Bergen - Belsen Timeline 15th April - 31 December 1945

Year Month Date Timeline
1945      
Apr    
15 Although members of the 1st Special Air Service (SAS) were first to arrive at Bergen-Belsen where they removed a man called Jenkinson[7], 249 (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Battery of the British 63rd Anti Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, 11th Armoured Division liberate the camp at 1430 hrs. The Commanding Officer, Lt Col Taylor orders Lt. (later Capt.) Derrick Sington, and two NCO's Sergeant Eric Clyne and Lance Corporal Sindey Roberts, of 14 Amplifying Unit to enter the camp with a loud speaker van.
Lt. (later Capt.) Derrick Sington, Sergeant Eric Clyne and Lance Corporal Sidney Roberts, accompanied by Josef Kramer broadcast a message from VIII Corps Commander advising the internees that they were liberated although they were not permitted to leave because of the danger of spreading Typhus.
Approx 45000 prisoners in Bergen-Belsen. Of which:
15287 are men, of which:
60% Russian and Polish
500 Greeks
500 French, Belgian and Czechoslovakians
120 Yugoslavians
Between 1600 and 1800 Germans
Several hundred gypsies[18]
28185 women[19] of which:
6000 in the Frauenlager and 22-23000 in the Großes Frauenlager of which:
18000 are Hungarian, Polish, Rumanian, Czech and German Jews,
2000 are Russian,
'Several thousand' Yugoslav, Polish, French and Belgians arrested by the Gestapo for resistance to German occupation[26]
Approx 10000 unburied bodies.
15133 prisoners in Bergen-Belsen(now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks. The majority of these are Russian and Poles.
Lt Col Taylor interviews Oberst Harries who declares that the S.S. are solely responsible for the control of Bergen-Belsen.
Lt Col Taylor tells Josef Kramer that the S.S. Administrative Staff are to hand in their arms. Kramer answers that they could not enter the camp unarmed and they were required to protect the food supplies. Lt Col Taylor agrees 'he can keep his arms for the present but that for every inmate of the camp who is shot one S.S. man will be executed.'[26]
Lt Col Taylor demands the camp records from Josef Kramer who reports that they have been destroyed on the orders of the Hauptwirtschaftsampt in Berlin.[26]
Reports of prisoners rioting in the cookhouses, leaving no food remaining and Hungarian guards shoot several internees. Josef Kramer is ordered to carry one of the wounded to the hospital block.
Brig Glyn Hughes and Lt Col Taylor complete a reconnaissance of Bergen-Belsen.
15-16 Prisoners loot clothing stores and took possession of empty huts in the SS compound.
British Army soldiers fire shots over the heads of former prisoners in an attempt to keep order[28]
Prisoners raid the Pigsty to the rear of Block 9 and slaughter 50 pigs.
Prisoners loot Block 50. The tents from this store begin to appear all over the KZ.
Despite British armed guards and a Sherman tank being tasked with protecting the contents of the foodstore (Block 9) and Gemüsekeller, they are successfully looted by prisoners.[26]
Seven Kapo's are murdered in Camp II in Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks.[26] (some claim as many as 150)
16 Lt. (later Capt.) Derrick Sington broadcasts 'The Germans have nothing more to do with this camp. The camp is now under the control of the British Army. Food and medical aid are being rushed up immediately. Obey our orders and instructions. By so doing you will help us and it is the best way by which you can help yourselves.'[26]
Harold Le Druillenec identifies himself to Lt. (later Capt.) Derrick Sington.[26]
S.S. Administrative Staff of Camp II in Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks are disarmed and arrested. They are imprisoned in MB 72.[26]
Hauptscharführer Paul Steinmetz suggests that water might be pumped from the Meisse.[26]
At 1600 hrs water tankers, food, coal and cooking equipment arrives. The food supplies consist of dried milk powder, rye flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, tinned meat and vegetables.
Due to a problem with one of the kitchens, it is not possible to give the internees hot soup. Instead one tin of cold stew and one tin of biscuits per man are distibuted via Block Seniors relying 'upon their honour and humanity to see that the sick get their share of the food'.[26] Due to darkness, it is impossible to distribute this food in the Frauenlager.
Major Leonard Berney of 817 Military Government Detachment (responsible for the general administration of Bergen-Belsen) discovers a German supply depot in Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks stocked with many tons of potatoes, tinned meat, dried milk, sugar, cocoa, grains and other foodstuffs. Next to this store was a bakery capable of producing 40000 3lb loaves per day. In addition to these a dairy was found in Bergen (approx 3 km's from Belsen) with a daily production capacity of large amounts of milk, butter and cheese.
17 224 Military Goverment Detachment, commanded by Major Miles takes control of KZ Bergen-Belsen and Camp II in Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks.
Hospital set up at Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks.
Members of the 5th British Army Film and Photograph Unit (AFPU) arrive.
Seven Kapo's beaten to death by former prisoners in Camp 2.[30]
Disarming of all SS personnel. Josef Kramer is arrested and paraded manacled and half naked around the camp.[29]
Approx 2300 hrs a female prisoner is shot dead outside one of the blocks and Kapo Erich Zoddel is found with her. Initially it is believed that someone had attempted to assassinate him as an act of revenge or jealousy, but had killed the female instead. A Polish female witness who had gone to the door of the block after the shots had been fired stated "All I saw is Eric standing there, holding his neck, the girl lying on the ground, and a tall man running away". She also added "It is disgusting now. Everybody is sleeping with everybody else. Such things are all right in private, but, all together in the block, it is disgusting".[26] 31 August 1945 Kapo Erich Zoddel is sentenced to death by a Military Court in Celle for this crime.
18 The first ambulances of 11 Light Field Ambulance arrive and evacuate the first 500 Typhus cases.[26]
Hauptsturmführer Josef Kramer transferred to prison camp in Diest.
The British realise that the food that they are feeding the prisoners with is unsuitable. 'These coarse or fatty substances had the effect of further irritating the stomachs of people with dysentery, and the starvation sufferers digestive juices had dried up from long lack of nourishment, so that their leathery stomachs could no longer digest these foods'[26]
Burial of the dead begins. At first the guards were ordered to collect the bodies and bury them. Due to the numbers of dead, and the risk of more disease outbreaks, it is decided to use bulldozers to push the piles of bodies into mass graves (this method was used on only two occasions).
One of the SS men burying the dead commits suicide.[25]
Two SS men shot attempting to escape.[25] One of which is shot in the Löschwasserbecken of the Großes Frauenlager.[26]
Medical teams begin work.
15000 prisoners have been deloused.
Temporary Belsen Jewish Committee elected chaired by Josef Rosensaft
First reports of the conditions of Bergen-Belsen appear in the British press.
19-30 8992[15] Prisoners die
19 Sergeant Eric Clyne reports to Lt.(later Captain) Derrick Sington that "People in the camp are complaining a great deal about the Block Seniors. They say that they should not be allowed to remain in office".[26]
One of the SS Staff used for the burial details commits suicide whilst another two are shot attempting to escape. Their bodies are buried in the mass graves.
Arrest of remaining SS personnel. 49 male and 26 female prison guards placed under arrest. Of these 75 approx 20 die within the following weeks, some from sepsis (through ptomaine), the majority from Typhus.
3000 Westerners from Camp II are fit and available for repatriation.
825[15] Deaths
20 SS man shot attempting to escape in the Großes Frauenlager.[26]
696[15] Deaths
Major Miles, Officer Commanding 224 Miltary Government Detachment, convenes a meeting with 11 representatives of the International Committee (Madame Wandowska, Paul Hilfinger, Stefanie Kuder, Dr. Frejafon, M. Rene Piketty, Max Levy, Eduard Luchinsky, Dr. Malatinski, Janina Jasinska, M. Olezewski, Dr. Gottlieb, Major Mihail Ustinov, Dr. Ilarian Michailovski and a Yugoslav Lieutenant who was later identified as a Kapo) to discuss the human distress in the camp and the identities of criminal collaborators. All present agree to prepare lists of names for the following day. Major Mihail Ustinov names, amongst others, Kapo Erich Zoddel. "He is a Berlin crimnal, a professional thief. Every day he struck people over the head. Ten days ago he knocked out a Pole's eyes. He helped the SS doctors to murder people with petrol injections. According to a Slovak doctor in this camp he is syphilitic"[26]
800 Wehrmacht soldiers leave Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to return to German lines as per the truce of 12 April.
21 As a result of the previous days meeting, almost every member of the International Committee hands in a list of names of criminal 'office holders'.[26]
Major Davies, of the USA Typhus Commission arrives at Bergen-Belsen and is assigned the responsibility for the creation and command of a typhus control unit whose primary duty was preventative.
The 'Human Laundry' is established and evacuation of Bergen-Belsen begins at 1100 hrs. After being deloused, the former prisoners are moved into either newly established hospitals or clean barrack accommodation at Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) barracks. 300 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
113 L.A.A. Regt Workshops R.E.M.E. creates a makeshift water supply using civilian fire engines from Celle to pump water from the Meisse, a small river approx 500 metres to the NW of the Großes Frauenlager.
400[15]/321[16] Deaths
22 500 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
Kapo Erich Zoddel is arrested.
1250[15]/520[16] Deaths
23 1700[15]/344[16] Deaths
24 530 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
1200[15]/618[16] Deaths
The remaining German troops are returned to their lines. Approx 50% of these, including Oberst Schmidt wished to remain as POW's. This request was rejected by General Dempsey.
The Bürgermeisters of Celle and other towns are paraded at a Mass Grave to witness the dead.
Evacuation of medically fit prisoners begins.
1164[17] French/Dutch Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Displaced Persons (DP) route.
23[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
25 621 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
912 Military Government Detachment's organisation of the bakery at Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks and the dairy at Bergen results in the first deliveries of milk, butter and cheese into Bergen-Belsen.
785[15]/68[16] Deaths
1130[17] Belgian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Displaced Persons (DP) route.
512[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
26 647 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
343[15]/301[16] Deaths
1219[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
27 603 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
496[15]/281[16] Deaths
596[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
28 637 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
Burial backlog completed.
421[15]/304[16] Deaths
1170[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
Bergen-Belsen straffed by the Luftwaffe.
29 724 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
All arrested SS camp staff transferred to prison in Celle.
326[15]/259[16] Deaths
1626[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
30 633 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
Adolf Hitler commits suicide.
First of 96/97 medical students arrive from London to help with relief work.
600[15]/360[16] Deaths
26[17] German Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to prison in Celle.
1631[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
May    
1 617 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
410[15] Deaths
30[17] Czechoslovakian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Displaced Persons (DP) route.
33[17]Germans evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to POW camps.
30[17] German Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to return home.
2 449[15]Deaths
325[16] Buried
2468[17] Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Fallingbostel.
37[17] Germans evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to POW camps.
4177[15]/1290[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
3 373[15] Deaths
223[16] Buried
733[15]/1734[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks.
4 The Officers Mess (The Roundhouse) in Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks is equipped with beds and brought into use as a hospital.
The Wehrmacht occupants of the hospital (later known as the Glyn Hughes hospital) at Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks are evacuated to Sandbostel.
1825 hrs. Field Marshal Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery accepted the surrender of German forces in northern Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.
317[15] Deaths
216[16] Buried
433[17] Italian and Yugoslavian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
98[15]/831[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
German infrastructure in the British zone estimated as:
650 from 8000 miles of rail track open to traffic.
Roads badly damaged.
Rhein and canals almost all out of use.
Iron, stell and coal production severely affected by allied bombing.
22% housing destroyed and a further 35% damaged.
5 209[15] Deaths
45[16] Buried
413[17] Czechoslovakian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
80[17] Gypsy Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
9559[15]/790[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
6 186[16] Buried
4984[17] Polish Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
1042[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
7 Unconditional surrender of German troops to Allies
630 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
162[16] Buried
162[17] Polish Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
966[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
8 VE Day
482 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
100[16] Buried
18[17] Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Fallingbostel.
1525[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
9 118[16] Buried
1285[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
10 661 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
118[16] Buried
580[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
11 Approx 260 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
61[16] Buried
364[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
12 Member of the S.S. dies of Typhus[27]
60[16] Buried
61[17] Yugoslavian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Marienburg.
50[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
13 178 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry'[27]
45[16] Buried
75[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
14 47[16] Buried
Mid Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks is the largest hospital in Europe housing over 13000 patients.
15 30[16] Buried
760[17] Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Lüneburg.
British Army has recorded 12453 deaths.
16 30[16] Buried
746[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
17 Arrested SS Administration Staff and Aufseherinen are transfered to prison in Celle.
631 former prisoners processed through the 'Human Laundry' (Grand total stands as 11890)[27]
14[16] Buried
90[17] Belgian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Soltau.
39[17] Czechoslovakian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Soltau.
415[17] French Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Soltau.
2[17] Luxembourg Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Soltau.
7[17] Spanish Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Soltau.
477[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
18 A German nurse that helped in the 'Human Laundry' dies of typhus.[27]
2[16] Buried
76[17] Czechoslovakian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
73[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
19 Approx 14000 former prisoners have been admitted to the various hospitals in Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks.
1[16] Buried
421[16] Evacuated from Bergen-Belsen to Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks
Burning of the camp begins.
Evacuation of Bergen-Belsen completed.
20 70[17] Yugoslavian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Marienburg.
21 17000 former internees have been repatriated.
2186[17] Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Barum.
Shortly after 1800 hrs the last remaining Block of Bergen-Belsen burnt to the ground (The former SS part of the camp remained)
22 1194[17] Czechoslovakian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
42[17] Greek Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
52[17] Greek and Romanian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
34[17] Italian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
5[17] Latvian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
22[17] Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
501[17] Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Fallingbostel.
49[17] mixed race Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Celle.
23 1184[17] Polish Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Barduwick.
24 1020[17] stateless Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen (now Bergen-Hohne) Barracks to Lingen.
1-31 4531[15]Prisoners die
Jun    
  British rename Bergen-Belsen Barracks, Bergen-Hohne.
1-20 421[15] Prisoners die
19 400 former prisoners board a train to Lübeck to be evacuated to Sweden.
20 Allies introduce special category of Displaced Persons (DP's) known as 'Non-repatriables'
21 First JRU team arrives.
23 7000 Prisoners evacuated to Sweden.
24 Belsen Jewish Committee enlarged to represent all Jews in the British Zone.
28 The Daily Mirror reports 20 former S.S. staff have died of Typhus.
30 13944[15] prisoners die since liberation (2000 of which because they were given the wrong type of food by well-meaning British Soldiers[7])
Jul    
8 Conference of 54 Jewish communities in Germany held in Bergen-Hohne. The representatives agree to elect a Central Jewish Representative Council.
12 First edition of Unzer Sztyme is published.
Aug    
  Major Winwood Royal Artillery informed that he was to defend Josef Kramer, Fritz Klein, Peter Weingartner and Georg Kraft at their trial.
Sep    
17 Trial of 'Josef Kramer and Forty Four others' begins at 30 Lindenstraße, Lüneburg.
25 Jewish memorial consecration ceremony.
25-27 Central Committee of Liberated Jews hold their first Congress.
Oct    
  British Military Government orders the German Provincial Government in Hannover to set up the appropriate memorial 'to ensure that the memory of infamy of the concentration camps does not fade' [7]
  23 Ladislaw Gura falls ill at the trial of 'Josef Kramer and Forty Four others'
Nov    
  Official total of DP's in Bergen-Hohne stands at approx 16000 of which 11000 are Polish, Romanian and Hungarian Jews.
17 Trial of 'Josef Kramer and Forty Four others' ends. Josef Kramer, Dr. Fritz Klein, Peter Weingartner, Franz Hössler, Juana Bormann, Elisabeth Volkenrath, Irma Grese, Karl Flrazich (Francioh), Anchor Pinchen (Ansgar Pichen), Franz Stofel and Wilhelm Dörr sentenced to death.
Dec    
8 Field Marshall Mongomery confirms the sentences passed down by the Trial of 'Josef Kramer and Forty Four others.'
13 Death sentence carried at Hameln Prison on Josef Kramer (1211 hrs), Dr. Fritz Klein (1211 hrs), Peter Weingartner (1246 hrs), Franz Hössler (1537 hrs), Juana Bormann (1038 hrs), Elisabeth Volkenrath (0934 hrs), Irma Grese (1003 hrs), Karl Flrazich (Francioh) (1246 hrs), Anchor Pinchen (Ansgar Pichen) (1537 hrs), Franz Stofel (1616 hrs) and Wilhelm Dörr (1616 hrs).