Barrack 13

Everyday life in the camp

• 

  Blick auf "Baracke 13" – Blick auf "Baracke 13" © Dokumentationszentrum NS-Zwangsarbeit, Foto: Matthias Steffen

• Eine ehem. Stube in Baracke 13 – Eine ehem. Stube in Baracke 13 © Dokumentationszentrum NS-Zwangsarbeit, Foto: Matthias Steffen

Barrack 13 was one of the first buildings in the camp, erected from 1943 onwards.

Between 1944 and 1945, Italian military internees and civilian workers were housed there. This is evidenced by numerous inscriptions with names and dates, which can be seen in the basement of the building. They are the only direct testimonies of the forced labourers of this camp.

After the end of the war, the Red Army briefly used the barracks as a materials depot. In the following years, various workshops moved in. Among others, the Volkseigene Betrieb (VEB) Kühlautomat maintained a training workshop here. From 2003, the building was used to store antiques and building materials. Despite the various subsequent uses, this barrack shows the most traces of the Nazi era compared to the others. It was therefore taken over by the Documentation Centre for Nazi Forced Labour in 2008 and carefully restored and conserved as an accommodation barrack.

In addition to the historical inscriptions in the cellar, quotes from forced laborers illustrate their everyday living conditions in the camp, which were characterized by cramped quarters, hunger, poor hygiene, and despair.

The exhibition is only accessible during guided tours and special opening days.

Runtime: from August 2010

Ergeschoss Rollstuhlgerecht, nicht die Luftschutzkeller

Takes place here:

• Dokumentationszentrum NS-Zwangsarbeit Berlin-Schöneweide