85TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE FIRST TRANSPORT
OF PRISONERS
TO THE STUTTHOF CAMP
On 2 September 1939, just one day following the commencement of the Second World War, the Germans proceeded to transport Poles who had been arrested in the Free City of Gdansk, along with a small contingent of local Jews, to the coastal town of Stutthof. Thus commenced the 2,077-day history of the Stutthof camp - a site of immense anguish for 110,000 detainees from 28 nations, with a tragic death toll of nearly 65,000 people.
Stutthof Memorial
One individual was Wacław Lewandowski, who recounted his initial experiences in the camp as follows:
On 2 September 1939, […] these professional groups were loaded onto elegant city buses and transported to Stutthof. Escorts blocked the doors of the buses. Before that, a speech with “political undertones” was delivered, referring to us as Polish pigs and advocating for our extermination. It was claimed that we had treacherously attacked Germany and that our treatment would depend on our work output, as it was highly valued. We were deported without any explanation regarding our destination, reasons, or purpose - our only understanding was that we were to work.
[…] We were searched in front of the Alterscheim building, the elderly residence in Stutthof. […] The group consisted of aged individuals of both sexes, older men in their seventies who could hardly speak. Yet, upon our entrance, they vociferously shouted, "Administer punishment to these Poles, beat up these Poles". [...]
We were lined up in pairs and led into the camp. A barbed wire fence with double entanglements enclosed the original square, measuring 80 meters by 120 meters but unelectrified. There were no guard towers. A kitchen facility was set up at the entrance, next to the barracks on the left. Circular tents were placed outdoors, each with a single supporting pole in the middle. Approximately twenty to thirty of us were tightly packed in the tent, like herrings in a barrel. Beds were not available.
This year's celebrations were unique. After several years, they were held under the former Crematorium and Gas Chamber building. These locations hold significant symbolism due to their historical relevance and role in the discourse surrounding the remembrance of KL Stutthof prisoners. It was the site of the first commemoration in 1946, attended by former prisoners and their families.
Several hundred individuals attended this year's commemoration. Among them were Ms Maria Kowalska, a former inmate of the Stutthof concentration camp; Ms Beata Rutkiewicz, the Pomeranian Governor; Mr Lech Parell, the Head of the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Repression, and representatives of local authorities, cultural institutions, schools, and all those who hold dear the memory of the victims of the German Nazi concentration camp Stutthof. As customary, every year, the ceremonies were preceded by a Mass for the intention of the victims, celebrated by Bishop Jacek Jezierski. "Every human has the right to freedom, truth, and justice. Freedom is the foundation of these rights. It is not merely a matter of comfort or well-being but a necessary condition for human development - both individual and social. […]
The consequences of Nazi ideology were the loss of freedom and fundamental human rights for millions of individuals. Concentration camps like KL Stutthof symbolised the profound loss experienced during this period.
The right to freedom was completely violated at the camp. Individuals deported to Stutthof were denied the opportunity to exercise freedom, their lives were subjected to harsh regulations, and their very existence was reduced to a desperate fight for survival amidst dehumanising living conditions. The right to the truth was distorted by propaganda and disinformation to cover up the atrocities and crimes committed in the camps. The right to justice was trampled on - people were treated without respect for their dignity, and justice was turned into a system of repression and terror[...]
It is our duty to strive for justice and remind ourselves that evil cannot go unpunished. Evil begins with minor deeds of wickedness, such as looking away, indifference and contempt. The foundations of goodness and justice lie in the small gestures of opposition to injustice and harm. Consequently, it is our obligation to provide testimony in pursuit of justice”.
"Every human has the right to freedom, truth, and justice. Freedom is the foundation of these rights. It is not just about comfort or well-being; it is a crucial element for personal and social development. [...]
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