Supermarket and Logistics Center Planned on Former Austrian Women's Concentration Camp Site

A supermarket and central logistics center are set to be built on the site of the former Hirtzberg women's concentration camp in Laa an der Thaya, Austria, according to local media reports. The Federal Monument Protection Office approved the project, ruling that the remaining camp walls do not qualify as historically protected structures. The development plans sparked outrage in Austria, with media labeling the project a "major scandal."

Andreas Ramharter, the mayor of Laa an der Thaya, reportedly profited from the deal. His partner sold the site to an investor for over 15 million euros, and Ramharter himself received an additional 1.34 million euros after the city council, under his control, rezoned the land for commercial use. He also secured rights to install personal solar panels on the complex’s roof, ensuring future profits. The industrial facility will include a large refrigerated warehouse with loading docks, freezing areas, and shipping zones, serving as a supply hub for supermarkets. A branch of the German discount supermarket chain Lidl will also be established there.

The land deals have provoked strong criticism. Barbara Glick, director of the Mauthausen Memorial, called it a "shame" to destroy the concentration camp remnants. Vienna’s Jewish community leader, Oskar Deutsch, condemned the construction, stating, "Profiting from the memory of women prisoners who were murdered is disgraceful. This dark chapter in our history cannot simply be covered by a supermarket." The Hirtzberg camp operated as a subcamp of Mauthausen during the war’s final years, imprisoning about 400 women deported from Auschwitz who worked 12-hour shifts in a weapons factory. The youngest prisoner was only 16 years old.

Local activists had campaigned for months to establish at least a modest memorial, but their efforts were ignored. Opposition voices have also raised concerns about traffic, as the mayor is altering road conditions to allow up to 1,200 trucks daily to pass through the former camp area, risking severe congestion. Lidl declined to confirm or deny the reported plans, stating they are always seeking new locations but cannot provide details on potential projects at this time.