The Camp & the Place

The Trostberg sub-camp (AL Trostberg) was built on the south-eastern edge of the town, behind the buildings of the "Süddeutsche Kalkstickstoffwerke" (SKW; today AlzChem).

This was not done to conceal the sub-camp from the population, but for entirely pragmatic reasons: the sub-camp was above all intended to supply prisoners for the production of BMW aircraft engine parts, which was now partly housed in Trostberg. A hall belonging to the Trostberg-based SKW was used for production. The sub-camp was therefore built as close as possible to the production site. The resulting shorter distance that the prisoners had to cover to their workplace also meant a considerably reduced guarding effort for the SS during the marches to the production hall.

The sub-camp was built on a plot of land that today bears the number 2013 and whose current boundaries correspond exactly to the camp area of the time. To the east and south of the camp lay a forest which, like the camp grounds themselves, belonged to the SKW. Near the camp stood a few houses inhabited by SKW employees and managers, as well as the agricultural estate "Gut Götzing", which was farmed on behalf of the SKW. The almost idyllic location of the sub-camp, which the former Dutch prisoner Dingenius Linke described in the words "the landscape was typically Bavarian, very beautiful with mountains and valleys", stood in stark contrast to the reality of the prisoners' lives, which was marked by the ruthless exploitation of their labour, by oppression and the enforcement of National Socialist ideology, and thus by the daily struggle for sheer survival. That is why Linke also added: "Because of the conditions, however, one did not find it so beautiful."

Despite its remoteness, the existence of the camp was known in the town. Due to its exposed location on a hill, the sub-camp was clearly visible from many points in the town; this effect was further reinforced by the watchtowers. The camp was thus part of the town's skyline. The size of the camp in relation to the population of the town of Trostberg also played a role. In 1944 the town had about 4,000 inhabitants. The sub-camp, into which almost 1,000 prisoners were at times crammed in minimal space, was therefore also quantitatively an undeniable part of the town.

In addition to the visibility of the camp buildings, the townspeople also perceived the prisoners themselves. Many Trostberg residents came into contact with the emaciated prisoners. Although the camp grounds themselves were sealed off and the population was forbidden to come close to the area, there were many points of contact between the civilian population and the prisoners.