René-Yves Vitel
* 1945

René-Yves Vitel, born on 21.3.1945 in Hamburg, died on 8.5.1945

Essener Strasse 54,
formerly camp Tannenkoppel, Weg 4, also called "Tarpenbek, Forced labor camp of the armaments industry in Hamburg Langenhorn

René-Yves Vitel was born in Hamburg on March 21, 1945. His mother Paulette Vitel, born in Lesardreins on June 23, 1923, was of Roman Catholic faith and single. Deported from her homeland France, she had to perform forced labor in Hamburg-Langenhorn for Hanseatische Kettenwerk GmbH (HAK) and Deutsche Meßapparate GmbH (Messap), respectively, since February 25, 1942. She was housed in the Tannenkoppel camp, Weg 4. Emma-Maria Vitel, born in Legardieux on May 2, 1924, possibly a sister a year younger, also shared this fate with her in Langenhorn from April 5, 1943 to January 13, 1945.

After two years, Paulette Vitel became pregnant. In the eighth month of her pregnancy, on February 12, 1945, she was transferred to Groß Borstel as a "kitchen help" in the "DAF-Gemeinschaftslager" Sportstraße 10, the camp of the German Labor Front (DAF), Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke AG (VDM). According to records in her work card, she received a monthly "wage" of RM 33.50.

One day before the birth of her child, Paulette Vitel was admitted to the Frauenklinik (women’s hospital) Finkenau, Hamburg-Uhlenhorst. After giving birth, she and her son René-Yves were admitted to the Langenhorn Hospital on the same day. Five days later, on March 26, 1945, she returned with him to the forced labor camp Sportstraße. Subsequently, Paulette Vitel and her son were transferred to the "Tarpenbeck camp" in Langenhorn. There René-Yves had to spend the last time of his short life. The nutritional and living conditions were completely inadequate for him there as well.

On May 8, 1945, the day of Germany's liberation from National Socialism, René-Yves died in the "Olgaheim" in Hamburg Wohldorf-Ohlstedt, a ward of the Rothenburgsort Children's Hospital. In the death record, Dr. Derner noted "severe nutritional disorder" as the cause of death.

René-Yves was 1 month, 2 weeks, and 3 days old.

Seven days after his death, his burial took place on May 15, 1945, at Bergstedt Cemetery, grave location: 62, No. 31. His grave remained there when, in March 1957, during a reburial of children of forced laborers, the remains of the infants Bogdan Olszewska, Iwan Warantschyk, and "Infant of Prisoner No. 9272" were brought to Ohlsdorf Cemetery. René-Yves' grave is no longer preserved at Bergstedt Cemetery.

Translation Beate Meyer