DP Camps in Austria, A-C

120 camps in 1948, some are listed here: 42,075 residents in 1947
20,174 residents in 1949
19,122 residents in 1950
If your camp isn't here, e-mail me and I'll add it.

And open thank your to Klaus Forhinger and Herta M. for all the hard work they did helping me find the archives, city offices and updating these Austrian pages.

Here is an Excel worksheet which Klaus Fohringer provided which shows camps, regions, zones and proxity. He did a lot of work for you. Take a look.

DPL Osterreich2.xls
It should download to your desktop.

12/19/04
Already at this point, it is fair to argue that many more primary sources have been discovered in semi-archival deposits of banks and companies as well as museums. Although these sources are in many cases highly fragmentary, in total they constitute much more than what has previously been available for historical research.

Archives that had been closed or had limited access in East Central Europe and Russia were found to contain material from the Nazi period. Due to general disinterest in thorough historical documentation combined with underlying fears of facing the "truth" with respect to the Nazi period, most of the banks and companies involved in the recent legal disputes rarely established professionally structured archives that also contained material from outside sources (such as the fragmentary collections of the Creditanstalt-Bankverein, which in the 1980s ended academic research started by Eduard März in 1973 and never approached a professional archival solution beyond the level of board meeting minutes. In the mid-1970s they destroyed a large collection of documents.

The former Oesterreichische Laenderbank's documentation is even more fragmentary, whereas the former Zentralsparkasse in Vienna, now part of the Bank Austria group, still has a large deposit of archival documentation.

Other companies like the Voest Alpine Stahl AG in Linz forgot about the existence of the largest collection of documents that were stored in the cellar of a "Luftschutz" tower and contained more than 30,000 personnel records of forced labor and German workers. In comparison, like in most of the Austrian and German companies, the personnel records of the Volkswagen AG have been completely destroyed. Alan Newark /United Kingdom

Map source: USHMM

Austria, by Colonel Charles J. Farinacci, MC (Ret.):
"The rapid collapse of the German Army in Austria in May 1945 found the quadripartite powers somewhat unprepared for the complex public health problems which confronted them. In the first days of the occupation, the major task facing the U.S. Army was that of halting, under conditions of extreme filth, malnutrition, and starvation, the spread of serious communicable diseases by disease-infested victims of Nazi oppression among a civilian population that was both demoralized and confused. Land Upper Austria and, to a lesser degree, Land Salzburg, in the spring and summer of 1945 were foci of such problems. In addition to the indigenous population....estimated at somewhat more than 1 million inhabitants, there were an estimated 700,000 displaced persons and refugees, including about 80,000 concentration camp inmates of five large camps, 200,000 displaced Austrian refugees, and 250,000 disarmed enemy forces (prisoners of war).

"The Four Power Declaration of 4 July 1945 stated that Austria had been restored to its 1937 (pre-Anschluss) frontiers; it was administratively divided into eight provinces and the city of Vienna. The same Allied agreement divided Austria into four occupation zones.

"The Soviet zone included (1) the province of Burgenland (which had a common frontier with Hungary), (2) the province of Lower Austria (Vienna, which lies within it, received quadripartite occupation), and (3) that part of the province of Upper Austria (Mühlviertel) which lies on the north bank of the Danube River and shares a common frontier with Czechoslovakia and a small part of West Germany.

"The U.S. zone consisted of (1) the province of Salzburg, and (2) that part of the province of Upper Austria lying on the south bank of the Danube River, both of which have common frontiers with West Germany.

"The French zone, bordering on Switzerland and Italy, consisted of the provinces of Tirol and Vorarlberg.." For more, see: http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/civilaffairs/chapter14.htm

Admont, (at Enns River) Land Steiermark (British Zone) (Styria), 2000 Jews; two camps UNRAA 314, 334; See also Frauenberg DP camp.

Municipal office: Gemeindeamt Admont
Hauptstrasse 36
A 8911 ADMONT
Telefon: 0043 3613 2106-0
Email: gemeinde@admont.at
(In Admont there is a very nice man, who worked there. His name: Mr. Gutternigg)

Stift Admont (Steiermark)
Benediktinerstift, A-8911 Admont
Tel. (03613) [0043 3613] 2312 34
Fax (03613) [0043 3613] 2312 46

One of the bigger camps (capacity: 2.000 persons; a former Nazi military camp), I only found the little attached picture and a short movie (bad quality) at the following address:
http://www.cine-holocaust.de/cgi-bin/gdq?dfw00fbw000512.gd
Klaus Fohringer Austria

Klaus supplied the following photos: on the left, the area around Admont, Admont village and Monastery; and on the right Lager Admont in 1946 (erected 1938):

  
Photo source: Municipality of Admont

Alberschwende, at Bregenz, Land Vorarlberg, (French zone)

Municipal office: Gemeindeamt Alberschwende
Hof 3
A 6861 Alberschwende
(this place is in near from Dornbirn)
Tel: +43 5579 4220-0
fax: +43 5579 4220-9
Email: alberschwende@gemeindeam

This is a computer translation: "Pursuit and resistance in Vorarlberg 1933-1945, was published by the Johann August Malin Society in 1985. The book treats for Vorarlberg for the first time in detail and comprehensively pursuit and resistance under "staendestaatlichen" Regime (of the elimination of the federal parliament in March 1933 up to the National Socialist seizure of power in March 1938) as well as under the LV dictatorship from March 1938 up to the end of war at the beginning of of May 1945. The encyclopedia contains data to persons, who had either their regular domicile between 1933 and 1945 in Vorarlberg or by their origin were bound to the country. Where necessary, the data on the basis of new research results were updated. "

Alserbachstrasse (9th district Alsergrund)

Ansfelden (see Haid)

http://www.theatrelibrary.org/sibmas/idpac/europe/ata002.html#2

Asten, Land Upper Austria, (U.S. zone) See also Linz archives. UNRRA Team 339.

Resettlement centre, near Linz, Land Upper Austria, (U.S.)

Asten, Aged unit, Land Upper Austria, (U.S..)

Asten, Chronic sic unit, Land Upper Austria, (U.S.)

Municipal office: Gemeindeamt Asten Marktplatz 2 A 4481 Asten Tel: 0043 7224 66381 - 0 Fax: 0043 7224 66381 - 24 Email: gemeinde@asten.ooe.gv.at
Hello, I have finally found the web site that I have been searching for, but I need help. I was born in Asten Resettlement Camp near Linz, Austria in 1946. I was born to Marija Glavasevic and Joseph Lickert (later name change to Hancl). My mother and I resettled in the USA in Sept. 1949 and my birth father and his family resettled in Australia in 1949 also. Could you give me a few leads on how to reseach more information on Asten DP camp? Can I request copies of status sheets, medical info, indentity papers, or any other info relating to our stay in Asten Camp, from any agencies in the USA or Austria? My mother is now 80 years old and she cannot remember dates and names of places during the war years and post war years. Please, ANY information you can find for me will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Alex Glavasevic
Hi Alex and Olga, I was born in Asten and lived in the DP camp for 5 years. My family emigrated to Winnipeg, Canada. In fact, more than few Ukrainians and Poles from Asten ended up in Winnipeg, Canada. In 1975, I visited the former camp, which is now a prison. I also found my sister's baptismal records at the Asten Catholic church. I'm a sociologist and educator, currently living in Shanghai. For some time I've been thinking of getting in touch with others who were born in that camp. Maybe this could be a start. I'd like to find out what happened to them...what their lives have been like etc. Do you know any others from that place and time? I know that my mother has some pictures from her time at Camp Asten, so when I return for a visit I will try to get these scanned for your site. But that will probably not be until next May. My family name is Zajac. There are four girls in my family. Two of us started our lives at DP Camp Asten. I hope my invitation to hear from people born in Asten draws answers via your site. Will let you know what comes of it. My highest regards to Olga Kaczmar for the monumental labor of love! Cheers, Bohdanna
Dear Olga, I was happy to find your page. Please accept my apology for my bad English and bothering you with this message. I am a 75 old Hungarian Jew living in Costa Rica since 1949. After years of searching for my family I have received yesterday a formal communication from the Red Cross International Tracing Service stating that my sister, EVA, born in Szigetvar (Hungary) and deported first, with my mother, to Auschwitz, transfered to Stutthof on 20th July 1944 was registered the 5th of March 1949 in Asten DP Camp /Austria. After this date no further records was found. Now I intend to find out whether she is still alive and of course how can I contact her or anybody who can give me some information about her actual or past whereabouts. Can you help me with some advice what shall I do? I will be profoundly grateful to you for your kindness, Sincerely, Etienne (Istvan) Somogyi (San Jose, Costa Rica) e.mail: etiennesomogyi@sonivision.co.cr somogyi@amnet.co.cr
Book: Death marches of Hungarian Jews by Eleanor Lappin Forced workers text in German http://ruprecht.fsk.uni-heidelberg.de/ausgaben/53/ganz.htm
DP residents assembled in dining hall at Christmas 1949. Photo source: Austrian Picture Archives http://www.bildarchiv.at/		Asten church Photo source: Virtual Museum of Upper Austria http://www.ooegeschichte.at/

Bad Gastein, (at Pongau province) (US Zone) considered luxurious (use of different hotels...), Jews, UNRRA Team 322, Land Salzburg

Municipal office: Gemeindeamt Bad Gastein Kaiser Franz-Josef-Strasse 1 A 5640 Bad Gastein Tel: 0043 6434 3744 - 0 Fax: 0043 6434 3744 - 33 Email: gemeindeamt@bad-gastein.at
		Chaplain and children, 1945 Photo source: National Museum of American Jewish Military History http://www.nmajmh.org/

See USHMM web exhibition: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/dp/menu.htm

Bad Hofgastein (near Badgastein), hospital

Bad Ischl in Salzkammergut province; Jews, Russian (probably Ukrainians misnamed); (US zone)

City Archive: Stadtarchiv Bad Ischl Pfarrgasse 11
A-4820 Bad Ischl
Tel: +43 (6132) 233 4151
Fax: +43 (6132) 233 4111

http://aufbauonline.com/1999/issue14/pages14/20.html (about Bricha routes to Italy)

3/17/05 Hello Olga,
I discovered your website about DP Camps in Austria with delight. My family, Andrew and Anna Vinogradov (now Vinson) and I escaped from Prague in 1944 when I was 1 year old and traveled to Salzburg/Parsch and then to Bad Ischl where an acquaintance of my father's, Nicolai Makarov, had a house and was building roads for the semi-infamous Organization Tod. Makarov was subsequently arrested for maltreating Jewish forced labor workers, and we lost all track of him. We lived in Bad Ischl during 1944-1948.

My father worked for UNNRA in Strobl and also as an interpreter in Russian/Czech/German/Polish/English for the US Army when it rolled into Bad Ischl. Franz Lehar was a famous resident, of course, and my father was able to dissuade the US Army authority from confiscating his limousine. I almost drowned twice in the Rettenbach and Salzach rivers before I was two, was saved once by a fugitive German Waffen-SS soldier who was hiding in the woods across the water, and attended the local kindergarten. We lived in the apartment building of the wealthy Frau Palmersberger, on Kreuzplatz. I've gone back and visited Bad Ischl in 1969 and 1975, but the apartment bldg. is now an Esso gas station.

My father one day discovered some old court newspapers, Hofnachrichten, stuck in a de-plastered wall, and gained a window into the past about the daily events at the Kaiserpark of Emperor Franz Josef, who of course stayed in Bad Ischl every summer for some 50-odd years hunting gamsbok. My father also learned amazingly much about Bad Ischl in the 1800s, with regular visits by Russian nobility, etc. Unfortunately, he passed away with all his memories three years ago at the age of 88.

Cordially yours, George Vinson, Turlock, California

Bad Schallerbach Children's Home, Landösterreich, Upper Austria, Leitendorf, Wels (U.S. Zone),

Municipal office: Gemeinde Bad Schallerbach
Rathausplatz 1
A 4701 Bad Schallerbach

Tel: 0043 7249 48555 - 0
Fax: 0043 7249 48555 - 22
Email: gemeinde@bad-schallerbach.at

1951, Photo source: Austrian Picture Archives http://www.bildarchiv.at/

 

Beth Bialik, Land Salzburg (U.S. Zone); see City of Salzburg. See Salzburg archives

Beth Bialik 1946; source: Yad Vashem
2/13/05 Thank you for your information from Austria. With your list of DP camps, they were able to identify the camp they were in in Salzburg: Beth Bialik. I have several photos now of that camp and people from another DP camp in the area that they visited to see friends. We can identify many people in the photos, but perhaps others who are looking for photos from the camps, can identify themselves as well. Here are the first two photos: I do know some of the people in these photos are the Gilner family from Ostrov, Poland. My mother-in-law and her family are in both photos. They were taken at a wedding in the DP camp Beth Bialik. Karen Salver
Gilner family		Gilner family

Bindermichl, See Linz archives, Oberösterreichisches Landesarchiv, (U.S.)

Linz Bindermichl camp entrance 1947; source USHMM

TRACING THE WHEREABOUTS OF MY SISTER:
Eva (Java) SOMOGYI, born in Szigetvar, Hungary on the 13 of July 1926. Deported with my mother to Auschwitz on the 26 of April 1944 and transfered to STUTTHOF on the 20th July 1944. Based on the International Tracing Service of the Red Cross she was first registered in DP-Camp Linz-Bindermichl, Austria on the 25th March 1946 and the last record show her, in the same camp, on the 28th January 1952. Unfortunatelly these informations came to my hands just a few days ago. I will remain profoundly grateful to the person/s who know she and/or can help me to find she or can provide any information either during or after her stay in Austria. Please kindly contact by e.mail: etiennesomogyi@sonivision.co.cr or fax (506) 231 6531 or phone (call collect) (506) 228 2917, PO Box 620-1000, SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA.

 

Braunau am Inn (at Inn river), Salzburg area, 57 Ukrainians, 1 Pole, 1 Jew; (US zone)

Birdseye view of Braunau 1914; photo source: Austrian Picture Archives http://www.bildarchiv.at/

Bregenz (at Lake Bodensee) (French zone) two camps: Bregenz and Vorkloster.

--- Vorkloster (city quarter) dp-camp (French Zone)

Buerglut Old People's Home, Land Upper Austria, (U.S. Zone)

see Sankt Wolfgang am Wolfgangsee

Burgenland - (Swiss zone)

Lots more information on Austria D-H

Archives of Europe: http://www.uidaho.edu/special-collections/euro1.html