Blechhammer

{{About|World War II military facilities|other uses|Blechhammer (disambiguation)|Blechhammer strategic bombings|Oil campaign chronology of World War II}}

{{Infobox military installation

|name = Blechhammer

|partof = Provinz Oberschlesien of Greater German Reich{{cite book | last=Gilbert | first=Martin | title=The Second World War: A Complete History | publisher=Henry Holt and Company| year=2004 | isbn=978-0-8050-7623-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ajAUhJdjnksC&pg=RA2-PA524| page=2-PA524}}

|location = Located in Upper Silesia

|coordinates = North plant {{coord|50|21|N|18|18|E|region:PL_type:landmark_source:GNS-enwiki}}

South plant {{coord|50|18|N|18|15|E|region:PL_type:landmark_source:GNS-enwiki}}

Nearby camps & plants:

Korzonek camp

Heydebreck plant

Cosel plant

Odertal plant {{coord|50|25|N|18|8|E|region:PL_type:landmark_source:GNS-enwiki|notes={{Rp|160}}}}

|image = Map of blechhammer v2.jpg

|image_size = 325px

|caption = Blechhammer map of Bahnhofslager/Judenlager{{Clarify|The wikipage needs information regarding these names|date=April 2009}}

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|used = 1942–1945 (50,000 POWs){{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

|demolished=

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|open_to_public =

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|battles = Oil Campaign of World War II

|events = 1944-05: flak guns added{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LZ99c7ZlxxQC&pg=PA144 |title = The Strategic Bombing of Germany, 1940-1945|isbn = 9780275943196|last1 = Levine|first1 = Alan J.|year = 1992| publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}

1945-01-21:{{cite web |last=Gregory |first=Mackenzie J. |title=Norman "Nobby" Hayes was on the Voltaire |url=http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/Letters/NormanNobbyHayeswasontheV.html |work=Ahoy - Mac's Web Log |publisher=ahoy.tk-jk.net |access-date=2009-04-18}} The March (1945)

1945-01: Soviet occupation{{cite web |url=http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/primary_documents/gvt_reports/MofFP/ig_farb_at_leuna/ig_blechhammer.htm |title=I.G. Farbenindustrie - Blechhammer |access-date=2009-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213151452/http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/primary_documents/gvt_reports/MofFP/ig_farb_at_leuna/ig_blechhammer.htm |archive-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=dead }}

Post-war: Area recovered by Poland

}}

The Blechhammer ({{langx|en|sheet metal hammer}}) (nowadays Blachownia Śląska, district of the City of Kędzierzyn-Koźle) area was the location of Greater German Reich chemical plants, prisoner of war camps, and forced labor camps ({{langx|de|Arbeitslager Blechhammer; also Nummernbücher}}).{{cite web |url=http://itsrequest.ushmm.org/its/Glossary.pdf |title=Glossary of ITS terms and abbreviations |work=Registry of Holocaust Survivors |publisher=United States Holocaust Memorial Museum }} Labor camp prisoners began arriving as early as June 17, 1942,{{cite web |last=Schwarzfitter |first=Jacob |date=August 28, 1946 |title=Voices (Jacob Schwarzfitter) |url=http://voices.iit.edu/frames.asp?page=schwa&ext=_t.html&path=Interviews/ |work=Interview Archive |access-date=2009-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712202432/http://voices.iit.edu/frames.asp?path=Interviews%2F&page=schwa&ext=_t.html |archive-date=July 12, 2007 |url-status=dead }} and in July 1944, 400–500 men were transferred from the Terezin family camp to Blechhammer. The mobile "pocket furnace"{{Cite web|url=http://www.mazal.org/pressac/Pressac0095.htm|title=Pressac|website=www.mazal.org|access-date=21 April 2009|archive-date=4 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304152752/http://www.mazal.org/Pressac/Pressac0095.htm|url-status=dead}} ({{langx|de|Taschenofen}}) crematorium was at Sławięcice.){{cite web|url=http://www.kedzierzynkozle.pl/portal/index.php?t=200&id=23779|title=Wyniki wyszukiwania-Urząd Miasta Kędzierzyn-Koźle-www.kedzierzynkozle.pl|access-date=2009-04-21|archive-date=2011-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007042306/http://www.kedzierzynkozle.pl/portal/index.php?t=200&id=23779|url-status=dead}} and Bau und Arbeits Battalion (BAB, {{langx|en|Construction Battalion}}) 21 was a mile from the Blechhammer oil plants and was not far from Kattowitz and Breslau. Blechhammer synthetic oil (aka synthetic fuel Parramore, Col Woody W. "The Combined Bomber Offensive's Destruction of Germany's Refined-Fuels Industry." Air & Space Power Journal 26.2 (2012).) production began April 1, 1944 with 4000 prisoners,{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ajAUhJdjnksC&pg=RA2-PA524 |title = The Second World War: A Complete History|isbn = 9780805076233|last1 = Gilbert|first1 = Martin|date = June 2004| publisher=Macmillan }} with the slave labor camp holding these prisoners during April 1944, becoming a satellite camp of the dreaded Auschwitz extermination camp, as Arbeitslager Blechhammer.{{cite web |url=http://15thaf.org/55th_BW/460th_BG/Stories/PDFs/Blechhammer.pdf |title=Blechhammer - 15af.org |last=Bohnstedt |first=Douglas |date=2004 |website=15thaf.org |access-date=January 25, 2018 |quote=In April 1944 Blechhammer became a satellite camp of Auschwitz, named Arbeitslager Blechhammer, a.k.a. Labor Camp Blechhammer.}}

Chemical plants

Two plants in the area, Blechhammer North (south of Sławięcice) and Blechhammer South at Azoty ({{convert|5|mi|km}} from the{{Clarify|which labor camp?|date=April 2009}} labor camp) were nicknamed "Black Hammer" by Allied bomber aircrews.{{cite book|last=Withington|first=Ted|title=Flight to Black Hammer: the letters of a World War II pilot|publisher=Biddle Publishing Company |year=1993|isbn=1-879418-06-1 }} The facilities were approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} apart with each occupying a 3,000 × 5,000 ft (914 × 1524 m) area in open country.{{cite web |title=June 1944 |url=http://www.461st.org/Missions/June1944.htm |work=461st Bombardment Group Missions|quote=Mission #52}} Similar to the Gelsenberg plant,{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJIztvolC8cC&pg=PA206 |title = The German Chemical Industry in the Twentieth Century|isbn = 9780792364870|last1 = Lesch|first1 = John|date = 2000-08-31| publisher=Springer }} the Blechhammer plants used bituminous coal from Upper Silesian Coal Basin in the Bergius process to synthesize Ersatz oil.{{cite web |last=Ludmer |first=Henry |date=March 28, 1946 |title=Oil in Germany |url=https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1811/3612/1/V47N06_259.pdf |work=No. 6, Vol. XLVII |publisher=University of Toledo |pages=259–63|access-date=2009-02-11}} In June 1944, the United States Army Air Forces considered Blechhammer one of the four "principal synthetic oil plants in Germany",{{cite web |last=Cruickshank |first=Earl |version=Air Force Historical Study (AFHS) No. 103 |year=1944 |work=Army Air Forces Reference History (AAFRH)-3 |title=The Ploesti Mission of 1 August 1943 |url=http://afhra.au.af.mil/numbered_studies/studies3.asp |page=3 |access-date=2009-05-09}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and after the Fifteenth Air Force had dropped 7,082 tons (14,164,000 lbs; 6,424 tonnes) of bombs on Blechhammer, the Blechhammer plants were dismantled post-war by the Soviets.

{{cite web |last=Stranges |first=Dr. Anthony |title=Fischer-Tropsch Archive |url=http://www.fischer-tropsch.org |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Fischer-Tropsch.org |access-date=2009-06-17 }}

:{{cite web |year=2003 |title=Germany's Synthetic Fuel Industry 1927-45 |url=http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/primary_documents/presentations/AIChE%202003%20Spring%20National%20Meeting/Paper%2080a%20Stranges%20germany.pdf |publisher=Fischer-Tropsch.org |access-date=2009-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013711/http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/primary_documents/presentations/AIChE%202003%20Spring%20National%20Meeting/Paper%2080a%20Stranges%20germany.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-24 |url-status=dead }}

:{{cite web |title=Synthetic Oil Production |url=http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/Tom%20Reels/Linked/B1870/B1870-1118-1191%20Item%2011D.pdf |page=160 |access-date=2009-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908111746/http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/Tom%20Reels/Linked/B1870/B1870-1118-1191%20Item%2011D.pdf |archive-date=2008-09-08 |url-status=dead }}

:{{cite web |last=Schroeder |first=W. C. |date=August 1946 |title=Report On Investigations by Fuels and Lubricants Teams At The I.G. Farbenindustrie, A. G., Works, Ludwigshafen and Oppau |url=http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/Bureau_of_Mines/info_circ/ic_7375/ic_7375.htm |publisher=US Bureau of Mines, Office of Synthetic Liquid Fuels |access-date=2009-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071108041008/http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/Bureau_of_Mines/info_circ/ic_7375/ic_7375.htm |archive-date=2007-11-08 |url-status=dead }}

Evacuation

In March 1945 the POWs were evacuated. One camp went to Regensburg, BAB 21{{cite web |url=http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/winter_2004.htm |title=Winter 2004 |website=www.prisonerofwar.org.uk |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214095753/http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/winter_2004.htm |archive-date=14 February 2012 |url-status=dead}} went to Landshut){{cite web |last=Hutson |first=Fred |date=April 2006 |title=Fred Hutson |url=http://www.murrayarmstrong.com/tm/hutson/hutson.htm |work=Tommy's Log: The Logbook of Tachus (Tommy) Constantine McNamee |publisher=MurrayArmstrong.com |access-date=2009-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316050741/http://www.murrayarmstrong.com/tm/hutson/hutson.htm |archive-date=2009-03-16 |url-status=dead }} and on January 25, labor camp prisoners were force-marched for five days to Bergen Belsen (about 20% died en route).{{cite web|url=http://www.edwardvictor.com/Holocaust/Blechhammer.htm|title = Blechhammer}}{{Verify source|does the webpage say 20% of Blechhammer prisoners or 20% of all (including those of other camps) on the march?|date=April 2009}} Some small groups did manage to escape (see František R. Kraus).

The "7 Company" was the guard battalion for Blechhammer,{{cite web |url=http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/h/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=5&limit=1&limitstart=4 |title=Auschwitz-Birkenau - Auschwitz III-Monowitz Concentration Camp |website=en.auschwitz.org.pl |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720092018/http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/h/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=5&limit=1&limitstart=4 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}} and the 1945 Belsen Trial convicted Blechhammer staff members Karl Francioh and Ansgar Piche.

Camps

The Blechhammer complex contained a number of POW Camps:{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Chris |date=19 September 2004 |title=Message 1 - blechammer, el tahag and chieti |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/92/a2046692.shtml |work=WW2 People's War - Dad's Journey |publisher=BBC.co.uk |access-date=2009-04-21 |quote=the main one referred to as 'E3' in the Stalag labour system was to be found there, though the others in and around the area include: BAB 20, 21, 40 and 48; and E711, E711A, E769, E793 E794 (these last two were renamed BAB20 and 21)}} BAB 21 (E794), 40, 48; E3,{{cite web |url=http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/begdv_6/anlage_6.html |title=Anlage zu § 1 Verzeichnis der Konzentrationslager und ihrer Außenkommandos gemäß § 42 Abs. 2 BEG |publisher=Bundesministerium der Justiz |access-date=2009-04-30 |language=de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103180512/http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/begdv_6/anlage_6.html |archive-date=2012-11-03 }} E714,{{cite web |url=http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/pow/stalag8b.html |title=The Wartime Memories Project - STALAG 8b (344) POW Camp |work=World War Two 1939-1945 |publisher=WarTimeMemories.co.uk |access-date=2009-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216074840/http://wartimememories.co.uk/pow/stalag8b.html |archive-date=2009-02-16 |url-status=dead }} E769, Camp 139.{{cite web |url=http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/begdv_6/anlage_6.html |title=6. DV-BEG - Einzelnorm |access-date=2009-05-01 |archive-date=2012-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103180512/http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/begdv_6/anlage_6.html |url-status=dead }}

Life at Blechhamer and the work parties is described in Captive Plans, the POW diary of Reg BeattieBeattie, Trevor (ed.) (2011). Captive Plans: The Pow Diary of Reg Beattie. {{ISBN|9780956956309}}. and by a Czech survivor, journalist František R. Kraus.