IN PROGRESS - CHECK BACK LATER

Grafeneck was one of the first T4 killing sites and was used for the shortest time, a mere 11 months. However, by the end of its run, Grafeneck stood to be the death site of 10,654 human beings.

Grafeneck, which was once a castle for the local monarchy, was for many years an institution for people with physical disabilities. In January of 1940, T4 officials selected Grafeneck as a killing site due to its remote location. Situated miles from the closest town, Grafeneck was easily accessible by train, as well as by car. There was a front and back road to the Castle, and a large stretch of land surrounding it.

A staff of 100 resided in the Castle and a mobile gas chamber was brought in for the murders. A crematorium was situated where the sign now stands. There were 3 gray buses that were used to round up patients from sanitariums and homes for the elderly. Victims at Grafeneck were taken directly from the buses to the mobile gas unit and then their bodies were immediately burned in the crematorium.

In an evening’s work, 70 human beings perished…the amount that fit in the buses. Considering that over 10,000 people were murdered in just 11 months, the staff at Grafeneck was very busy.

Thomas Stockle, the director of the Grafeneck Memorial has done a tremendous amount of research on the victims and what happened to them at Grafeneck. To date, he has been able to locate information on 8,000 victims. Their names have been placed in a book that stands at an outdoor memorial.