Stadtteilrundgang: NS-Zwangsarbeit in Schönefeld

with Annabell Reichstein

During the Second World War, people from all over Europe were exploited as forced laborers in Leipzig's Schönefeld district. The district tour gives a brief introduction to the topic of Nazi forced labor and presents selected places where the foreign workers had to work and live under inhumane conditions. The postal station on Rohrteichstraße (now Adenauerallee) and the parcel distribution center shaped the district. Forced laborers were also deployed "at the post office" and housed in Schönefeld. Other forced laborers only lived here for a short time, but were clearly present in everyday life.

Their living and working conditions are illuminated during the tour of the district, and the difficulties of fragmentary file finds are discussed.

Finally, the history of a shopping arcade is examined. Where a supermarket is located today, at least 400 forced laborers worked in a metalworking factory between 1943 and 1945, manufacturing products for the armaments industry. Their camp on Kohlweg was within walking distance and forms the final point of the tour.

Meeting point: corner Rohrteichstraße/ Schönefelder Allee (entrance Mariannenpark), duration approx. 1½ hours)