The Schäferberg district of the municipality of Espenau is notable for its large number of elongated, single-story houses. Their design still gives an idea of their former purpose: they were barracks to accommodate forced laborers during the National Socialist era.
The camp consisted of 27 barracks measuring 10 x 50 m, which were built from prefabricated concrete parts and hollow blocks at the end of 1943. As of September 1944, 1,500 to 2,000 people lived here. The houses were mainly used as primitive sleeping quarters. The majority of men and women came from France, as well as from Poland, Belgium, Russia, Serbia and the Netherlands. They were not war veterans, but deported forced laborers. Most of them worked in the Ill factory of the Henschel & Sohn company in Kassel. Here they manufactured tanks, locomotive parts and trucks. They worked at least 60 hours per week, but often more. There was also a three-hour walk to the workplace or camp and back.
Some prisoners did not survive hunger, hardship and illness. A memorial stone in the nearby forest cemetery commemorates her.
American troops liberated and dismantled the camp in April 1945. The first deportees then left Schäferberg and returned on foot to their distant home countries. Later, trucks were available to transport them home. From June 1945 to 1949, emigrants ("displaced persons") moved in from Poland and Belarus, who then emigrated to the USA, Canada or Australia. From the barracks camp to the friendly residential community
From 1949 onwards, displaced persons and refugees from Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, East Prussia and the Sudetenland settled here. With a great sense of community and a lot of initiative, a school and a kindergarten were built in the following years. There were doctors, grocery stores. and other small businesses, including a factory, were on site. The camp's former wash house was converted into the Catholic chapel "The Good Shepherd". The former camp kitchen was renovated and rebuilt to become today's renowned "Waldhotel Schäferberg".
Curiously, the Schäferberg did not belong to the neighboring village of Mönchehof, Kassel district, but was, as a smaller part of the community, connected via a narrow corridor to Hohenkirchen, Hofgeismar district, which lies behind Mönchehof.
Today the Schäferberg is largely a residential area and has around 300 residents.