Camps in Działdowo during World War II

Po rozpoczęciu II wojny światowej w Działdowie (niem. Soldau) urządzono obóz, w którym przetrzymywano nie tylko jeńców wojennych, lecz także ludność cywilną, w tym Polaków i Żydów. Aresztowanych torturowano i zabijano. Od grudnia 1939 r. w obozie przetrzymywano przedstawicieli lokalnych elit, w tym działaczy politycznych, duchownych, nauczycieli i urzędników państwowych. Szacuje się, że do kwietnia 1940 r. w obozie zabito ok. 15 tys. osób. Pomimo że obóz funkcjonował później jako obóz pracy przymusowej a następnie jako obóz karny, to w swoim charakterze nie odbiegał od obozów koncentracyjnych. Z tego powodu byli więźniowie obozu w Działdowie są traktowani tak samo jak więźniowie obozów koncentracyjnych.This paper covers events connected with the occupation and creation of camps and other sites of internment of the Polish and the Jews in Działdowo during 1939‒1945. On the first of September 1939 the town was attacked by German soldiers who gained control of the positions in the market square without a single gunshot. During the war in the area of the town and in the vicinity sites for internment of POW’s were organized, the civilian population of Polish and Jewish nationality. Arrested persons were tortured and killed in rooms of the house. Since December 1939 the Gestapo arrest was moved to the barracks where the activity of the transitory camp for the Polish began. Among them were priests, teachers, clerks, diplomats. In fact, this camp served as a place of extermination for all categories of prisoners, Polish political activists, displaced persons and Jews. The inhabitants of Działdowo and neighbouring localities were unintentional witnesses of these crimes. Due to lack of documents one can assess the number of victims at about 15 thousands victims. This action ended in the middle of April. The camp has been transformed into the camp of educational labour for persons refusing to work. Soon the camp changed its character as a penalty camp. Taking into consideration life and labour difficult conditions of this camp and high number of its victims, this camp has been treated on a par with the concentration camps. Therefore the former prisoners of complex camp in Działdowo have received identical benefits