Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia
This article presents research on the material remains of Nazi and post-war communist prison and forced labour camps in West Bohemia (1939-1945 and 1949-1961). The location of a sample of 35 camps was carried out using historical evidence and aerial images from the 1940s and 1950s. Non-invasive surv...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of York
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | Internet Archaeology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue66/17/ |
| _version_ | 1827312110142488576 |
|---|---|
| author | Pavel Vařeka |
| author_facet | Pavel Vařeka |
| author_sort | Pavel Vařeka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article presents research on the material remains of Nazi and post-war communist prison and forced labour camps in West Bohemia (1939-1945 and 1949-1961). The location of a sample of 35 camps was carried out using historical evidence and aerial images from the 1940s and 1950s. Non-invasive surveys and small-scale excavations of selected camps revealed the preservation of the archaeological record and its attributes, which are closely linked to the subsequent use of the sites. The spatial context showed an interconnection of the camp system with WWII as well as Cold War armament production. The heritage protection of these sites, the current state of memorials and the contemporary utilisation of the camp areas has also been examined. Research has shown the potential of neglected archaeological evidence of places of mass repressions, where crimes against humanity were committed by totalitarian regimes in the former Czechoslovakia. It has also revealed the disturbing fact that these sites have been disappearing at an alarming rate without any documentation, as a result of development and construction activities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:37:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3141235aad254256aa44e7695df85352 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1363-5387 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:37:05Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | University of York |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Internet Archaeology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3141235aad254256aa44e7695df853522024-03-21T16:51:41ZengUniversity of YorkInternet Archaeology1363-53872024-03-016610.11141/ia.66.17Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West BohemiaPavel Vařeka0University of West BohemiaThis article presents research on the material remains of Nazi and post-war communist prison and forced labour camps in West Bohemia (1939-1945 and 1949-1961). The location of a sample of 35 camps was carried out using historical evidence and aerial images from the 1940s and 1950s. Non-invasive surveys and small-scale excavations of selected camps revealed the preservation of the archaeological record and its attributes, which are closely linked to the subsequent use of the sites. The spatial context showed an interconnection of the camp system with WWII as well as Cold War armament production. The heritage protection of these sites, the current state of memorials and the contemporary utilisation of the camp areas has also been examined. Research has shown the potential of neglected archaeological evidence of places of mass repressions, where crimes against humanity were committed by totalitarian regimes in the former Czechoslovakia. It has also revealed the disturbing fact that these sites have been disappearing at an alarming rate without any documentation, as a result of development and construction activities.https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue66/17/dark heritagecampscapearchaeology of totalitarianismholocaust archaeologiespow campforced labour campconcentration campczechoslovakiaczechia |
| spellingShingle | Pavel Vařeka Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia Internet Archaeology dark heritage campscape archaeology of totalitarianism holocaust archaeologies pow camp forced labour camp concentration camp czechoslovakia czechia |
| title | Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia |
| title_full | Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia |
| title_fullStr | Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia |
| title_short | Preservation and Heritage Protection of the Archaeological Remains of Prison and Forced Labour Camps from the Period of Nazi Occupation and the Communist Era in West Bohemia |
| title_sort | preservation and heritage protection of the archaeological remains of prison and forced labour camps from the period of nazi occupation and the communist era in west bohemia |
| topic | dark heritage campscape archaeology of totalitarianism holocaust archaeologies pow camp forced labour camp concentration camp czechoslovakia czechia |
| url | https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue66/17/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pavelvareka preservationandheritageprotectionofthearchaeologicalremainsofprisonandforcedlabourcampsfromtheperiodofnazioccupationandthecommunisterainwestbohemia |