V koncentráku nebyl nikdo právem: Rozhovor s Jörgem Skriebeleitem
No one was in the concentration camp by right: Interview with Jörg Skriebeleit

Summary/Abstract: Hidden for decades behind persistent social stigma and selective remembrance, people labeled by the Nazis as “asocials” and “professional criminals” have only recently gained broader recognition as victims of National Socialism. In this interview, Jörg Skriebeleit, director of the Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial, reflects on the origins of the exhibition Die Verleugneten (The Denied), which explores the persecution, marginalization, and long postwar neglect of these groups. He explains how Nazi authorities used socially constructed labels to target individuals from vulnerable backgrounds, including the poor, homeless, sex workers, and people with prior criminal records, many of whom were deported to concentration camps. The discussion highlights the delayed political recognition of these victims, culminating in a 2020 resolution of the German Bundestag that formally acknowledged them as victims of Nazism. Particular attention is paid to the persistence of stigma within families and memorial culture, as well as tensions surrounding the role of prisoner hierarchies in concentration camps. Drawing on personal stories, historical research, and museum practice, the interview demonstrates how memory institutions can challenge entrenched stereotypes and recover forgotten biographies. The exhibition’s innovative visual and educational approach seeks to connect historical exclusion with contemporary social issues, encouraging broader public engagement with neglected aspects of Nazi persecution. Ultimately, the conversation underscores that no one imprisoned in a concentration camp belonged there by right and that recognition of all victim groups remains essential to an inclusive culture of remembrance.

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