Jewish "Training" Centers in Germany


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Jewish "Training" Centers in Germany

by Peter Lande

January 2002

INTRODUCTION

After Hitler came to power in 1933, thousands of Jews resident in Germany attempted to obtain visas to any country, which would take them. However, many did not have the family, financial or professional connections which made this possible in the face of immigration restrictions around the world. This was particularly true of young persons. German Jewish organizations prepared guides on how and where to obtain visas; but it was evident that many prospective emigrants needed training in agricultural or technical skills in order to qualify. This, in turn, led to the establishment of "training" centers all over Germany.

Between 1934 and 1938 at least 29 centers were established. Some were run by Zionist organizations and focused on training persons for agricultural work in Palestine, but others trained people in various skills necessary to emigrate to any country. The centers had an average capacity of 40-50 young men and women, and trainees remained for anywhere from 3-6 months. Some even attended more than one camp.

Gestapo records seized by the Russians at the end of World War II, and recently filmed by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (RG11.001M Reels 1-5), document Gestapo suspicions about the existence of these institutions. However, after some debate, it was decided to permit the centers to continue to operate since they facilitated the departure of Jews from Germany, a primary Nazi objective. Each center was required to submit monthly reports listing the trainees and training personnel. An incomplete collection of these reports for 13 centers is included in the USHMM collection, and I have computerized the roughly 1,800 names, which appear on these lists.

The extent of information given on each individual varies but usually includes at least name, date of birth and nationality. Many of the persons are listed as "Polish", even though they had long resided in, or even been born in, Germany. German citizenship was based on the citizenship of a person's father (not place of birth) and naturalization was difficult. In a few cases their "destination", inside or outside Germany, is given, but in most cases the fate of these persons cannot be established from the lists themselves. Nevertheless, relatively few of these names appear in the German Government's Gedenkbuch, which would appear to indicate that many, perhaps most, managed to use this training to escape from Germany and, thereby, survive the Holocaust.

The number in the first field of the list, indicates the specific center which that person attended, as follows:

1	Gut Winkel, Post Spreehagen
2	Ahrensdorf, Landwerk Ahrensdorf bei Trebbing
3	Halbe, Halbe/Mark
4	Havelberg, Havelberg/Mark
5	Polenzwerder, bei Eberswalde
6	Rüdnitz, bei Bernau
7	Gross-Breesen, Kreis Trebnitz, Schlesien
8	Caputh, bei Potsdam
9	Ahlem, Kreis Hannover
10	Geringshof, Kreis Fulda
11	Berlin Hermsdorf, Berlin
12	Dragebruch
13	Berlin Niederschönhauser, Berlin

Subsequent fields included in this list are as follows:

Family Name

Given Name

Date of Birth

Place of Birth

Place of Residence

Nationality

Destination

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The information contained in this database was indexed from the files of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (RG11.001M Reels 1-5). This information is accessible to you today, thanks to the effort of the following individual who is responsible for the transcription of this file: Peter Lande.