Hinzert camp; convoy
The Hinzert camp (about thirty kilometers south-east of Trier) was initially made up of barracks where, from 1938, workers who were working on the motorway network and 'Westwall' lived. This camp burned on August 16, 1939 and was replaced by a new camp which served as an education camp for the workers who had been noted for insubordination. After the invasion of Benelux and France, Hinzert was integrated into the administration of the concentration camps. The prisoners were still recalcitrant workers, but from 1941 political prisoners came to join them. As a general rule, for many prisoners, Hinzert was the first step before being sent to other camps such as Natzweiler, Dachau, and Buchenwald. Few prisoners were released from Hinzert. The prisoners came mainly from Luxembourg, France, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands. More than 70 Soviet prisoners of war were murdered at Hinzert, as well as Jews and Gypsies. Many of Hinzert's prisoners were sent to factories to work as slaves. Between 1600 and 1800 Luxembourgers passed by Hinzert; 82 died, including 20 shot in September 1942 following the strike and 23 on February 25, 1944 as leaders of the Luxembourg Resistance. The Nazis abandoned the camp on March 3, 1945, taking the prisoners to the interior of Germany.
Collection du Film Scolaire no. 100101 Hinzert. Includes French titles. Soldiers gather for repatriation of Luxembourgers who died in Hinzert. Official ceremony takes place on March 9, 1946. Military trucks. INTs chapel, ceremony for those who died, coffins, men in striped uniforms. 00:01:40"Grand Duche de Luxembourg Education Nationale Film Scolair" title."Les ceremonies qui ont eu lieu lors du transfert de nos heros vers le sol natal les 9 et 10 Mars 194""Dans la brume du 9 Mars 1946, a 8 heures, un convoi compose de 12 camions part pour Hinzer" Snowy, windy field. Sign:"Hinzert 2.3 km Beuern 5.0 km Bescheid 8.0 k" Tree-lined road."Au camp de Hinzer" Sign:"SS-Sonderlager-Hinzert" LS camp, barbed wire, snowy grounds, fences, watchtowers. Men at military truck. INTs, coffins with exhumed Luxembourg's. Soldiers carry the coffins out of barracks into the trucks. Men gathered on camp grounds. Procession of vehicles, motorcycles."A Hermeskei""Les honneurs sont rendus par un detachement de soldats Francai" Soldiers line road at the crossing at Hermeskeil, awaiting procession, drummers. CUs, soldiers, drummers, motorcade."Le Convoi Passe a Treve" The convoy approaches cobblestone streets and railway tracks. Illegible title card. Crowds line the roads, flags, men in striped uniform. Convoy crosses bridge. Church bells. Camera views of the crowds from a vehicle on the convoy. Clergy. Wreath."Sur tout le parcours le peuple Luxembourgeois attend les depouilles mortelles de ceux qui par leur mort ont sauve la patri" Spectators line roads in Luxembourg city. Clocktower. Soldiers in city square Place d'Armes prepare for ceremony. Vehicles arrive. Band. Military procession. Men in striped uniform. A coffin is offloaded.