Berga, Thuringia
Berga | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Coat of arms
| |
|
Location of Berga within Greiz district
 | |
  Berga  Berga | |
| Coordinates: 50°45′N 12°10′E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Thuringia |
| District | Greiz |
| Subdivisions | 14 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2018–24) | Heinz-Peter Beyer |
| Area | |
| • Total | 43.49 km2 (16.79 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 229 m (751 ft) |
| Population
(2021-12-31)
| |
| • Total | 3,198 |
| • Density | 74/km2 (190/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 07980 |
| Dialling codes | 036623 |
| Vehicle registration | GRZ |
| Website | Stadt-Berga.de |
Berga/Elster is a town in the district of Greiz, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the White Elster river, 14 km southeast of Gera.
History
Within the German Empire (1871–1918), Berga/Elster was part of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
Berga concentration camp
During World War II, a slave labor camp called "Berga an der Elster" was operated here to dig 17 tunnels for an underground ammunition factory. Workers were supplied by Buchenwald concentration camp and from a POW camp, Stalag IX-B; the latter contravened the provisions of the Third Geneva Convention and the Hague Treaties. Many prisoners died as a result of malnutrition, sickness (including pulmonary disease due to dust inhalation from tunnelling with explosives), and beatings, including 73 American POWs.
Personalities
- Hans Bastian I. von Zehmen (1598–1638), Saxon colonel of the Leibregiment, commander of Magdeburg
- Gerhard Schot (1866–1961), geographer and oceanographer, born in the district of Tschirma