Terezin (Theresienstadt) Czech Republic

 Terezin - A Fortress

 Theresienstadt - A Nazi Prison Camp

Terezin, also known as Theresienstadt, was a Nazi concentration camp located in the Czech Republic, about 30 miles north of Prague. Originally a fortress town, it was converted into a ghetto and concentration camp by the Nazis in 1941. Terezin served as a transit camp for Jews who were eventually sent to extermination camps like Auschwitz and Treblinka.

The camp held primarily Jews from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Over 150,000 Jews passed through Terezin, including 15,000 children. 

Before the Nazis, Terezin was originally a fortress town built by Emperor Joseph II of Austria in the late 18th century. It was named in honour of his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. The fortress was designed to protect Prague from potential invasions by Prussia. Later, in the 1880s, Terezin served as a prison.

My photos of the fortress tunnel system.

Hanging

Terezin was also used for Nazi propaganda. The Nazis presented it as a "model" Jewish settlement to deceive the international community, even allowing a Red Cross inspection in 1944. Despite the façade, the reality was grim, with many prisoners suffering and dying.

The Nazi commander of Theresienstadt, Karl Rahm, was arrested by the Allies after the war. He was tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Rahm was found guilty and hanged 30 April 1947

Where Nazis slept and played

The camp was notorious for its overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, leading to the deaths of around 33,000 inmates due to malnutrition and disease.

From 1943 onwards, more than 250 prisoners were executed there, with the last execution of 51 people taking place on May 2, 1945.

Scenes from the museum

A famous prisoner from World War I who was held at Terezin was Gavrilo Princip. He was the Serbian nationalist responsible for assassinating Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, an event that triggered World War I. Princip was imprisoned at Terezin and died there in 1918 from tuberculosis.

Princip Cell

LINK TO -->> THE NAZI TRAIL OF TERROR

RESOURCES

Books

The Last Ghetto: An Everyday History of Theresienstadt by Anna Hájková (2020) - This book offers a detailed look at daily life in the Theresienstadt ghetto, exploring the social dynamics and coping strategies of its inhabitants.

Theresienstadt: Hitler's Gift to the Jews by Norbert Troller (2004) - Written by a survi-vor, this book provides an insider's account of life in the Theresienstadt ghetto, in-cluding the propaganda efforts and harsh realities.

Somewhere There is Still a Sun: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Michael Gruenbaum with Todd Hasak-Lowy (2015) - A memoir that recounts Michael Gruenbaum's childhood experiences in Theresienstadt and his survival during the Holocaust.

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Geoffrey W. Sutton has a PhD in psychology and writes about psychology and culture.

Website: https://www.suttong.com/

Amazon Author: https://author.amazon.com/home

ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Geoffrey-Sutton-2

Academia Page: https://evangel.academia.edu/GeoffSutton

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Google Map of Terazin