This Naval Community Camp (MGL) II or in German “Marinegemeinschaftslager” was set up by Organization Todt (O.T.) as early as 1939, to house the workers for the construction of the tank farm Farge of the Kriegsmarine in the area. The camp had a total of 27 barracks to accommodate around 500 men of O.T.
The occupancy of the camp changed during the course of World War Two. German personnel were gradually withdrawn, and replaced by foreign workers recruited from countries occupied by Germany.
KZ Farge
In 1940 four barracks were separated from the rest of the camp and formed a “labor education” camp. In 1943, this was relocated to a new location a good 1 km south-west, which was part of Camp Farge, a satellite camp of Neuengamme concentration camp.
Baracke Wilhelmine
In this barracks building is a documentation center about the history of this area and its buildings. A maquette shows the former lay-out of the original camp.
It also has information on display about the history of the concentration camp inmates, forced laborers and prisoners of war at the Valentin submarine bunker in Bremen-Farge and the associated camps in Schwanewede, Neuenkirchen and Farge.
Visit
Until 2004 these grounds have always belonged to the German Bundeswehr, who added and renovated many of the buildings. Nowadays it is known as Industrial Park Weser-Geest and most of it open to the public. It is unclear which of the building originally date from the period between 1939 and 1945.
For more information about opening hours of the documentation center please visit the Baracke Wilhelmine website.
