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Auschwitz - Birkenau Concentration Camps
Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Auschwitz
October 15th 2006 by Der Reisende
It was a warm and sunny day when we arrived. There were a lot of people who arrived about the same time we did, all talking quietly to each other, wondering what this place was really like, trying to imagine…. The only difference was that we were arriving by car, not jammed into a rail car like so many who arrived here over 60 years ago to the infamous concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. We were there as tourists, not like the million and half men, women, and children who were slaughtered, many within a short time after their arrival.
Auschwitz is probably the most recognized of all the Nazi concentration camps and the biggest Nazi concentration camp complex during World War II. Poles and prisoners from other countries were condemned by the Nazis to isolation and slow extermination by hunger, cruel and exhausting work, criminal experiments or to a quick death as a result of individual and mass executions. In 1942, Heinrich Himmler singled out the camp in Auschwitz as the site of the total eradication of the Jewish population. Most of the Jews arrived at Auschwitz convinced that they had been deported for “resettlement” in Eastern Europe.
Arbeit Mach Frei
Arbeit Mach Frei - Work brings Freedom These words were to promote the false hope that hard work by the prisoners would result in their freedom: however, the sad truth was that the prisoner... [more]
There were three Auschwitz camps, but only Auschwitz I (the main camp) and Auschwitz II (Birkenau) remain. Auschwitz III (Monowitz) once located on the east side of the town of Oświęcim, is no longer in existence. Auschwitz was selected, as it was some distance from the built up area of Oświęcim and was the site of pre-war Polish military barracks. Another factor, there were 44 train lines coming into
The Entrance to Auschwitz
Notice carefully the upside down "B" welded proposely this way by a prisoner.
The former camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau have been preserved and are now visited by close to a million people a year. Birkenau is the world’s largest Jewish graveyard, the place where the ashes of more than a million innocent victims were scattered over the fields or thrown into several small ponds.
Auschwitz originally had 20 brick buildings. When Auschwitz was converted into a concentration camp, a second story was added to the 14 single story buildings and 8 new two-story buildings were built. Between 13,000 and 16,000 prisoners were crowded into these 28 buildings were they slept on three-tiered bunks. At one point in 1942 the camp swelled to 20,000 prisoners at Auschwitz.
In the beginning, Auschwitz was set up as a camp for Polish political prisoners and German common criminals, who assisted the Nazis in supervising the other prisoners. The first inmates consisted of 728 Poles, mainly students, who had joined the Polish Resistance. The first prisoners to be gassed at Auschwitz consisted of 600 Russian prisoners of war and 250 sick prisoners who were killed on September 3, 1941.
Here is an interesting point that I had never realized, the Auschwitz Concentration Camp Complex, consisting of Auschwitz, Birkenau and Monowitz, was the only location in which prisoners were systematically tattooed during the Holocaust. However, not every prisoner was tattooed. Prisoners selected for immediate extermination, many Soviet POWs and police prisoners were never registered or tattooed.
Birkenau, or Auschwitz II, was opened October 7, 1941 as a Prisoner of War camp for soldiers captured during the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Most of the Soviet POWs quickly died from starvation and disease, while being overworked and inhumanly treated. Out of the 13,000 Soviet POWs brought to Birkenau, only 92 were still alive when the last roll was taken on January 17, 1945.
Birkenau was huge, covering over 425 acres. It was estimated that when completed Birkenau was 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) long and 1.6 kilometer (1 mile) wide. When construction was completed it consisted of over 300 buildings with a capacity of
Auschwitz
The 28 brick buildings nestled among these beautiful trees are peaceful today. a little over 60 years ago they housed between 13,000 to 20,000 prisoners.
Birkenau’s prison barracks consisted mainly of wooden buildings, originally designed as horse stables, with no floors or foundations. Originally designed to hold 52 horses, the barracks were crammed with 800 to 1000 prisoners. Prisoners slept on slats on wooden bunks, many with only their own clothing as protection from the cold. Prisoners slept 8 or 10 to a bunk. The prisoners were locked in at night and supplied only with buckets for toilets. The rations allocated to the prisoners were just barely enough to keep the prisoner alive for slave labor, but in a state of malnutrition. At breakfast, they were given 10 ounces of bread with a small piece of salami or one ounce of margarine and brown, tasteless coffee, with no sugar. The lunch meal was a watery soup usually made out of rotting vegetables and sometimes a few small pieces of meat. Dinner was bread with rotten salami or margarine and jam with a cup of watered down coffee.
On January 18, 1945, with the Soviet Union army approaching, the Nazis marched approximately 60,000 of the prisoners from the three camps to other camps farther
Caution-High Voltage-Mortal Danger
Besides the guard towers, there were two electric fences to keep in the prisoners.
Walking around the concentration camps was a very moving experience for me. To be in a place where so many were either selected for immediate extermination or forced slave labor and resulting death, words cannot truly convey the feelings. One feeling that I can somewhat describe is the feeling that I have often felt when I walk through a military cemetery. Here lie so many who met violent deaths and yet it is so peaceful and quiet. It was very peaceful and quiet here. Somehow I sense the collective spirits of those who have perished. They are at rest. The violence is behind them. But I feel that they are saying to all who come here -
"Do not ever forget what happened here!"
Halt! Stop!
Stepping beyond this sign would result in death either by the guard shooting the prisoner or the electric fences. Some prisoners committed suicide by crossing the line rather than continue their impri... [more]
The Guard Tower
Electrified barbed wire fences where one means of the means of controlling prisoners.
Courtyard of Death
The courtyard of death is adjacent to the "Death Block", Block 18. It was in this closed courtyard the SS shot thousands of prisoners, mostly Poles.
The Wall of Death
It was here that the SS shot thousands of prisoners after receiving the verdict of the Gestapo Police Court. Before they were shot, all the victims were made to undress. 
The Posts
In the courtyard of the Death Block stands the Posts. Here the SS administered punishments in the form of flogging or, after tying the prisoner's hands behind his back, hung the prisoner to the hook o... [more]
The Guard Booth
It was here the SS guards would stand on cold wintry days while the prisoners stood out in the snow and cold while their numbers were counted. Sometimes the SS would make the prisoners stand there fo... [more]
Birkenau
It was here that the trains were unloaded with railcars jammed with Jews and German undesireables. It was also here where the selction process took place, whether they would be immediately exterminate... [more]
Destroyed Crematory
At the end of the unloading ramp at Birkenau are the remains of two cremaria and gas chambers that were destroyed by the SS in an attempt to conceal their criminal activities.
Birkenau - Prison Barracks
The prisoners lived in what were converted horse barns. Built with no insulation and even less ventilation, these is where the prisoners were kept until they died or were exterminated.
Birkenau - Latrines
The latrines in this building serviced 17 prisoner barracks, approximately 7 thousand prisoners. According to our tour guide (center), The prisoners were marched in and only given 10 seconds before th... [more]
Birkenau - Prison Barracks
The prison barracks (horse barns) held up to over 400 prisoners, sometimes a lot more, sleeping 2 to 3 to a bunk with little to no protection from the cold.
Birkenau - What Remains
Of the three hundred buildings at Birkenau, only a few are still standing. The SS, as they were abandoning the camp, set fire to many of the buildings. After the war many local people took apart some ... [more]
The Pond
In this pond were dumped the ashes of many tens of thousands of people, mainly Jews, who were gasses in Krematurium IV, just to the right.
Never Forget!
Each of hundreds of thousands of these insulators in this camp, and the wire wrapped around each of them, reminds us - "We can never forget what happened here!"
12 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
October 27th 2006 - Brigid: Thank you, Dad, for writing that. It was very moving. I can only imagine what it felt like to be there, both in the past and in the present.September 28th 2007 - Stephanie Michele: NiceThis is a very neat website=)...I learned a lot from it...Good Pictures.January 5th 2008 - David: Even thoughmy parents and i were fortunate enough to go to Aushwitz concentration camp. because until one has gone they realy dont comprehend the severity of what happened then, pre, and post wars and genecides. As i tell allyou learn more through traveling then school itself!!!!!! Simply put it was dumbfounding, Sorry but i am still and always will get goose bumps when talking about this topic.
Live and LearnApril 22nd 2008 - Grace: WOW!This is an extremly good website. I learned a lot form it. I will never be able to know what it was like in the Auschwitz death camp! Thank you for posting this website amd allowing people to learn about Auschwitz!
PS: this website helps a lot if you are doing a research paper!!April 23rd 2008 - Breeann Talley : I cant believe they did that!Breeann-Its just evil how one human being could treat another they way they did. Honestly i didnt really care to know about it until my english teacher read The Dairy of Ann Frank to us. Its horrible i hope i would have never done any of that to anyone. IOts really hard to think that someone would like to see someone in agonizing pain and they being the ones who did it to them didnt any of the guards at least try to help in anyway?
June 30th 2008 - Ryan: This is very touching and moving, may all those murdered here and in every other camp lay in peace, for we shall never forget this tragedy, how selfish they were. Curse the Germans who commited such crimes of hatrid.February 17th 2009 - Shannon: I'll never forget what happenedYou are very brave and strong to be able to have come through that. May all the victems rest in peace. We will NEVER forget them.February 17th 2009 - Shannon: I will never forget what happened.You are very brave and strong to have been able to come through that. We will NEVER forget waht the Nazis did, and we will NEVER forget the victims who died. May they rest in peace.March 26th 2009 - adhin: i have translated a booki follow ur web always have been touched by the cruelty so i tried to find books that concern the concentration camps an i found Aushwitz a doctors eye wittness by Dr. Miklos Niezili an i have translated it to my native language. Working too ahr don it i have finshed everything except finishing which is impossible at this time for me my problems are political and economical i will tell every thing when u respond to me thanks so much
June 8th 2009 - Kevin : Research!I am an eighth grader at a charter school in Philadelphia. I recently completed a 5 page research paper about Auscwitz. Before researching, I was never aware of the horror of Auschwitz. I just wanted to leave this comment to say to let everyone know that I am too educated about Auswitz!
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Halt! Stop!
Stepping beyond this sign would result in death either by the guard shooting the prisoner or the electric fences. Some prisoners committed suicide by crossing the line rather than continue their impri... [more]
The Guard Tower
Electrified barbed wire fences where one means of the means of controlling prisoners.
Courtyard of Death
The courtyard of death is adjacent to the "Death Block", Block 18. It was in this closed courtyard the SS shot thousands of prisoners, mostly Poles.
The Wall of Death
It was here that the SS shot thousands of prisoners after receiving the verdict of the Gestapo Police Court. Before they were shot, all the victims were made to undress.
The Posts
In the courtyard of the Death Block stands the Posts. Here the SS administered punishments in the form of flogging or, after tying the prisoner's hands behind his back, hung the prisoner to the hook o... [more]
The Guard Booth
It was here the SS guards would stand on cold wintry days while the prisoners stood out in the snow and cold while their numbers were counted. Sometimes the SS would make the prisoners stand there fo... [more]
Birkenau
It was here that the trains were unloaded with railcars jammed with Jews and German undesireables. It was also here where the selction process took place, whether they would be immediately exterminate... [more]
Destroyed Crematory
At the end of the unloading ramp at Birkenau are the remains of two cremaria and gas chambers that were destroyed by the SS in an attempt to conceal their criminal activities.
Birkenau - Prison Barracks
The prisoners lived in what were converted horse barns. Built with no insulation and even less ventilation, these is where the prisoners were kept until they died or were exterminated.
Birkenau - Latrines
The latrines in this building serviced 17 prisoner barracks, approximately 7 thousand prisoners. According to our tour guide (center), The prisoners were marched in and only given 10 seconds before th... [more]
Birkenau - Prison Barracks
The prison barracks (horse barns) held up to over 400 prisoners, sometimes a lot more, sleeping 2 to 3 to a bunk with little to no protection from the cold.
Birkenau - What Remains
Of the three hundred buildings at Birkenau, only a few are still standing. The SS, as they were abandoning the camp, set fire to many of the buildings. After the war many local people took apart some ... [more]
The Pond
In this pond were dumped the ashes of many tens of thousands of people, mainly Jews, who were gasses in Krematurium IV, just to the right.
Never Forget!
Each of hundreds of thousands of these insulators in this camp, and the wire wrapped around each of them, reminds us - "We can never forget what happened here!"
12 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
October 27th 2006 - Brigid:
Thank you, Dad, for writing that. It was very moving. I can only imagine what it felt like to be there, both in the past and in the present.
September 28th 2007 - Stephanie Michele: Nice
This is a very neat website=)...I learned a lot from it...Good Pictures.
January 5th 2008 - David: Even though
my parents and i were fortunate enough to go to Aushwitz concentration camp. because until one has gone they realy dont comprehend the severity of what happened then, pre, and post wars and genecides. As i tell allyou learn more through traveling then school itself!!!!!! Simply put it was dumbfounding, Sorry but i am still and always will get goose bumps when talking about this topic.
Live and Learn
April 22nd 2008 - Grace: WOW!
This is an extremly good website. I learned a lot form it. I will never be able to know what it was like in the Auschwitz death camp! Thank you for posting this website amd allowing people to learn about Auschwitz!
PS: this website helps a lot if you are doing a research paper!!
April 23rd 2008 - Breeann Talley : I cant believe they did that!
Breeann-Its just evil how one human being could treat another they way they did. Honestly i didnt really care to know about it until my english teacher read The Dairy of Ann Frank to us. Its horrible i hope i would have never done any of that to anyone. IOts really hard to think that someone would like to see someone in agonizing pain and they being the ones who did it to them didnt any of the guards at least try to help in anyway?
June 30th 2008 - Ryan:
This is very touching and moving, may all those murdered here and in every other camp lay in peace, for we shall never forget this tragedy, how selfish they were. Curse the Germans who commited such crimes of hatrid.
February 17th 2009 - Shannon: I'll never forget what happened
You are very brave and strong to be able to have come through that. May all the victems rest in peace. We will NEVER forget them.
February 17th 2009 - Shannon: I will never forget what happened.
You are very brave and strong to have been able to come through that. We will NEVER forget waht the Nazis did, and we will NEVER forget the victims who died. May they rest in peace.
March 26th 2009 - adhin: i have translated a book
i follow ur web always have been touched by the cruelty so i tried to find books that concern the concentration camps an i found Aushwitz a doctors eye wittness by Dr. Miklos Niezili an i have translated it to my native language. Working too ahr don it i have finshed everything except finishing which is impossible at this time for me my problems are political and economical i will tell every thing when u respond to me thanks so much
June 8th 2009 - Kevin : Research!
I am an eighth grader at a charter school in Philadelphia. I recently completed a 5 page research paper about Auscwitz. Before researching, I was never aware of the horror of Auschwitz. I just wanted to leave this comment to say to let everyone know that I am too educated about Auswitz!
2 message(s) await review.
All Comments
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