{"id":3115,"date":"2021-03-17T12:38:19","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T11:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/?p=3115"},"modified":"2022-05-31T11:52:19","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T10:52:19","slug":"stepan-baz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/stepan-baz\/","title":{"rendered":"Stepan Baz <\/br> Labor re-education prisoner in Buchenwald"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; el_class=&#8221;postflow&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_custom_heading auto_text=&#8221;yes&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-122240&#8243; heading_semantic=&#8221;h1&#8243; text_size=&#8221;fontsize-978791&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;170998&#8243;]Stepan Grigorjevitsch Baz was born in Nikolajewka (Ukraine) on 5 May 1927. In 1942, he was deported to Germany as a forced laborer, and from July 1942 onwards the 15-year-old had to work near Halle. In the middle of the month, his workplace reported him missing. A short time later, the Halle state police delivered him to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp via the Watenstedt camp. He was registered as a labor re-education prisoner.<\/p>\n<p>He was assigned to forced labor at the Gustloff-Werk II armaments factory. When he was accused of sabotage in the fall of 1942, the SS placed him in a holding cell and later amputated his right hand. Fritz Unger and other communist prisoners found the injured boy in the infirmary and took care of him. Their help made it possible for Stepan Baz to survive Buchenwald.<\/p>\n<p>Two weeks after liberation, Baz returned to his family in Ukraine. There, he married and has two children. Stepan Baz died on 7 December 2016.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; el_class=&#8221;postflow&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;6\/12&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;1536&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;schatten&#8221;][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;2&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;4\/12&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;181806&#8243;]Buchenwald Concentration Camp prisoner registration file for Stepan Baz, 24 July 1942.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;131664&#8243;]According to his own statements, Stepan Baz was born on 5 May 1927; on his prisoner&#8217;s personal card and other documents from Buchenwald, he was listed as one year younger. At Buchenwald Concentration Camp, he was registered as an<em> AEH Jugendliche<\/em> (labor re-education youth) Baz was one of the first juvenile labor re-education prisoners in Block 8, which housed mainly adolescents and children from 1942 onwards.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;small&#8221;](Arolsen Archives)[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; el_class=&#8221;postflow&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-934223&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;1&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text_color=&#8221;color-122240&#8243; heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-124191&#8243; text_size=&#8221;fontsize-212371&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;170556&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]&#8221;But I didn&#8217;t want to work for the fascists, and then I was sent to the concentration camp. [&#8230;] In the concentration camp I had to work again, you know: all the procedures that were supposed to happen before, and then to work again, in the Gustloff factory. I worked like this, there were two German comrades there &#8211; prisoners, maybe &#8211; and I was supposed to help them, but I helped &#8216;the other way around&#8217;. I don&#8217;t know what to call it properly, there were mechanisms that had to cut out various details, and I broke those little by little. Then the SS supervisor saw it and took me upstairs, to the gate. And then the interrogations started [&#8230;]. They asked me several times, beat me very badly, locked me in the cell.&#8221;[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;1&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;7\/12&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;197052&#8243;]&#8221;&#8230;and I broke them little by little&#8221;. Interview with Stepan Baz about his sabotage at the Gustloff factory, 2009.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;small&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;213602&#8243;](Buchenwald Memorial) [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;3\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; inverted_device_order=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;postflow wechsel&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;smallcolumn&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;bottom&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;5\/12&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;1537&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;schatten&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;5\/12&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;1538&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;schatten&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;smallcolumn&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;bottom&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;200424&#8243;]&#8221;Condition after amputation.&#8221; Buchenwald Concentration Camp infirmary file for Stepan Baz, 1942-45 (front and back).[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;179038&#8243;]After his detention, an SS doctor amputated Stepan Baz&#8217;s right hand. The consequences are noted in the infirmary: his wounds did not heal, and as late as May 1943, the scar was festering. During transport examinations, which were supposed to release him for forced labor assignments, he was deferred several times and was thus able to remain in Buchenwald.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;small&#8221;](Arolsen Archives)[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; inverted_device_order=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;postflow wechsel&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;smallcolumn&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;bottom&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;1539&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;182744&#8243;]Visiting the GDR. Stepan Baz (l.) with Fritz Unger, 1960s.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;414771&#8243;]Thanks to the help of Fritz Unger and other communist prisoner functionaries, Stepan Baz survived after his hand was amputated. In 1962, Stepan Baz began corresponding with Fritz Unger. They visited each other in the GDR and the Soviet Union. The GDR press reported in great detail about the rescue of the young Ukrainian by German communists.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;small&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;169778&#8243;](private property)[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; inverted_device_order=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;postflow wechsel&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;3\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;smallcolumn&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;bottom&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;6\/12&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;1540&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;3\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243; el_class=&#8221;smallcolumn&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;bottom&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;892505&#8243;]Stepan Baz tells his sons Vitya and Tolya about the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1962.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;135370&#8243;]Baz joined the Communist Party after his return to Ukraine and later became the chairman of a collective farm. He and his wife had two sons. The story of the teenager&#8217;s rescue in the Buchenwald Concentration Camp by Communist prisoners was reported several times in the GDR press. Until shortly before his death in 2016, he spoke often as a contemporary witness.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;small&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;115143&#8243;](<i>Und weil der mensch ein Mensch ist\u2026<\/i>, published by the Society for German-Soviet Friendship, Karl-Marx-Stadt District Board, 1962).[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][uncode_block id=&#8221;774&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; el_class=&#8221;postflow&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/12&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;8\/12&#8243;][vc_custom_heading auto_text=&#8221;yes&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-122240&#8243; heading_semantic=&#8221;h1&#8243; text_size=&#8221;fontsize-978791&#8243; text_height=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;yes&#8221; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1535,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3115"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3115"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3115\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jugend-im-kz.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}