Lichtenburg was a concentration camp established in June, 1933, in an old castle near Prettin/Torgau. Initially, the inmates were political prisoners. At its peak, the camp held about 2,000 inmates. By August, 1937, all the male prisoners had been transferred to other camps. Female inmates continued at the camp until May, 1939, when all the remaining women were transferred to the newly constructed camp at Ravensbruck.
Below are thumbnails of two letters from inmates at the Lichtenburg camp. The first was written on June 22, 1937, and postmarked on June 30, 1937, from Prettin. The lettersheet is identified in Lordahl as type S1a and was used between May 1936 and June 1937. Below are thumbnails of the front of the cover and the each page of the lettersheet. The second was written on May 22, 1936, and postmarked on May 26, 1936, from Prettin. The lettersheet is identified in Lordahl as type S1a and was used between May 1936 and June 1937. Below are thumbnails of the front of the cover and the each page of the lettersheet. Please click on the thumbnail to see the full image, and then click your back key or "Lettersheets" in the left frame to return.
Below are thumbnails of the front and back of a Lordahl type Po2a postcard from an inmate, Georg Konig sent in 1937. The reverse side is hand drawn, Whitsun (Pentecost) greeting, which was probably mailed in an envelope. The card also bears a Lordahl type C2 censor cachet. Please click on the thumbnail to see the full image, and then click your back key or "Postcard" in the left frame to return.
Erik Lordahl, German Concentration Camps 1933-1945, History and Inmate Mail (2000). Referred to as Lordahl.
Copyright © 2005 Edward Victor