• Short-link
• Link
• Embed

Muna Lubberstedt, ammunition factory (Satellite camp of Neuengamme concentration camp) Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people. Jeremiah 8:23 Friday 4 May is the day I had been waiting for. We were to go on a private tour of Muna Lubberstedt. This was the culmination of almost 2 years or research. When I started this investigation I never imagined it would result in this family pilgrimage, a pilgrimage to such an unholy destination. We all had breakfast together in the Holiday Inn, Mindu, Nicola, Alex, David and myself. It was Mindu's 89th birthday. She was to celebrate by visiting the ammunition factory that she was imprisoned in for 8 months, 73 years ago -it was a celebration of her survival. At 9.30 a.m. a mini bus came to collect us with Barbara Lorber and her grandsons already on board. We also travelled with the two minders and a cameraman all from the Neuengamme Memorial. It is about a 2-hour drive to Lubberstedt from the centre of Hamburg. Survivors talk to German school children at the Community House in Axstedt During the bus ride to Muna Lubberstedt there was much chatting and excitement between the various offspring, the 2 survivors and minders. However, the atmosphere became more sombre when we reached the Community House in Axstedt, which is 5 minutes’ drive from Muna Lubberstedt. About 20 School children around the age of 15 soon arrived via train with their teacher, to hear both Barbara and Mindu talk about their experiences in Auschwitz and the satellite camp. You could hear a pin drop as the two women spoke. As Barbara speaks German fluently she did most of the talking. Both survivors cried at times. Some of the students cried too. It was an impressive, authentic history lesson. 1