Between 1905 and 1945, Munich saw significant changes in the establishment and function of institutions for the care, accommodation, and confinement of its Jewish population under the pressures of Nazi policy. The era encompassed a transition from social care for the elderly and infirm to systems of forced labor, ghettoization, and mass deportation.
Old People’s Homes and Dormitories
- Pre-Nazi Era: Old people’s homes (Altenheime) and other forms of communal housing traditionally provided care for elderly Jews, offering a peaceful environment during their later years.
- Nazi Era Changes: Following the rise of the Nazi regime, these institutions were systematically repurposed. Jewish residents were often evicted from mainstream elder care and dormitories, forced instead into overcrowded accommodations known as „Jewish houses“ (Judenhäuser).
- Forced Congregation: Facilities such as the „Home for Jews at Berg am Laim“ (Heimanlage für Juden) in the former convent of the Sisters of Mercy on Clemens-August-Straße 9 (now Sankt-Michael-Straße 16) became mass accommodations, with over 300 people forced to live in cramped quarters.
- Mechanism of Persecution: These changes were enforced through the abolition of tenant protections for Jews, culminating in their systematic isolation, loss of privacy, and eventual transfer to camps or deportation.
Flachsröste Lohhof
- Establishment: The Flachsröste Lohhof GmbH was constructed in 1935 as a flax processing plant.
- Role in Forced Labor: From June 1941 to autumn 1942, this site operated as a forced labor camp mainly for Jewish women and girls, particularly from Munich and a group of Polish Jews from the Łódź Ghetto.
- Work Conditions: These women endured grueling labor in the fields and factories, producing flax fibers essential for the Wehrmacht and marine equipment. Living conditions were dire, with up to 90 women interned in a single barrack, while others commuted daily from Munich.
- Part of the Camp System: Lohhof, along with sites like Milbertshofen and Berg am Laim, formed a network of camps used by the Aryanization Office to exploit, oppress, and ultimately concentrate Munich’s Jewish population before deportation.
The Jewish Hospital in Munich
- Before 1945: During the Nazi era, Jewish medical infrastructure was decimated; most hospitals were destroyed or repurposed, and only a fraction of Jewish physicians survived the war.
- Postwar Reestablishment: Immediately after WWII, as Jewish survivors avoided German doctors, Jewish self-governing bodies established a medical infrastructure. In the spring of 1946, a hospital for the persecuted was opened at the Max-Josef-Stift Gymnasium in Bogenhausen, Munich, under the management of UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration).
- Focus on Survivors: By April 1949, under Dr. Moses Osterweil, the hospital dedicated itself entirely to caring for surviving Jews. The institution remained active until autumn 1951, providing vital assistance during the initial phase of postwar recovery.
The Milbertshofen „Judensiedlung“ Barrack Camp
- Purpose: The barrack camp at Knorrstraße 148 in Milbertshofen was the largest camp for Jews in Munich. It acted as both communal housing and a collection point for deportation operations.
- Conditions: Resident Jews endured basic plank beds and extreme overcrowding, with little to no privacy. The camp could house up to 650 people and briefly held up to 1,200 during mass deportations.
- Closure: Following repeated deportations and abuse, the camp closed in August 1942, with remaining inmates transferred to Berg am Laim. The site was subsequently acquired by BMW for use by forced laborers.
Table: Key Institutions, 1905–1945
| Institution | Function under Nazi regime | Notes |
| Old People’s Homes | Overcrowded forced housing for Jews | Loss of privacy, used as sites for ghettoization |
| Dormitories/Jewish Houses | Mass accommodation following forced evictions | Centered in facilities like Berg am Laim |
| Flachsröste Lohhof | Forced labor camp for Jewish women | Harsh working/living conditions, precursor to deport. |
| Jewish Hospital (Bogenhausen) | Postwar care for survivors, opened in 1946 | Closed in 1951 after serving survivor needs |
| Milbertshofen Camp | Main collection and deportation center for Jews | Closed in 1942 after mass deportations |