In 1944, on the site of today’s Böcklerpark on the opposite bank of the canal, Filter und Mann KG built a barrack camp. The arms manufacturer consolidated their more than 400 forced labourers from seven different camps here. The barracks were destroyed by an air raid on August 15, 1944. As was the norm, the company demanded damages from the city of Berlin.
Barracks in the Park
Barracks on the Canal
This 1943 Allied aerial photo shows forced labour camps in what is now Böcklerpark.
Total Loss of Our Barrack Camp
After an air raid, the company Filter und Mann applied for compensation.
There Sang the Eastern Workers
The German journalist Ursula von Kardorff remembers songs then sung by Ukrainians.
Cursed Be My Fate
60 years later: Tetjana B. sings a song from back then. Photo: Ukrainians in a camp in Spandau, 1943
I Often Went to the Ukranians
Polish woman Barbara Michalska talks about listening to the Ukrainian songs.
Address:
Prinzenstraße 1-4
10969 Berlin
Directions:
U Prinzenstraße
Sources:
“Total Loss of our Barrack Camp”: Landesarchiv Berlin
“There Sang the Eastern Workers”: Ursula von Kardorff, Berlin recording 1942-1945, Munich 1962
“Cursed Be My Fate”: Interview with Tetjana B., 2005, Online archive “Forced Labor 1939-1945”, za469 (song); private photo von Aart M., Collection of the Berliner Geschichtswerkstatt (photo)
“I often went to the Ukrainians”: Testimony of Barbara Michalska, 2005, Private archive Martin
Station