Many of the prisoners at the “Unter den Eichen” satellite camp were farmers and laborers, and most had been members of the Christian-conservative Luxembourgish resistance group “Letzeburger Volleks-Legio’n” (L.V.L). Some had hidden conscientious objectors—known in Luxembourg as “Refraktäre”—or helped them escape, and were arrested as a result. The prisoners were predominantly young men. The average age of the prisoners was 31.
Crucial to their survival was the prisoners’ self-organization based on solidarity. As the camp elder, Nicolas Braun took on responsibility among the closely knit group of Luxembourgers. He also communicated with the guards on behalf of the prisoners.
Solidarity was particularly strong when it came to food supplies: the prisoners could only make up for the existing shortages through care packages from relatives in Luxembourg. Whatever food remained after bribing the SS, they divided among themselves. In late summer 1944, contact with Luxembourg was severed due to the Allied advance in the west. The prisoners now attempted to secretly procure food during work assignments.
The structures established in the camp were also intended to protect them from the arbitrariness of the SS. Among other things, the prisoners established a secret password to warn one another of approaching SS men.
Violations of camp regulations were punished with physical violence. For example, if prisoners collected firewood during work assignments to heat the barracks and were discovered doing so, the SS men punished them with batons. General bans on letters and packages for all inmates in the camp were also common. Probably also out of fear of such collective punishments, none of the prisoners attempted to escape.

The “Protection Squad of the NSDAP” (SS) was formed in 1925 as a personal guard for Adolf Hitler and other party leaders. In the Nazi state, this group, referred to as an “elite force,” became a central pillar of the regime. Starting in 1934, the SS was responsible for the administration of all concentration camps, and from 1941 onward, also for the extermination camps. In 1939, the Waffen-SS was formed from previously established units; it participated in World War II as a combat force and was responsible for numerous war crimes on and behind the front lines.
Wiesbaden served as the headquarters of the SS Higher District “Rhein/Westmark.” The official residence of the responsible “Higher SS and Police Leader” was located at Uhlandstraße 4 and 5. In 1941, the area of command encompassed the territory of the present-day federal states of Hesse (excluding Northern Hesse), Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland, as well as the occupied territories of Lorraine and Luxembourg.
As a result of restructuring, Adolf Hitler issued a decree on June 17, 1936, that institutionally linked the German Police to the SS and appointed Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler as head of the German Police.
In the years that followed, the police helped stabilize Nazi rule through its brutal crackdown on opponents of the regime and supported the Nazi policy of persecution and extermination within the Reich and, beginning in 1939, in the German-occupied territories. Starting in September 1939, local police forces played a key role in the deportation of the Jewish population.
At the same time, the Nazi regime sought to boost the police’s reputation. The well-known slogan “The police, your friend and helper” was coined by Nazi propaganda. From 1934 to 1942, “Police Days” were held once a year, during which the police presented themselves as a community-oriented institution. For example, “Colorful Evenings” featuring music and theater performances were organized at the Paulinenschlösschen in Wiesbaden. At these large-scale events, donations were collected for the Nazi Winter Relief Fund, combined with police education campaigns about “enemies of the people.”
However, survivors of the Wiesbaden satellite camp reported exclusively on acts of excessive violence by the SS. Little is known about the relationship with the police reservists.

Visits are welcome every Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. between May and October. Guided tours are available by appointment. To schedule a tour, please email stadtarchivwiesbdende or call us at (0611) 314740.

The “Unter den Eichen” Concentration Camp Memorial is located on Carl-von-Ibell-Weg, across from number 6, in Wiesbaden. It is managed by the Wiesbaden City Archives.

By public transportation:
Take Line 6 to the “Nordfriedhof” terminal or Line 3 to the “Unter den Eichen” terminal.

By car:
Drive along Platter Straße toward Nordfriedhof, turn left at the traffic light onto “Unter den Eichen,” and turn right onto Carl-von-Ibell-Weg at the left-hand curve.
Alternatively, from Dürerplatz, drive along Albrecht-Dürer-Straße, Van-Dyck-Straße, and Schützenhofstraße, and turn left at the right-hand curve.

A guided tour lasts about an hour to an hour and a half.

Visits to the memorial during regular hours and guided tours for groups are free of charge.

Visits without a guided tour during regular opening hours do not require an appointment.
To help us prepare for your visit as best as possible, please let us know your preferred date for a guided tour as early as possible. Groups should consist of at least five but no more than 20 people. Guided tours can be requested by email at stadtarchivwiesbadende or by phone at (0611) 314740.

This program is designed for school classes, youth groups, college students, and adults interested in the history of Wiesbaden, the history of the Nazi era, and the culture of remembrance.
For students, we offer guided tours for those in 9th grade and above.

The permanent exhibition is presented in German and English. Guided tours are also available in both languages.
Accompanying materials are available in German, English, and French.

Taking photos and videos is generally permitted, provided that applicable rules and privacy regulations are followed.
Individuals may only be photographed or filmed with their express consent.

Due to the architectural layout of this historic site, the permanent exhibition is not accessible to people with disabilities. Guided tours can be provided with sign language interpretation and in simple language.

Pets are not allowed in the memorial. Service dogs are exempt from this rule.

Since the concentration camp memorial is located in a wooded area, we recommend wearing weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes.
Please note that there are no restroom facilities at the memorial.

What made the strongest impression on you during your visit to the memorial? Describe a piece of information, an object, or an image that you won’t forget, and explain why.
How did you feel during the visit? Did your feelings change as the visit went on? Try to describe them.
Did you learn anything new today that you didn’t know before? What surprised you the most?

The exhibition tells the stories of people who were imprisoned in the “Unter den Eichen” camp. What do you know about their lives, their backgrounds, and their fates? What moved you the most about this?
Many of the prisoners came from Luxembourg and were persecuted because they had resisted the German occupation. What do you imagine it meant to be held in a camp for resistance?
There were people who helped the prisoners despite great danger. What do you think motivated these people?

The Wiesbaden camp was located near residential buildings and streets. Why did so few people do anything about it? What prevents people from standing up against injustice?

Why does this memorial exist? What would be lost if it didn’t exist?
It wasn’t until decades after the camp was closed that a memorial was established. Why do you think it took so long? What can happen when history is forgotten?
What do you personally take away from this visit? Is there anything you see differently now than before? Is there anything you’d like to tell someone?
Is there anything people can do today to ensure that what you experienced or saw during your visit to the memorial never happens again? What do you think you and your classmates can do to help?

The Wiesbaden satellite camp “Unter den Eichen” was located in a major German city. What social, political, and institutional conditions made it possible for such a camp to exist? Why was it hardly discussed publicly for so long?
The prisoners performed forced labor for the SS, but also for Wiesbaden-based companies and the city administration (e.g., renovating SS service apartments, clearing rubble). What conclusions can be drawn from this regarding the involvement of the business community, city administration, and society in the Nazi system?
The majority of the prisoners came from Luxembourg. They were primarily men who refused to serve in the Wehrmacht, hid conscientious objectors, or helped them escape. What do you know about the situation in Luxembourg and the German occupation?
Victims, perpetrators, followers, helpers—which of these terms can be understood using the example of the “Unter den Eichen” satellite camp? What scope for action existed?

The Wiesbaden satellite camp of the SS Special Camp/Hinzert Concentration Camp was largely overlooked for a long time after 1945. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that public discussion of the site began. The memorial was opened in 1991. Why is it that sites of Nazi injustice went unnoticed for so long?
In 2026, the memorial reopened with a new permanent exhibition. The presentation now focuses in particular on individual stories. The exhibition is now also visible from the street. What changes when a memorial is redesigned or expanded?
The memorial is located in a wooded area on the outskirts of Wiesbaden. How does the location influence remembrance? What tension arises between the surroundings and the historical significance of the site?

Visiting a memorial site can trigger a variety of emotions—often conflicting ones—such as shock, disbelief, but sometimes also detachment or feeling overwhelmed. What emotions did you experience, and how do you cope with them?
Did you have any expectations before the visit that weren’t met, or did the visit confirm something you already knew? To what extent has the visit changed your previous understanding of the Nazi era?
Which piece of information, image, or exhibit panel made the strongest impression on you? Try to describe why that particular impression was so powerful.

What political, social, and linguistic mechanisms that paved the way for the Nazi dictatorship can be observed in a different form in today’s society? Where do you see parallels? Where are the differences?
Eyewitnesses play an important role in the culture of remembrance, but only a few people are still alive to share their experiences. What forms of remembrance resonate with you?