Jane Bernigau
Encyclopedia
Gerda "Jane" Bernigau was an SS Oberaufseherin
in Nazi
concentration camps before and during World War II.
early camp in eastern Germany. There, because of her willingness to get her job done, she was promoted to chief wardress
(Oberaufseherin). In May 1939, Bernigau went to Ravensbrück concentration camp
as deputy to the head guard where she trained newcomers into the SS women's auxiliary.
Bernigau was posted to the Gross-Rosen concentration camp
in 1941 as chief wardress. Later she was sent back to Ravensbrück and again back to Gross-Rosen. She was awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse ohne Schwerter medal in 1943 for her devotion to the Third Reich and her camp services. In September 1944, Bernigau was sent as supervising wardress to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
. Soon after she served in the St. Lamprecht subcamp, and when the Americans came near the camp she was called back to serve at Mauthausen.
Female guards in Nazi concentration camps
Of the 55,000 guards who served in Nazi concentration camps, about 3,700 were women. In 1942, the first female guards arrived at Auschwitz and Majdanek from Ravensbrück...
in Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
concentration camps before and during World War II.
Camp work
Bernigau was born as Gerda Bernigau on 5 October 1908, in Sagan, Germany (now Żagań, Poland). In 1938, she joined the camp staff at the LichtenburgLichtenburg (concentration camp)
Lichtenburg was a Nazi concentration camp, housed in a Renaissance castle in Prettin, near Wittenberg in eastern Germany. Along with Sachsenburg, it was among the first to be built by the Nazis, and was operated by the SS from 1933 to 1939. It held as many as 2000 male prisoners from 1933 to 1937...
early camp in eastern Germany. There, because of her willingness to get her job done, she was promoted to chief wardress
Female guards in Nazi concentration camps
Of the 55,000 guards who served in Nazi concentration camps, about 3,700 were women. In 1942, the first female guards arrived at Auschwitz and Majdanek from Ravensbrück...
(Oberaufseherin). In May 1939, Bernigau went to Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
as deputy to the head guard where she trained newcomers into the SS women's auxiliary.
Bernigau was posted to the Gross-Rosen concentration camp
Gross-Rosen concentration camp
KL Gross-Rosen was a German concentration camp, located in Gross-Rosen, Lower Silesia . It was located directly on the rail line between Jauer and Striegau .-The camp:...
in 1941 as chief wardress. Later she was sent back to Ravensbrück and again back to Gross-Rosen. She was awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse ohne Schwerter medal in 1943 for her devotion to the Third Reich and her camp services. In September 1944, Bernigau was sent as supervising wardress to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
. Soon after she served in the St. Lamprecht subcamp, and when the Americans came near the camp she was called back to serve at Mauthausen.