Ausstellungs- und Dokumentationszentrum Lager Elsterhorst
Exhibition barrack on the history of the Elsterhorst prisoner-of-war, returnee and expellee camp (1939–1948) near Hoyerswerda.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Between 1939 and 1948, one of the largest camps for prisoners of war and expellees in eastern Germany existed near Hoyerswerda. At first it served as a prisoner-of-war camp and French officers' camp; after the war it became a Soviet transit camp and collection point for German prisoners of war. From October 1945 it was a quarantine camp for returnees, and from 1946 to 1948 an expellee camp.
Of the camp buildings, only one barrack of the former camp hospital survives; today it stands on the grounds of the Landesfeuerwehr- und Katastrophenschutzschule Sachsen (Saxony State Fire Service and Disaster Control School). Since 2011 the Schloss und Stadtmuseum Hoyerswerda (castle and town museum) has made it accessible as an exhibition and documentation center. The part on the expellee period was redesigned in 2011, and a media room for school projects was added in 2014.
The sections on the years 1939 to 1945 currently show picture and text panels in a provisional version; a revision is only planned if the barrack may remain. Since the owner plans to expand the fire school, demolition is being discussed; in 2025 it was announced that the barrack can still be used for another ten years.
Key themes
- Last surviving barrack of the Elsterhorst camp hospital
- Photos, documents, eyewitness accounts and original objects
- Redesigned exhibition section on the expellee camp, 1946–1948
- Media room for school projects
Permanent exhibition
- Lager Elsterhorst 1939–1948 – Documents the camp's changing use as a prisoner-of-war, transit, returnee and expellee camp, through photos, documents, eyewitness accounts and original objects.
- Founded
- 2011
- Operated by
- Schloss und Stadtmuseum Hoyerswerda
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free of charge.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Feuerwehrschule
Regional bus 166 from Lausitzer Platz (Hoyerswerda) toward Lauta Hans-Coppi-Schule.
By car
Parking available
Parking at the Saxony State Fire School, directly behind the entrance.
The exhibition barrack stands on the grounds of the State Fire Service and Disaster Control School in the district of Nardt (municipality of Elsterheide), on the B 96.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and workshops for school classes can be booked through the Schloss und Stadtmuseum Hoyerswerda on weekdays and at weekends on request. |
