Bartolith-Werke: Between post-war boom and concentration camp

Bartolith-Werke: Between post-war boom and concentration camp

Erding, Deutschland - An revealing lecture on the Bartolith works in Erding has brought the dark history of the company to light. Georg Wiesmaier and Dr. Giulio Salvati revealed that the once flourishing Bartolith works were not only an economic pillar of the post-war period, but also entered the history books as an outer warehouse of the Dachau concentration camp. The renowned company, known for its wood concrete building boards used when building barracks, has a past that is characterized by forced labor and inhuman conditions.

The listeners in the Erdinger Weißbräu, many of them with personal connections to the company, received a leaflet that was reminiscent of a Bartolith light construction plate. This included frightening quotes from process files and images that made the contradictions in the representation of the Bartolith works clear. Seidl, the founder of the company, had a less glorious career as a merchant before the foundation was founded and was in prison for embezzlement. In 1942 he founded the Bartolith-Werke and received a large order from Dachau concentration camp, which led to the request of prisoners.

The dark reality of forced labor

The conditions under which the prisoners had to work were catastrophic. "Anyone who breaks plates is shot," recalled a former concentration camp inmate of the brutal threats of the company boss. While the prisoners suffered from extreme conditions, large amounts of food were found in Seidl's basement that were intended for the workers. At the same time, however, there are also reports that Seidl represent as benevolent, which is fueling the public discussion about its role in history.

The historians emphasized the need to critically examine the past. Questions such as: "Is it appropriate to name a street after a founder of a concentration camp outer warehouse?" were raised and were very well received in the audience. The audience, many former Bartolith works, shared their personal stories and emphasized the importance of an honest examination of history. The event illustrated how important it is to critically question supposedly well -behaved citizens and their actions.

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OrtErding, Deutschland

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