Berka/Werra

Berka/Werra (also Berka an der Werra) is a town and a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district, in Thuringia, in central Germany. Since 1 January 2019, it is part of the town Werra-Suhl-Tal. It is situated on the river Werra, 19 km west of Eisenach.

Berka/Werra
Ortsteil of Werra-Suhl-Tal
Coat of arms
Location of Berka/Werra
Berka/Werra Show map of Germany Berka/Werra Show map of Thuringia
Coordinates: 50°56′22″N 10°4′12″E
Country	Germany
State	Thuringia
District	Wartburgkreis
Town	Werra-Suhl-Tal
Area
• Total	56.93 km2 (21.98 sq mi)
Elevation	193 m (633 ft)
Population  (2017-12-31)
• Total	4,231
• Density	74/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	99837
Dialling codes	036922
Vehicle registration	WAK

Within the former municipality there are the following municipal districts:

• Berka/Werra city center
• Fernbreitenbach
• Gospenroda
• Herda (with Hausbreitenbach and Kratzeroda)
• Horschlitt (with Auenheim-Rienau)
• Vitzeroda (with Abteroda and Gasteroda)
• Wünschensuhl

History

Within the German Empire (1871-1918), Berka/Werra was part of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

During World War II, Abteroda was the location of two subcamps of the Buchenwald concentration camp, in which 230 men, mostly French and Russians, and 375 French, Polish, Soviet, Italian, Serbian, Croatian and Greek women were imprisoned.^[1][2] In April 1945, surviving prisoners were sent on a death march to the Buchenwald concentration camp.^[1][2]

References

1. "Abteroda (Männer)". aussenlager-buchenwald.de (in German). Retrieved 13 November 2023.
2. "Abteroda (Frauen)". aussenlager-buchenwald.de (in German). Retrieved 13 November 2023.