labor camp
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labor camp
A camp in which prisoners (e.g., political prisoners or prisoners of war) are forced to do hard physical labor. The term is strongly associated with totalitarian regimes of the 20th century.
Der Schriftsteller Alexander Solschenizyn beschrieb das Leben in den sowjetischen Arbeitslagern.
The writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn described life in the Soviet labor camps.
The word is made up of 'Arbeit' (work) and 'Lager' (camp). So it literally describes a camp where work is done. However, its actual meaning is strongly negatively shaped by history.
Das Rote Kreuz versuchte, die Bedingungen in den Lagern zu verbessern.
The Red Cross tried to improve conditions in the camps.
This word has a very strong, negative historical meaning. It is inseparably connected with the crimes of totalitarian regimes such as National Socialism or the Soviet Gulag system and is used almost exclusively in this context.
Viele politische Gegner des Regimes wurden in Arbeitslager verschleppt.
Many political opponents of the regime were deported to labor camps.
The preposition 'in' is used with either the accusative or dative depending on the context. Movement into a camp is expressed with the accusative ('in ein Arbeitslager bringen' — to take someone to a labor camp), while being there is expressed with the dative ('in einem Arbeitslager sein' — to be in a labor camp).
Die Gefangenen wurden in ein Arbeitslager gebracht.
The prisoners were taken to a labor camp.
