© Stadtarchiv Meiningen
Although it has hardly been discussed in Meiningen until now, Nazi forced labor is being brought to light: Thousands of people from all over Europe worked here until 1945 at the RAW, in factories, and in private households.
Searching traces: forced labor isn’t an issue in Meiningen. We want to draw attention to this blind spot in the history of our town because there were indeed forced laborers in Meiningen and the surrounding villages, in particular at RAW (the Steam Locomotive Works) and in private households. In the spring of 1945, almost 6,000 people from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Soviet Union, Poland, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Armenia and Italy were in Meiningen.
The Culture division of the Municipality of Meiningen is headed by a post-doctorate historian who specializes in the Nazi era and forced labor. Historical education projects are therefore part of the repertoire of the town’s cultural projects and are explicitly desired, not just for political reasons.
