Women in Flossenbürg Branch Camps — Hans Brenner Book Lists

Background

This database includes 15,842 records of women who worked in sub-camps of Flossenbürg, based on documents in the Berlin Document Center and individual company archives.

Hans Brenner, in his 1999 book Frauen in den Aussenlagern des KZ Flossenbürg (Women in the Branch Camps of Concentration Camps of Flossenbürg), has collected lists of women forced in 1944-1945 to work in various Flossenbürg industrial sub-camps.  He developed these lists utilizing documents in the Berlin Document Center (BDC) and individual company archives.

While his book deals with each sub-camp separately, this database merges all the names but with a notation where they worked.  Below, you will find a separate brief summary description of each facility.

The use of forced laborers, Jews and non-Jews, near the end of the war reflected acute manpower shortages inside Germany.  As a result tens of thousands of Jews and non-Jews who might otherwise have perished in Auschwitz or elsewhere were sent to these factories.  Though conditions were poor, working in these camps was far better than the alternatives.

If a prisoner died while still held at the factory this is noted.  Many more died on the forced marches/evacuations which came at the very end of the war, but this information was not available to Brenner.  Additional information on many of these individuals is contained in the ITS collection available at the USHMM and Yad Vashem, as well as Bad Arolsen.

This collection identifies 15,842 women with the largest numbers from Poland, Hungary, Russia, Germany, France, and Czechoslovakia.  Even two American women are identified.  Almost all were under the age of 40.

Aussenkommando Astra-Werke Chemnitz.  In October 1944, 515 women, shipped from Auschwitz, were held as forced laborers in this factory manufacturing aircraft parts.  In April 1945, all surviving workers were sent by train to Leitmeritz.

Aussenkommando Dresden - Bernsdorf & Co.  In October 1944, 284 women were sent from Auschwitz via Stutthof to work as forced laborers at a factory manufacturing ammunition.  In April 1944, they were evacuated to Theresienstadt.

Aussenkommando Dresden - Universelle Maschinenfabrik.  In October 1944 and January 1945, a total of 708 women were sent from Ravensbrück to work as forced laborers at this factory manufacturing aircraft parts.  During the Dresden bombing hundreds were killed while survivors were transferred to other factories.

Aussenkommando Dresden - Zeiss-Ikon Goehle.  In October 1944, 501 women were sent from Ravensbrück and Auschwitz to work as forced laborers at this factory manufacturing bomb fuses.  They were evacuated to Theresienstadt.

Aussenkommando Hertine (Rtyne) - Munitionsfabrik Welboth (Velvety).  In October 1944, 602 women were sent from Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen to this munitions factory near Teplitz Schönau.  They were evacuated to Theresienstadt in April 1945.

Aussenkommando Holleischen (Holysov).  In September 1944, 400 women were sent from Ravensbrück to work as forced laborers at unidentified facilities in the Pilsen area.

Aussenkommando Mehltheuer - Vomag.  In December 1944 and March 1945, 350 women were sent from Bergen-Belsen and Nürnberg to work as forced laborers manufacturing armored cars.

Aussenkommando Mittweida.  Established in October 1944 as the communications equipment facility of C. Lorenz AG in Berlin, this facility utilized 503 women sent from Auschwitz.  In April 1945, the evacuated prisoners were forced to march to Freiberg, then by train to Theresienstadt and finally to Velesin.  Many prisoners, especially Russian women, were murdered en route.

Neu - Rohlau "Bohemia".  From September 1944 through April 1945, 1,400 women from Flossenbürg and Ravensbrück were held at the "Bohemia" factory.

Aussenkommando Nürnberg Siemens & Schuckert.  Established in October 1944 and staffed by 550 prisoners sent from Auschwitz, this facility produced electronic equipment.  After heavy bombings the facility was closed and the prisoners sent on to other facilities in March 1945. 

Aussenkommando Oederan - Agricola GmbH.  Beginning in September 1944, 700 women were brought to this facility in Freiberg from Auschwitz to produce auto parts.  In April 1945, they were evacuated to Theresienstadt.

Aussenkommando Plauen Baumwollspinnerei.  Beginning in September 1944, 200 women were brought from forced labor in Berlin to Plauen to work in an Osram KG factory.  In April 1945, they were evacuated in a forced march to Karlsbad.

Aussenkommando Plauen Industriewerke.  In September 1944, 300 women were brought from other forced labor facilities in Berlin to Plauen to work in a Osram KG wire factory.  In April 1945, they were evacuated in a forced march to Karlsbad.

Aussenkommando Rochlitz.  From September 1944 to February 1945, 660 women were brought from Auschwitz, Ravensbrück and Bergen-Belsen to Rochlitz to work in a Mechanik GmbH factory.  They were evacuated to Calw.

Aussenkommando Venusberg.  In January and February 1945, 1,000 women were transported from Bergen-Belsen and Ravensbrück to work in a Junkers subterranean facility manufacturing aircraft engines.  Due to extremely poor working conditions there were a large number of deaths.  In April 1945, they were evacuated to Mauthausen.

Aussenkommando Wilischthal - Agricola GmbH.  In October and November 1944, 301 women were transferred from Auschwitz to Wilischthal for the manufacture of machine guns.  The facility was evacuated in April 1945 and prisoners sent by train to Theresienstadt.

Aussenkommando Wolkenburg.  In September and November 1944, 500 women were sent from Ravensbrück and Bergen Belsen to work in factories near Rochlitz.

Aussenkommando Zschopau - Auto Union AG.  In November 1944, 450 women were transferred from Auschwitz to Zschopau to work in the Auto Union facility manufacturing aircraft parts.

Aussenkommando Zwodau - Luftfahrtgeräewerk Hakenfelde.  Starting in April 1944, 870 women were transferred to this aircraft parts facility in Zwodau from Ravensbrück, and Gross-Rosen.  They were evacuated in April 1945 in three separate forced marches.

Aussenkommando Dresden Zeiss-Ikon Reich.  In October 1944, 400 women were sent from Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen to manufacture bomb fuses.  They were eventually evacuated to Theresienstadt.

Aussenkommando Freiberg - Arado Flugzeugwerke.  In August and October 1944, 1,000 women were sent from Auschwitz to manufacture aircraft parts.  In April 1945, they were evacuated to Mauthausen.

Aussenkommando Graslitz (Kraslice).  In September 1944 and early 1945, 1,000 women were sent from Ravensbrück and Rochlitz to Graslitz to work in several factories.  In April 1945, they were evacuated to Mauthausen.

Aussenkommando Hainchen Framo Werke.  In September 1944, 500 women were sent to work as forced laborers at the Framo Werke manufacturing smokescreen equipment.  They were evacuated to Theresienstadt.

Aussenkommando Helmbrechts - Fa. Josef Witt Kabel u. Metallwerke.  In summer 1944, November 1944 and January 1945, 1,100 women were sent from Neumeyer AG Nürnberg to work as forced laborers at the Witt factory.

Database

This database includes 15,842 records of women who worked in sub-camps of Flossenbürg.  The fields for this database are as follows:

• Name (Surname + Given Name)
• Maiden Name
• Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Prisoner Number
• Category (usually "Jew")
• Town / Camp
• Factory
• Transferred From (camp name)
• Date Transferred
• Transferred To (camp name)
• Date Transferred
• Date of Death (usually unknown)
• Place of Death (usually unknown)
• Comments

Acknowledgments

The information contained in this database was indexed from the files of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  The original source material was Hans Brenner's book Frauen in den Aussenlagern des KZ Flossenbürg. (Regensburg: Arbeitsgemeinschaft ehem. KZ Flossenbürg e.V., 1999).  Edward Mitelsbach, a JewishGen volunteer, transcribed the list.

In addition, thanks to JewishGen Inc. for providing the website and database expertise to make this database accessible.  Special thanks to Warren Blatt and Michael Tobias for their continued contributions to Jewish genealogy.  Particular thanks to Nolan Altman, coordinator of Holocaust files.

Nolan Altman
Coordinator - Holocaust Database
January 2010

Searching the Database

This database is searchable via JewishGen's Holocaust Database.