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ABSTRACT
This paper examines the differing representations of the history of concentration camp brothels. It examines how two specific sites of memory, Ravensbrück Gedenkstätte and Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum have taken dichotomous approaches in whether to explore this difficult and marginal experiences of around two hundred women who were forced to serve in prisoner camp brothels. Building on research visits to both sites in 2013, it evaluates and argues that differing national sensitivities, roles the topographies play in memory and history and the pressures of visitor numbers to the sites are fundamental in these juxtaposing representations.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author
Notes on contributor
Nicole Bogue (BA Hons, 2014) read History at the University of Birmingham, completing her dissertation research under the supervision of Dr. Isabel Wollaston. This research focused on the contextualisation of concentration camp brothels, the Sonderbauten, in both history and memorialisation. It explored and examined the financial practicalities behind the establishment of these camp brothels, as well as the gendered and racial grounds of their daily administration. Her work has focused on showing that whilst a minority experience the camp brothels were a product of National Socialist ideology and circumstances of the war effort. She has continued to research this topic, now focusing on the memorialisation of this sensitive history at former concentration camp sites, alongside teaching English and History as part of the TeachFirst programme.
Notes
1. Paul, Zwangsprostitution, 53.
2. Sonderbauten meant “Special Construction,” but referred to camp brothels.
3. Sommer, “Camp Brothels,” 176.
4. Sommer, “Sexual Exploitation of Women,” 47.
5. Herbermann, The Blessed Abyss, 132.
6. Ibid., 132.
7. Steinbacher, Auschwitz. A History.
8. Gertjejanssen, Victims, Heroes and Survivors, 225–51.
9. Ibid., 251–2.
10. Sommer, “Camp Brothels,” 173.
11. See Bogue, The History of Camp Brothels in History and Memory, for full discussion of camp brothels' contextual history.
12. Ibid., 211.
13. Nora, “Between Memory and History: Les Lieux de Mémoire,” 7.
14. Jacobs, Memorializing the Holocaust, 59.
15. Milton, In Fitting Memory; Young, Texture of Memory.
16. See Huener, Auschwitz, Poland.
17. Jordanova, History in Practice, 141.
18. Ibid., 142.
19. Young, Texture of Memory.
20. Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Auschwitz-Birkenau Guide Book.
21. See Appendix 2 for photographs from fieldwork.
22. Piper and Strzelecka, “Construction and Development,” 76–8.
23. Sommer, “Sexual Exploitation,” 47; Sommer, Das KZ-Bordell, 284.
24. Setkiewicz, email exchange, 20 January 2014.
25. Jacobs, Memorializing the Holocaust, 59–62.
26. See Appendix 1 for the structure of the exhibition.
27. USHMM, “Introduction to the Holocaust,” http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143 (accessed March 10, 2014).
28. Rees, Auschwitz: The Nazis, 374.
29. Cole, Images of the Holocaust, 98.
30. Wollaston, “Sharing Sacred Space?” 22.
31. Dwork and Van Pelt, Auschwitz, 359.
32. Mayer, Why Did the Heavens Not Darken?, 3.
33. Setkiewicz, personal correspondence, Appendix 3.
34. Wollaston, “Sharing Sacred Space?” 22.
35. See Helm, If This Is a Woman, as a very recent and welcome addition to scholarship on Ravensbrück's history.
36. Saidel, Jewish Women of Ravensbrück, 24.
37. Mayer, Why Did the Heavens Not Darken?, 3.
38. See Appendix 2 for photographs from fieldwork.
39. Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, Auschwitz Report 2012, 20.
40. Ibid., 5.
41. Ibid., 5.
42. Engelhardt, Topography of Memory, 213.
43. Bhabha, “On Global Memory.”
44. Rees, Auschwitz, 374.
45. Bittner, “Dark Tourism,” 153.
46. Rees, Auschwitz, 5.
47. Jacobs, Memorializing the Holocaust, 154.
48. Litschke, National Memorial of Ravensbrück.
49. Kurczewska, “National Identities,” 329.
50. “World Factfile: Roman Catholicism,” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/4243727.stm (accessed March 2, 2014).
51. Zubrzycki, The Crosses of Auschwitz, 2.
52. Kucia, Dutch-Dyngosz, and Magierowski, “Collective Memory of Auschwitz,” 137.
53. “Address – Minister of Foreign Affairs” (20 March 2013), http://msz.gov.pl/en/news/address_by_the_minister_of_foreign_affairs_on_the_goals_of_polish_foreign_policy_in2013_ (accessed March 8, 2014).
54. World Health Organization, “Abortion in the European Region,” http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/sexual-and-reproductive-health/activities/abortion/facts-and-figures-about-abortion-in-the-european-region (accessed March 10, 2014).
55. Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, Auschwitz Report 2013, 58, 54–7.
56. Mayerhofer, “Coming to Terms.”
57. Paul, Zwangsprostitution.
58. ZDF, “System Sonderbau: Haftlingsbordell im KZ” [Special Building System: Prisoner Brothels in Concentration Camps] (ZDF Info, 18 July 2013).
59. See Appendix 2 for Sachsenhausen example.