the SS-owned DAW(Deutsche Ausrüstungswerke) facility.
Further reading at the Learning Center
Work Detail at the Main Camp