Radogoszcz prison

Radogoszcz prison was a Polizei prison in Łódź (germ. Erweitertes Polizeigefängnis, Radegast), Poland, which was used by the German authorities during the Nazi occupation of Poland in World War II.

The physical building dates from the early 1930s, when Samuel Abbe built a factory in village Radogoszcz (now Zgierska Street in Łódź). It was 4 storey factory building with an adjoining 1 storey factory floor. One month before the Nazi occupation, in August 1939, the Polish Army took control of the building.

Radogoszcz was used as a Nazi Police Prison from November 1939. It was used to house prisoners for the many German groups such as the Gestapo, SS, and newly formed local Police. The first murders of Radogoszcz prisoners took place soon after it was opened, when Polish intelligentsia (who had been arrested earlier) were taken from the prison and murdered in local woods, probably as part of the Intelligenzaktion (see Intelligenzaktion Litzmannstadt and Intelligenzaktion Burgerbraukeller). This took place in November 1939. As the factory was never intended for habitation, a local charity was formed to build simple kitchens and baths. The charity was prevented from aiding the prisoners after January 1940. A number of prominent Polish-German factory owners were on this committee.

The prison originally housed all types of prisoners including Jews. After a ransom of 150 marks per prisoner was paid, all Jewish prisoners were moved to the Lodz Ghetto. The crime of these prisoners was mostly to be unable to buy their freedom when they were randomly arrested. After January 1940 it exclusively housed male prisoners. Prior to that, it had been used as a transit camp for Poles being deported to the General Government area. Afterward it was populated by prisoners transferred from a prison at 55 Krakowska street.

In July 1940, once all transit prisoners had been moved, the prison came under the exclusive authority of the local police. By this time some 500 of the 2000 prisoners had been executed. The prison was mainly staffed by Local Poles of German descent who had signed the list to be declared Volksdeutsche. The prison was used for short- and long-term detention. Some prisoners were later sent to slave labour camps and concentration camps. In total, over 40,000 people passed through the gates of the prison. Nobody knows how many died.

...
Wikipedia