Book Presentation: “Children’s Homes for Foreign Ethnic Groups” in the Oberdonau Gau

This anthology is devoted to the history of the “Children’s Homes for Foreign Nationals” in the “Gau Oberdonau” during the Nazi era. In these homes—which remained largely unknown for a long time—children of Eastern European forced-laborers were housed under conditions that were often extremely harsh. Many of the infants died from malnutrition and lack of care. This newly published volume provides an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the “Fremdvölkische Kinderheime” in what was then the Gau Oberdonau. 

Markus Rachbauer from the Schloss Hartheim Learning and Memorial Center provides an introduction to the publication. Following that, Martin Hagmayr from the Museum Arbeitswelt will focus on the little-known “Fremdvölkisches Kinderheim” in Steyr-Münichholz and will also explain the role of images created in Steyr in Nazi propaganda. 

Free admission!

Florian Schwanninger, Markus Rachbauer, Susanne Lammer, Martin Kranzl-Greinecker: “Fremdvölkische Kinderheime” in “Oberdonau,” Studienverlag 2026