Das düstere Erbe von Treuenbrietzen: Das unerzählte Kapitel der Kriegsverbrechen in Nichel

In Nichel, near Treuenbrietzen, a gathering of Italian-German mourners takes place every April to remember the 127 men who died in a gravel pit in 1945. Rita Verdolini, the daughter of a survivor, had the honor of laying a wreath at the memorial stone commemorating the Treuenbrietzen massacre. Her father, severely injured, lay in the forest for a week before being rescued.

The tragic event occurred towards the end of World War II when the Sebaldushof forced labor camp near Treuenbrietzen was liberated by the Soviet army. However, just two days later, on April 23, 1945, German troops advanced to the camp. That day, 131 forced laborers from Italy were led out of the camp and forced to march several kilometers to a sand pit near the village of Nichel, where they were shot at. 127 Italians perished in the hail of bullets, with only four surviving – including Rita Verdolini’s father.

At the memorial stone amidst the Brandenburg pine forest, Rita Verdolini feels a deep connection to her father and his experiences. She recalls her father once telling her, „I brought you back from Germany in my luggage,“ when she was about seven or eight years old. The annual commemoration brings around 200 individuals together to pay respects to the victims, starting with families laying wreaths before representatives from the Italian embassy, the military, and Treuenbrietzen’s mayor.

Carlotta Cannelloni, a 16-year-old student, expresses the difficulty in conceptualizing the events of the past. Her class will spend a week in Treuenbrietzen, collaborating with local students on projects to preserve the memory of the war crime. This student exchange program is part of the ongoing efforts to address the historical event.

Valentin Schlegelmilch, a teacher overseeing the student exchange, notes the lack of awareness among many young people regarding the massacre’s history. The exchange aims to raise awareness and engage adolescents in discussions about its significance and contemporary relevance within their lives and society as a whole.

The mayor of Treuenbrietzen, Michael Knape, emphasizes that the focus of the commemoration is not on assigning blame for the tragic events but on advocating reconciliation. The ultimate goal remains „never again,“ yet Knape laments the recurring conflicts that challenge this principle. Despite the uncertainties surrounding the reasons for the Italian forced laborers‘ execution, the annual commemoration seeks to promote friendship with Italy and uphold the message of peace and reconciliation.