Arbeit macht frei

" Arbeit macht frei " is a slogan that has been known by their use as Toraufschrift to the Nazi concentration camps in the first place.

Origin

The phrase " work makes you free ", as used, for example, Heinrich Beta 1845 in Scripture Money and Spirit: "Not faith unto salvation, not the belief that selfish priests and noble purposes, but the work is blessed, because the work is free. This is not Protestant or Catholic, or German or Old Catholic, liberal or not servile, that is the general human law and the fundamental condition of all life and endeavor, all happiness and bliss of all. " (Emphasis in original). It is also in 1849 in the literary magazine "New Repertory for theological literature and ecclesiastical statistics" to find where it is argued in a review of the German translation of Scripture L' Europe en 1848 by Jean -Joseph Gaume: " The Gospel and, on his original truth returning, the Reformation want to free people and educate only the work makes you free, therefore also for the terms of the Reformers something sacred. "

Work makes free is also the title of a 1873 published ( in 1872 in the Vienna newspaper "Die Presse" pre- printed ) narrative of the German nationalistic author Lorenz Diefenbach. 1922 printed the German School Association Vienna contribution trademarks with the inscription "Work makes you free ". How did it come to an affinity for this proverb in Nazi circles, is unknown.

Use in the concentration camps

In some Nazi concentration camps, the Toraufschrift was a cynical euphemism for the alleged purpose of the education camp, the real purpose was extermination through work.

The historian Harold Marcuse, the use as a concentration camp theme Theodor Eicke, the first SS commandant of the Dachau concentration camp, back.

In addition to Toraufschrift the following, derived from Heinrich Himmler slogan was in some concentration camps, for example, in the outbuildings of the Dachau concentration camp in Sachsenhausen and Neuengamme and, prominently displayed: " There is a way to freedom. Its milestones are: Obedience, diligence, honesty, order, cleanliness, sobriety, truthfulness, sense of sacrifice and love of country "!

Auschwitz

At the gate of the main camp Auschwitz is the word " work makes free" with an upside-down letter B. Former Auschwitz prisoners report that there had been a secret protest their fellow prisoners January Liwacz, who as an art locksmith several commissioned works for the SS had to perform, including the 1940 logo.

Theft

The original lettering was stolen in the early morning hours of 18 December 2009. That same morning he was replaced by a copy, which had already been prepared for use during previous restoration work. To elucidate the theft, the Polish police launched a massive manhunt and tighter border controls. Three days after the theft of the lettering was found in a forest hideout in northern Poland. The inscription had been broken down into three parts, each one word. Five men aged 20 to 39 were arrested. The lettering was restored in the workshop of the memorial. It was announced that he does not return to his old place, but will in future be shown in an enclosed room of the museum.

In December 2010, in Poland, the Swede Anders Hogstrom, considered the mastermind of the theft, was sentenced to a prison term of two years and eight months. Two Polish accomplices need for more than two years in prison. Earlier, three other Polish accomplices were sentenced to prison terms of between one and a half and two and a half years. Hogstrom should serve his sentence in Sweden. He says that he wanted to sell the lettering in Sweden.

Auschwitz -Monowitz

Moreover, confusion about whether it is a " work makes you free " in Auschwitz -Monowitz was sign. This claim, among other things Primo Levi and former British soldier Denis Avey in his book The man who broke into a concentration camp. The historian Piotr Setkiewicz from the Museum Auschwitz doubts that there has been at Monowitz such a shield.

Dachau

In the Dachau concentration camp Dachau Jura wrote Soyfer the well-known song, the refrain of the slogan " Work Sets You Free " is used.

Beech wood

The only concentration camp with a different Torüberschrift was the Buchenwald concentration camp with the slogan " To each his own ".

Use in the present

The statement " work makes free" is sometimes used without historical context. The use associated with lack of knowledge about the history of this slogan on a regular basis leads to an uproar. Criminal penalties are not to be feared for an oversight. A well-known example of such a mistake is a manifestation of the presenter Juliane Ziegler in January 2008. During the election campaign in 2005, the then deputy chairman of the SPD, Ludwig Stiegler explained the election slogan of the CDU " is social, which creates jobs" reminded him of " Work Sets You Free ". He later apologized for this comparison. A stir was caused in 2010 also a corruption of the expression by the Aero Club of Treviso, the " Flying is free" with the Auschwitz sign -inspired lettering against the planned closure of the local airport protested. 2012 a free host and an assistant to the local radio station 96.3 Gong were dismissed because the presenter makes in a program with the quote work had turned free to listeners in order to appease the audience, as they had to work on the last Saturday in July. In the Munich public prosecutor therefore an investigation for sedition has been initiated.

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