Memorial The Bunker Drama Vught

Lunettenlaan 600, Vught
North Brabant, Netherlands, the

This memorial "The Bunker Drama" is a reminder of the atrocities in Camp Vught. On the night of 15 to 16 January 1944 in the prison camp 74 women were confined in a cramped cell. Ten women lost their lives. Text on the plaques: [i] THE BUNKER DRAMA THE WOMEN FROM BARRACK 23-B PROTESTED OUT OF SOLIDARITY THE IMPRISONMENT OF THEIR BARAC LEADER. IN RESPONSE, AN ANGERED CAMP COMMANDER GRUNEWALD, WITH THE HELP OF SOME UNDERLINGS, RUSHED AS MANY AS WOMEN AS POSSIBLE INTO A CELL ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 15TH 1944. IN THIS WAY, 74 WOMEN WERE CRAMPED INTO THE FRESHLY BRICKED CELL 115. THE CELL HAD A FLOOR SURFACE AREA OF 9 m2 AND WAS BARELY VENTILATED. FOR 14 HOURS THESE WOMEN WERE LOCKED UP HERE. WHAT HAPPENED HERE DEFIES EVERY DESCRIPTION. MANY WOMEN PASSED OUT DUE TO LACK OF OXYGEN, OTHERS BECAME INSANE. BODY MOISTURE AND HEAT FROM FRESH MASONRY CREATED SALPETER ACID AND CAUSED CORROSIVE BURNS. UNCONSCIOUS AND DEAD WOMEN LAID ON TOP OF EACH OTHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CELL. WHEN THE CELL WAS OPENED THE NEXT MORNING, 10 WOMEN WERE FOUND DEAD. CELL 115 IS, USING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AUTHENTIC MATERIAL FROM THE BUNKER, REBUILT IN THE RIGHT AREA OF THE CREMATORY. IN MEMORY OF MINA HARTOGS-SAMSON - GEB. HARDERWIJK 08-02-1885 LAMMERDINA E. HOLST - GEB. AMSTERDAM 08-11-1887 ANNA M.F. GOOSZEN - GEB. AMSTERDAM, 20-04-1888 MARCH DEN BRABER - GEB. ROTTERDAM 01-11-1894 JOHANNA C.A. VAN DEN HOEK - GEB. ROTTERDAM 24-6-1900 HUIBERDINA A. WITTE-VERHAGEN - GEB. HARDERWIJK 12/30/1901 LENA BAGMEIJER NEWSPAPER - GEB. UTRECHT 10/26/1903 LAMBERTA A.M. BUITEMAN-HUIJSMANS - GEB. GORINCHEM 04-07-1904 ANTOINETTE A. JANSSEN - GEB. RUHRORT 11/26/1904 NELLIE A.J. THE MESSENGER - GEB. MR 9/7/1905 DIED IN THE NIGHT OF 15 TO 16 JANUARY 1944. [/i]

Relevant info:

Website

Sources

Text by: TracesOfWar

Photo(s): Jeroen Koppes (1), Herma de Vries (2,3,4)

Related articles (3)