ESTERWEGEN CONCENTRATION CAMP

Esterwegen is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. In 1922 a concentration camp was established there. In 1936 the camp was dissolved and used until 1945 as a prisoner camp, for political prisoners and later for prisoners of the decree "Nacht und Nebel."

Esterwegen was one of fifteen camps and prisons in the area of Emden. All were near the Ems River, in rural areas. Most Emsland prisoners were Christians who were prisoners of war, political opponents of Nazism, anti-German resistance fighters, German military prisoners who had seriously misbehaved in a German military prison, homosexuals and criminals. Emsland prisoners' work included building roads, digging ditches, and farming.

Esterwegen's site is now occupied by a German army depot. Outside the depot's main entrance, signs tell about the Esterwegen concentration camp. Tourists are not allowed in the depot. Not knowing this, we drove right through an open gate and went completely around the camp. We even stopped to inquire of a worker if we could gain entrance. Alas, all the doors were locked, but there was obvious construction activity which lent credence to a word we had heard about this camp being readied for tourists. I thought discretion the better part of valor and kept my camera in its case. 

We eventually found the cemetery connected to this camp. Pictures below show its beauty in the midst of sadness.

The first paragraph on the plaque above states (perhaps poorly translated):

Here rest 1315 of the deceased criminal captives from Börgermoor, Aschendorfermoor, Brual-Rhede, Walchum, Neusustrum, Oberlangen und Esterwegen, who were condemned and put to death during the time of national socialism for political reasons and for criminal, militarism.

These stones were set by each row of graves in the front part of the cemetery. We wondered if this was an accurate number of the dead because there were many, many more graves in rows behind these.

The cemetery was very well kept up. The size seemed bigger than a football field, and because in was  shielded from the highway by trees and shrubbery, was very quiet and peaceful.

Many huge monuments have been erected in memory of various prisoners from different areas.

 Here are seven monuments for the seven villages represented on the plaque.

OUR BENGAL KITTY AND THE WHALE BONE FROM BARROW

Our kitty has found a new favorite place. I found this whale vertibra on the beach at Barrow, Alaska back in 1978. We were moving to Dubuque, Iowa and had traveled to Barrow to be with friends before the move. I took this huge  bone back to Fairbanks, packed it in plastic and a bunch of rugs in a big box and left it for the movers to take to Iowa. I was told, by someone who will remain nameless, that the meat left on the bone would cause the entire moving van to smell and probably ruin whatever was near it in the packing process.

I was lucky. Nothing happened, the plastic remained intact and no odors escaped.

That bone has moved with us from Alaska, to Iowa, to Arizona, back to Alaska and now, finally, to Texas - still a conversation piece. 

Hey! What's happening in the neighborhood?

OSSIETZKY - 1935 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER

One has no idea what is in store when a picture is taken in a foreign place. It looks interesting, but it is impossible to know how fascinating it will be until investigated. The picture here is one of those that surprised me. I couldn't understand the words, but I knew the individual memorialized was an important person, so I got his biography on line. Here is  only some of what I found:

Carl von Ossietzky, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1935 was an activist since he began his career in journalism at the age of 24. He wrote and published articles on human rights, arms control and disarmament which sent him to prison on several occasions.

 In 1929, Ossietzky published an article in opposition to secret German rearmament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles which sent him to prison for seven months in 1931. By early 1933, Ossietzky realized he was in danger, but refused to leave the country saying that “a man speaks with a hollow voice from across the border.” He was apprehended, sent to a Berlin prison and later to concentration camps at Sonnenburg and Esterwegen. His treatment in those camps led to his final demise in May of 1938.

 Ossietzky’s candidacy for the Peace Prize was led by friends in the German League for Human Rights. Alas, the nomination for 1934 arrived too late; the prize for 1935 was reserved in that year, but finally, in 1936 the prize was given to Ossietzky. Even after this, the government refused to release him to accept the prize. The German press was forbidden to comment on the granting of the prize to Ossietzky and the German government decreed that in the future, no German could accept any Nobel Prize.

Stay tuned for more pictures from the Esterwegen Concentration Camp Cemetery.

TAKE A FERRY RIDE WITH ME

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Long Island Ferry, New York

The Columbia Ferry from Washington to Alaska

From Emden to Dorkum, Germany

From Ditzum to Emden, Germany

Ditzum Ferry - Room for one car, a couple of bicycles and a few people.

Niabrara, Nebraska Ferry to South Dakota

The Yukon River Ferry in Alaska

One of the Bolivar Peninsula Ferries in Texas.

We ride one of these (there are five) about twice a week.

ACTIVITY ON THE MISSISSIPPI

A barge makes way for a paddle wheel.