Ohrdruf
Encyclopedia
Ohrdruf is a small town in the German federal state
of Thuringia
. It lies some 30 km southwest of Erfurt
.
(founded 1991).
came to live and work at the Michaeliskirche
(St Michael's church) here, under the care of his older brother Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721)
. He lived in Ohrdruf from the ages of 10 to 15.
manufacturing. The Kewpie doll
was produced here from 1913. You can still find some of the old molds
included in the facades of Ohrdruf buildings.
located here was the first Nazi concentration camp to be liberated by the American Army, on 4 April 1945.
According to a book written by the German historian Rainer Karlsch
and published in 2005, Ohrdruf was one of two locations where the Nazi Diebner's team has tested its nuclear energy project
. During this process, according to Karlsch, prisoners of war
were killed under the supervision of the SS. This claim is not universally accepted, yet, some findings near the town support it: signs of large excavations and blocked tunnels in the nearby Jonas Valley
. The remains are located right behind one of the hills next to Ohrdurf, at about the same elevation as the town, which can suggest more tunnels exits at the town side too.
It could be the same site, where the Nazis constructed at the end of World War II
, with the help of slave labour, the S III Führer Headquarters
, a massive underground complex of long tunnels. This was reputedly to have been a centre for a final stand against the Allies, after a retreat from Berlin
. This plan did not come to fruition.
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
. It lies some 30 km southwest of Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
.
Medieval settling
Ohrdruf was founded in 724–726 by Saint Boniface, as the site of the first monastery in Thuringia, dedicated to Saint Michael. It was the first of several religious foundations in the town, the latest of which is the Carmelite monastery Karmel St. ElijaOhrdruf Priory
Ohrdruf Priory or Karmel St. Elija, Ohrdruf, is a Carmelite monastery at Ohrdruf in Thuringia, Germany. It is the latest in a series of religious foundations in the town:-First foundation:...
(founded 1991).
Johann Sebastian Bach
In 1695 the orphaned Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
came to live and work at the Michaeliskirche
Michaeliskirche (Ohrdruf)
The Michaeliskirche in the Thuringian town of Ohrdruf was the site of Johann Sebastian Bach's first employment.J. S. Bach was orphaned at the age of 10 and went to live with his eldest brother, Johann Christoph Bach, who was the organist at the Michaeliskirche. It contained a three-manual German...
(St Michael's church) here, under the care of his older brother Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721)
Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721)
Johann Christoph Bach , was a German musician and composer. He was the eldest brother of the more famous German musician and composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann Christoph studied at Erfurt under Johann Pachelbel, and his library of keyboard music included works by Pachelbel, Johann Jakob...
. He lived in Ohrdruf from the ages of 10 to 15.
Ohrdruf toy manufacture
In the 1800s the town became a centre of toyToy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
manufacturing. The Kewpie doll
Kewpie doll (toy)
Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on comical strip-like illustrations by Rose O'Neill that appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early 1900s. They were first produced in Ohrdruf, a small town in Germany, then famous for its toy-manufacturers....
was produced here from 1913. You can still find some of the old molds
Molding (process)
Molding or moulding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern....
included in the facades of Ohrdruf buildings.
Nazi rule
The Ohrdruf death campOhrdruf death camp
Ohrdruf concentration camp was a Nazi forced labor and concentration camp located near Weimar, Germany. It was part of the Buchenwald concentration camp network and the first Nazi concentration camp liberated by U.S...
located here was the first Nazi concentration camp to be liberated by the American Army, on 4 April 1945.
According to a book written by the German historian Rainer Karlsch
Rainer Karlsch
Rainer Karlsch is a German historian and author.He studied economic history at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He graduated in 1986 as a Doctor of Economics.From 1992-1994, assistant to the Historical commission on...
and published in 2005, Ohrdruf was one of two locations where the Nazi Diebner's team has tested its nuclear energy project
German nuclear energy project
The German nuclear energy project, , was an attempted clandestine scientific effort led by Germany to develop and produce the atomic weapons during the events involving the World War II...
. During this process, according to Karlsch, prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
were killed under the supervision of the SS. This claim is not universally accepted, yet, some findings near the town support it: signs of large excavations and blocked tunnels in the nearby Jonas Valley
Jonas Valley
Jonastal, situated in the Ilm-Kreis district in Germany between Crawinkel and Arnstadt, was a scene of the horrors of the national socialism in the last years of the Second World War. Tens of thousands of prisoners of the concentration camp Buchenwald were forced to dig 25 tunnels into the mountain...
. The remains are located right behind one of the hills next to Ohrdurf, at about the same elevation as the town, which can suggest more tunnels exits at the town side too.
It could be the same site, where the Nazis constructed at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with the help of slave labour, the S III Führer Headquarters
Führer Headquarters
The Führer Headquarters , abbreviated FHQ, is a common name for a number of official headquarters used by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and various German commanders and officials throughout Europe during World War II...
, a massive underground complex of long tunnels. This was reputedly to have been a centre for a final stand against the Allies, after a retreat from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. This plan did not come to fruition.
External links
- http://www.thirdreichruins.com/jonastal.htm Third Reich Ruins