Valentin Lewonenko
* 1943

Valentin Lewonenko, born on 17.11.1943 in Hamburg, died on 7.3.1944

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

Valentin Lewonenko was born in Hamburg on November 17, 1943. His mother Tatjana Lewonenko, born on February 24, 1924 in Gruschnoje/Krs. Polessjc, was of Greek Orthodox faith and single. Deported from her native Russia, she had to perform forced labor as an "agricultural worker" for Hermann Albers in Hamburg-Kirchwärder, Querweg 24, since February 24, 1943. During her pregnancy, she was transferred to Hamburg-Langenhorn. There she was employed as a forced laborer for Hanseatische Kettenwerk GmbH (HAK) and Deutsche Meßapparate GmbH (Messap). She was housed in the "Ostarbeiterlager Tannenkoppel", Weg 4.

On the day of the birth of her child, she was admitted to the women’s hospital Frauenklinik Finkenau, Hamburg-Uhlenhorst. Thirteen days after giving birth, on November 30, 1943, she returned with her son Valentin to the "Tannenkoppel Eastern Workers' Camp." Valentin had to spend the short time of his life in this forced labor camp. The nutritional and living conditions were completely inadequate for him.

He died there at 6:00 a.m. on March 7, 1944. In the death notice of the police chief, according to "official investigations", without specifying a doctor, the cause of death is given as "intoxication with intestinal catarrh" (poisoning with intestinal inflammation).

Valentin was 3 months, 2 weeks and 5 days old.

Eight days after his death he was buried on March 15, 1944 in the Ohlsdorf cemetery, grave location: Q 39, row 1, no. 19. At the end of 1959 the grave was levelled together with at least 146 graves of children of forced laborers on area Q 39. Only eight of the graves were moved to the area Z 35 and four to the area Bp 74. On July 7, 1959, Valentin's remains were moved to the collective grave Z 35, row 8, No. 34 together with those of three unknown deceased. A gravestone with his name carved on it and the date of his birth and death still commemorates him there - but in contrast to the birth certificate, with the first name Valentin and the date of birth January 17, 1943.

His mother Tatjana Lewonenko came to Hamburg-Kirchwärder on March 28, 1944 as an "agricultural worker" for forced labor to vegetable grower Ahlers, Hitscherberger Querweg 24 (today Norderquerweg).
After the end of the war, she was registered in the aliens' registration file on May 17, 1945 as "moved unknown".

Translation by Beate Meyer