AUSCHWITZ: THE CAMP OF GENOCIDE

On May 26, 1940, Auschwitz, a concentration/extermination camp was established. The construction started under Rudolf Hoess. The camp was originally formed for 7,000 inmates, it had twenty eight two story buildings.      In October 1941, Auschwitz-Birkeneau, asecond camp, was established. The construction was ordered by Heinrich Himmler. It was to be bigger, 250 wooden and brick barracks. It would hold up to 100,000 inmates. This camp was equipped with crematories II-V and gas chambers. According to SS notes they could burn up to 4,756 carcasses a day. Approximately 1.3 million people were sent to the gas chambers.      During an upraise in October 1944, crematorium IV was blown up. The month after the SS detached all camps and blew up all remaining crematoriums.

Because of revolts like this, prisoners were severally punished. According to Boris Weinberg, SS master sergeant Max Bialas, was stabbed by an inmate who jumped out of line. The inmate was hit over the head with a shovel, and guards started shooting into the crowed. Ten people were to be picked at random and shot in front of the roll call. Instead 150 men were taken to the ditches and shot.

Not only were Jews admitted into Auschwitz. Also Gypsies, many Gypsies came from the same origin as the Nazis. This caused a problem for Hitler's master race. With them in Germany they could not run it. Because the Gypsies were nomadic , they were not kept in records, therefore we don't know how many were killed in the death camps.

Even though the prisoners were scared to be in Auschwitz, the trip there was more than most could handle. They were either marched or transported by train. Most trains could carry 1,450 people. The journeys took at least three nights and four days. On these trains prisoners got no food (except what they could brought themselves), no water, or rest rooms.

With the crematories they could burn up to three bodies per chamber. This meant they could burn 360 bodies per operation, 720 per hour, and 17,280 per shift. Because the shifts ran all day and all night they could burn over 24,000 bodies. In the months of May-July of 1944 over 1,314,000 bodies were burned.      Auschwitz came up with a new method of working forces. They would pick the fittest men and put them to work. These people were picked by age, trade, and physical feature. After being chose they were registered and tattooed. Josef Mengele, a sadistic German physician, met prisoners upon arrival deciding who would live an who would die. He did many expirements at Auschwitz.       On Jan 17-19, 1945 Auschwitz was evacuated. As the Red Army advanced the SS became more scared. They sent the healthy to the death marches and the remaining were gassed      On January 27, 1945 Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviets.

Researched by Aaron  Church:  www.historyplace.com www.bxscience.edu/orgs/holocaust/edguide/index2.html www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/camp/links.html