A major public outcry has erupted in Austria over plans to develop the site of the former Gitternberg women's concentration camp. On the grounds where hundreds of female prisoners were held during World War II, local authorities and developers plan to build a modern Lidl supermarket and a large logistics center.
The idea of turning a historical memorial site into a commercial zone has sparked outrage among historians, human rights activists, and representatives of the Jewish community. However, despite the protests, federal officials have already approved the construction.
The history of the site: from forced labor to retail rows
The Gitternberg camp was opened in September 1944 and was a sub-camp of the notorious Mauthausen camp system. It was the second-largest women's concentration camp in Austria. According to historical guides of the memorial complex, about 400 women were held within the camp walls. Most of them were Jewish women deported from Auschwitz, although the composition of the prisoners was diverse.
The conditions of detention were harsh: women were used as free labor for the production of ammunition. The youngest prisoner was only 16 years old, and the oldest was a 58-year-old Polish woman. In April 1945, before the arrival of the Allies, the camp was hastily evacuated.
Today, a logistics complex with loading docks and freezer sections, as well as a branch of the German discounter, is planned for this site. Essentially, at the place where people once suffered from forced labor, trucks with food products will be unloaded.
Corruption scandal and the position of the authorities
Plans to demolish the remains of the camp and build a store were announced as early as 2024, which immediately provoked the first protests. At the center of the scandal is the mayor of Leobersdorf, Andreas Ramharther. According to the Wiener Zeitung, the official, who is also a real estate businessman, may have derived personal profit from this deal.
Barbara Gluck, Director of the Mauthausen Memorial, called the decision to demolish the camp a "shame". She is seconded by Oscar Deutsch, President of the Israelite Cultural Society of Vienna. He emphasized that a shopping center should not obscure the dark pages of history.
"This profit was obtained here at the expense of the memory of the tortured and murdered women," Deutsch stated, insisting that the site should be preserved to commemorate the victims.
The law is on the side of the developer
Despite ethical arguments, the legal situation is in favor of the developers. The Federal Monuments Office of Austria conducted an expert examination of the surviving buildings and concluded that the surviving fragments are "insufficient to obtain the status of a protected monument".
Thus, the state has officially approved the demolition of the camp remains. Now, on the territory that became a symbol of tragedy for hundreds of women, a modern logistics hub and supermarket will operate.
