HISTOUR point A39 | Labor camp for 1000 Russian prisoners of war from March 1915 to October 1916
The Osterrade labor camp existed from March 1915 to October 1916. It was set up for 1,000 Russian prisoners of war who were to cultivate an area of around 400 hectares in the Osterrader-Offenbütteler Moor for wartime economic reasons. The ambitious goal was to be able to use most of the former moor to supply the population just one year later.
In the first few weeks after the start of the cultivation work, 83 prisoners of war died, probably from typhus, which was widespread among Russian troops. The first 28 dead were buried in the Albersdorf cemetery. Another burial ground was set up near the camp. The municipality of Süderrade provided a plot of land for this purpose. This new cemetery was designed by their comrades in the form it still has today. For them it was very important to create a dignified burial place for the deceased comrades who could not be buried at home.
In 1916 all labor camps in Schleswig-Holstein were closed because the prisoners of war were needed in the war industry. Due to its great importance, the camp in Osterrade remained in existence until October and was demolished shortly after the evacuation. At this time, about 100 hectares were cultivated.
In addition to the 28 graves in Albersdorf, the only reminder of the labor camp is the cemetery in Süderrade, commonly known as "Russian graves". The former parish of Albersdorf had new crosses erected between 1989 and 1992, the shape of which is based on the old ones. The names of the dead are no longer on the crosses as they used to be, but on the plaques next to them.
Source: real-dithmarschen.de