Mapping the “dark heritage” of the 20th century – geophysical survey of concentration and prison camps in Bohemia
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | ARCHEOSCIENCES |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://shs.cairn.info/revue-archeosciences-2025-1-page-601?lang=en |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.4000/14num |
| Keywords | geophysical prospecting; archaeological research; concentration camps; World War II; dark heritage |
| Description | Sites linked to mass crimes committed by the Nazi regime form a significant part of Europe’s “dark heritage,” yet many smaller camps and internment facilities tied to war production remain little known and poorly understood. This study investigates four such sites in occupied Czechoslovakia, including the Sudetenland and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, where the material remains, preservation state, and layouts of the camps have long been overlooked. Geophysical surveys focused on the Lety internment camp for Roma and Sinti, two Flossenbürg sub-camps for women prisoners at Svatava and Nová Role, and the Holýšov prisoner-of-war camp. The research aimed to locate and document surviving archaeological evidence, clarify the camps’ spatial organization, and provide a basis for future protection and interpretation of these neglected sites of mass repression. |