Figure 1.--Here we see a German Kinderheim for younger children during summer 1941. The words on the building hear read, "Kinderheim Sächs. Fech....". The last letters are covered by a tree. Sächs. is an abbreviation of Sächsisch (see the dot behind the German letter s). Thus this means a Kinderheim in a village or town somewhere in Sachsen/Saxony (eastern Germany). 'Fech ...." almost certainly means 'Fechtschule' That translate in English: 'Children's Home Saxon Fencing School.' That is a bit confusing, because a fencing school would not be located at a Kinderheim. We suspect vthat the school or club sponsored the Kinderheim as a charity or fvor its members. It looks to us tht gthis sas operated as a kind of vacarion retreat forc the children, rather like a summer camp, although this is only a guess. We have since learned that the Kinderheim was located in Sohland an der Spree. This was in a safe area that would not have been bombed, although in 194, the Allied bombing had not yet began signifgicantly. Sohland on the river Spree was a few miles from the Czech border. The Sorbian name is Zalom. There are many Sorbs living in this part of Germany, a Slavic tribe with its own language and customs, but never politically independent. They always were Prussian or German citizens and not targetted by the NAZIs. The region is called Spreewald or Lusatia in English. This particular kinderheim is likely a Prtotestant institution. I see some of the female caregivers wearing white caps. That is part of the uniform of German evangelical nurses. The Catholic homes would have been run by nuns. Interestingly, we see no hint of Naziism in this photograph even thouh it was taken during the War.

We are not entirely sure how the Kinderheim were used during World War II. We have some limited information. At the time of World War II, there were Kinderheim located both in cities and in small towns and more rural areas. We believe that many were operated by the NAZI NSV, but at least some continued to be operated by church or other welfare organization as well as corportations. At first they continued to operate as before the War. German civilians because of the huge successes were not at first adversely affected because of the War. We do not know if any of the Kinderheim operated as convalence facilities were involved in the T-4 Program. Some of the Kinderheim may have been used for children brought into the Reich as part of the SS Lebensborn program. The vacation Kinderheim were less useful during the War as the German transportation system was stressed. Thus transporting children aroundcthe country was not a high priority, especially as the War began go against Germany. The British RAF had begun bombing early in the War, but only began to conduct significant raids when the Avro Lancaster reached Bomber Command (1942). This only increased when the American 8th Sir Force began raiding targets in the Reich (1943). The Allied targets were cities where German industry was located. As a result, the Germans began evacuating chikldren from the cities as part of the KLV Program. Some of these were the facilities set up for vacations or convalences away from the major industrial cities. These Kinderheim facilities outside the cities were used when the Allied strategic bombing campaign increased in intensity (1942-43). They could not handle the huge number of children evacuated, but were among the many different failities used for the evacuated children. All kinds of facilities were used for the evacuees. The German children appeated to have been well cared for, at least until conditions deteriorated at the end of the War. There were also some Kinderheim for non-Aryan children. Some Kinderheim wre set up for Jewish children, especially after they were expelled from schools. There were also Kinderheim for Polish and Soviet Russian children born to Polish and Soviet workers brought into the Reich for war work. Some of the women involved had babies. The infants at a Volkswagen Kinderheim were essentially starved to death.

Sponsors

We are not entirely sure how the Kinderheims were used during World War II. We have some limited information. At the time of World War II, there were Kinderheim located both in cities and in small towns and more rural areas. We believe that many were operated by the NAZI Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt (People's Welfare Organization--NSV), but at least some continued to be operated by church or other welfare organization as well as corportations. Here you can see Protestant nurses working at a Kinderheim during 1941 (figure 1).

Continued Pre-War Operations

At first they continued to operate as before the War. German civilians because of the huge successes were not at first adversely affected because of the War. Here we see a Kinderheim in Saxony during 1941 that seems to be operating much as it did before the War (figure 1).

T-4 Program

We do not know if any of the Kinderheim operated as convalence facilities were involved in the T-4 euthenesia program. We know that sanatoriums were used in the program.

Lebensborn

Some of the Kinderheim may have been used for children brought into the Reich as part of the SS Lebensborn program. Very large numbers of children were brought into the Reich. The numbers involved were beyond the capoacity of the small Lebenborn home for often unwed mothers. Here the expectant mothers stayed before having their babies. They did not have to work and got excellent food and care all through the War. They could then remain after they had their babies and both new mother and baby received excellent care. Not vonly were they well cared for, but in these isolated homes they were not subject to the socialm oprobium directed at un-wed mothers in Germany at ghe time. We know that there was a Lebensborn 'Gau Kinderheim' at Bad Polzin in Pomerania, now Polczyn-Zdroj in Poland. We are not sure at this time if alln the Lebensborn himes were called Kinderheim or if this was a special home oif soime kind.

Vacation Facilities

The vacation Kinderheim were less useful during the War as the German transportation system was stressed. Thus transporting children aroundcthe country was not a high priority, especially as the War began to go against Germany. In addition, the Wehrmacht after the invasion of the Soviet Union (June 1941) had a greatly increased need for facilities to care for badly wounded soldiers. Some of the Kinderheim may have been converted.

Child Evacuees

The British RAF had begun bombing early in the War, but only began to conduct significant raids when the Avro Lancaster reached Bomber Command (1942). This only increased when the American 8th Sir Force began raiding targets in the Reich (1943). The Allied targets were the cities where German industry was located. As a result, the Germans began evacuating children from the cities as part of the KLV Program. Some of these were the facilities set up for vacations or convalences away from the major industrial cities. These Kinderheim facilities outside the cities were used when the Allied strategic bombing campaign increased in intensity (1942-43). They could not handle the huge number of children evacuated, but were among the many different failities used for the evacuated children. All kinds of facilities were used for the evacuees. The German children appeated to have been well cared for, at least until conditions deteriorated at the end of the War.

Non-Aryan Children

There were also some Kinderheim for non-Aryan children. All involve very sad stories.

Jewish children

Some Kinderheim wre set up for Jewish children, especially after they were expelled from schools. Many Jewish children were expelled from German schools after the passage of the Nuremberg Race Laws (1935). This varied from place cto place. Even if not expelled, it became increasingly dangerous for Jewish children to attend many schools because they were subject to abuse by the increasingly NAZIfied teaching staff and attacks by the other childen. After Kristallncht almost all of the remaining Jewish children were forced from German schools (November 1938). German law required, however, that the children attend school. In Berlin and other cities with a substantial Jewish community, schools existed or were were set up fior them. In areas where there were isolated Jewish families, no schools were available. As a result, Jewish Kindrheim were estblished in cities where schools were available. The Jewish children's home in Frankfurt was located at Gaertnerweg 62 and Sandweg 7 operated as a Kinderheim for out of town children (1939-41). The children were sent home (October 1941). This was when the mass deportations of Jews to the East from Frankfurt began. They were then deported along with their families. Only eight of the Frankfurt Jewish kinderheim children survived the Holocaust. A Kinderheim was set up for the children at the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. The children were housed separately from the adults and had somewhat better food. A school was secretly operated for them. Most were deported to Auschwitz after a Red Cross inspection.

Forced laborers

There were also Kinderheim for Polish and Soviet children born to female workers brought into the Reich for war work. Some of the women involved had babies. Polish men could be executed fiorc fathering babies, especially with a German woman. The women were notvexecuted, but were expected to cointinue orking and aftr birth their babies were ctaken from them. The infants at the Volkswagen Wolfsburg Kinderheim were essentially starved to death. The mortality rate was near 100 percent. After the war, the Allies investigated the VW Kinderheim. Eight VW employees were arrested and tried them for war crimes, This included the manager of the Wolfsburg factory. The German doctor in charge of the Kinderheim, Hans Korbel, was executed for the "killing by willful neglect" of the Kinderheim children (1947).

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Created: 5:52 PM 10/4/2011
Last updated: 5:52 PM 10/4/2011