Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Concentration camps

Unfortunately, historical memory is a short-lived thing. Not even seventy years have passed since the end of the Second World War, and many have a vague idea of what Auschwitz is, or Auschwitz concentration camp, as it is commonly called in world practice. However, another generation is alive, which has experienced the horrors of Nazism, hunger, mass extermination and the deep moral decline that can be felt. Based on the surviving documents and testimonies of witnesses who know first hand what the concentration camps of the Second World War are, modern historians present a picture of what was happening, which, of course, can not be exhaustive. Counting the number of victims of the hellish machine of Nazism seems impossible in view of the destruction of documents by SS men, and simply the absence of thorough records of the dead and killed.

What is the Auschwitz concentration camp?

A complex of buildings for keeping prisoners of war was built under the auspices of the SS under Hitler's directive in 1939. The Auschwitz Concentration Camp is located near Krakow. 90% of those in it were ethnic Jews. The rest are Soviet prisoners of war, Poles, Gypsies and representatives of other nationalities, who in the total number of those killed and tortured were about 200,000.

The full name of the concentration camp is Auschwitz Birkenau. Auschwitz is a Polish name, it is used mainly in the territory of the former Soviet Union.

The history of the concentration camp. The content of prisoners of war

Although the concentration camp of Auschwitz is notorious for the mass extermination of the peaceful Jewish population, initially it was conceived from slightly different considerations.

Why was Auschwitz chosen? This is due to its convenient location. First, he was on the border, where the Third Reich was ending and Poland began. Auschwitz was one of the key trade nodes with convenient and well-established transport routes. On the other hand, the closely approaching forest helped hide the crimes committed there from unnecessary eyes.

The first buildings the Nazis erected in place of the barracks of the Polish army. For the construction they used the work of local Jews who came to them in the forced labor. At first, German criminals and Polish political prisoners were sent there. The main task of the concentration camp was to keep people in the isolation dangerous for the welfare of Germany and use their labor. Prisoners worked six days a week, and Sunday was a day off.

In 1940, the local population living near the barracks was forcibly expelled by the German army to build additional buildings in the liberated territory, where subsequently there was a crematorium and chambers. In 1942 the camp was enclosed by a strong reinforced concrete fence and wire under a high voltage current.

However, such measures were not stopped by some prisoners, although escapes were extremely rare. Those who had similar thoughts, knew that with any attempt, all of their cellmates would be destroyed.

In the same 1942, at the conference of the NSDAP, a conclusion was drawn on the need for mass extermination of the Jews and for the "final solution of the Jewish question." At first, German and Polish Jews referred to Auschwitz and other German concentration camps of the Second World War. Then Germany agreed with the allies to carry out "cleansing" in their territories.

It should be mentioned that not all agreed with ease. For example, Denmark was able to save its subjects from imminent death. When the government was informed of the planned "hunting" of the SS, Denmark organized a secret transfer of Jews to a neutral state - Switzerland. Thus, more than 7 thousand lives were saved.

However, in the general statistics of 7000 people killed, tortured with hunger, beatings, overwork, illnesses and inhumane experiences, it is a drop in the sea of spilled blood. In total, during the existence of the camp, from 1 to 4 million people were killed according to different estimates.

In the middle of 1944, when the war unleashed by the Germans made a sharp turn, the SS tried to transport the prisoners from Auschwitz to the west, to other camps. Documents and any evidence of a merciless massacre were massively destroyed. The Germans destroyed the crematorium and gas chambers. In early 1945, the Nazis had to release most of the prisoners. Those who could not flee wanted to destroy. Fortunately, thanks to the offensive of the Soviet Army, several thousand prisoners, including children, were experimented.

Camp structure

Auschwitz was divided into 3 large camp complexes: Birkenau-Auschwitz, Monowitz and Auschwitz-1. The first camp and Birkenau were subsequently merged and represented a complex of 20 buildings, sometimes several floors.

The tenth block occupied far from the last place in horrible conditions of detention. Here we conducted medical experiments, mainly on children. As a rule, such "experiments" were not so much of scientific interest as they were another method of sophisticated bullying. Especially among the buildings stood out the eleventh block, it even terrified the local guards. There was a place for torture and executions, the most negligent were sent here, tortured with cruel cruelty. It was here that for the first time attempts were made to mass and maximally "effective" extermination with the help of the "Cyclone-B" poison.

Between these two blocks was constructed a wall for executions, where, according to scientists, about 20 thousand people were killed.

Also in the territory were installed several gallows and furnaces for burning. Later, gas chambers were built, capable of destroying up to 6,000 people a day.

Arriving prisoners were distributed by German doctors to those who are capable of labor, and those who were immediately sent to death in the gas chamber. Most often, weak women, children and the elderly were referred to disabled persons.

The survivors were kept in cramped conditions, practically without food. Some of them dragged the bodies of the deceased or cut off the hair that went to the textile factories. If the prisoner managed to survive for a couple of weeks at such a service, they got rid of him and took a new one. Some fell into the "privileged" category and worked for the fascists by tailors and barbers.

The deported Jews were allowed to take no more than 25 kg of weight from the house. People took with them the most valuable and important. All the things and money left after their death were sent to Germany. Before this, the belongings had to be dismantled and sorted out all the valuable things that the captives in the so-called "Canada" were doing. This place was acquired due to the fact that earlier "Canada" was called valuable gifts and gifts sent from abroad to the Poles. Work on "Canada" was relatively softer than in Auschwitz as a whole. There worked women. Among the things you could find food, so in the "Canada" prisoners were not so hungry. The SS did not hesitate to molest the beautiful girls. Rarely happened here.

The first experiments with the "Cyclone-B"

After the conference in 1942, the concentration camps begin to turn into a machine whose purpose is mass destruction. Then the Nazis first tested the power of the impact of "Cyclone-B" on people.

"Cyclone-B" is a pesticide, a poison based on hydrocyanic acid. In bitter irony, the tool was invented by the famous scientist Fritz Haber, a Jew who died in Switzerland a year after the arrival of Hitler's power. Haber's relatives died in concentration camps.

The poison was known for its powerful action. It was convenient to store it. Used for the destruction of lice "Cyclone-B" was available and cheap. It is worth noting that the gaseous "Cyclone-B" is still used in America to carry out executions.

The first experiment was conducted in Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz). In the eleventh block, Soviet prisoners of war were driven off and poison was poured through the holes. For 15 minutes there was an unceasing scream. The dose was not enough to destroy everyone. Then the Nazis fell asleep more than a pesticide. This time it worked.

The method proved to be extremely effective. The Nazi concentration camps of the Second World War began to actively apply the "Cyclone-B", constructing special gas chambers. Apparently, in order not to create panic, and, perhaps, because of fear of retaliation, the SS men said that prisoners should take a shower. However, for most prisoners it was no longer a secret that they would never leave this "soul" again.

The main problem for the SS was not to destroy people, but to get rid of corpses. At first they buried them. This method was not very effective. When burning, there was an unbearable stench. By the hands of the prisoners, the Germans built a crematorium, but incessant screams and a horrific smell became commonplace in Auschwitz: traces of crimes of this magnitude were very difficult to hide.

The living conditions of the SS men in the camp

Concentration camp Auschwitz (Auschwitz, Poland) was a real town. It had everything for the life of the military: dining rooms with abundant good food, cinema, theater and all human goods for the Nazis. While the prisoners did not receive even a minimal amount of food (many perished in the first or second week from hunger), the SS men feasted incessantly, enjoying life.

Concentration camps, in particular Auschwitz, have always been a desirable place of service for a German soldier. Life here was much better and safer than those who fought in the East.

However, there was no place more corrupting the whole of human nature than Auschwitz. Concentration camp is not only a place with good content, where for endless killing the military was not threatened, but a complete lack of discipline. Here the soldiers could do whatever they wanted and how they could get down. Through Auschwitz there were huge cash flows from the property stolen from deported people. Accounting was woken up by the sleeves. And how could you calculate exactly how much the treasury should be replenished, if even the number of arriving prisoners was not taken into account?

SS men did not hesitate to take their precious things and money. They drank much, alcohol was often found among the belongings of the dead. In general, employees in Auschwitz did not limit themselves to anything, leading a rather idle way of life.

Doctor Josef Mengele

After Josef Mengele was wounded in 1943, he was deemed unfit to continue his service and sent to Auschwitz by the doctor, the death camp. Here he had the opportunity to implement all his ideas and experiments, which were frankly insane, cruel and meaningless.

The authorities ordered Mengele to conduct various experiments, for example, on the effect of cold or altitude on a person. Thus, the experiment on the temperature effect of Joseph conducted, obkladivaya captive from all sides of the ice, until he died from hypothermia. Thus, it was found out at what temperature of the body irreversible consequences and death occur.

Mengele liked to experiment with children, especially twins. The result of his experiments was the death of almost 3,000 minors. He did forced sex-change operations, transplanted organs, performed painful procedures, trying to change the color of his eyes, which ultimately led to blindness. This, in his opinion, was proof of the impossibility for a "non-thoroughbred" to become a real Aryan.

In 1945, Josef had to flee. He destroyed all the reports of his experiments and, having issued false documents, fled to Argentina. He lived a quiet life without hardship and oppression, without being caught and punished.

When Auschwitz collapsed. Who freed the prisoners?

In early 1945, Germany's position changed. Soviet troops began an active offensive. The SS had to start evacuation, which was later called the "march of death." 60 thousand prisoners were ordered to go on foot to the West. On the way, thousands of prisoners were killed. Weakened by hunger and unbearable labor, the inmates had to pass more than 50 kilometers. All those who lagged behind and could not go further, were immediately shot. In Gliwice, where prisoners arrived, they were sent to freight wagons in concentration camps located in Germany.

The liberation of the concentration camps occurred in late January, when there were only about 7,000 sick and dying prisoners in Auschwitz who could not leave.

Life after liberation

The victory over fascism, the abolition of concentration camps and the liberation of Auschwitz, unfortunately, did not mean the complete punishment of all the perpetrators of the atrocities. What happened in Auschwitz remains not only the bloodiest, but also one of the most unpunished crimes in the history of mankind. Only 10% of all those who directly or indirectly related to the mass extermination of civilians were convicted and punished.

Many of those who are still alive, do not feel guilty. Some refer to a propaganda machine that dehumanized the image of the Jew and made him the culprit of all the misfortunes of the Germans. Some say that an order is an order, and in the war there is no place for reflection.

As for the prisoners of concentration camps who have escaped death, it seems that they do not need to wish for more. However, these people were, as a rule, abandoned to the mercy of fate. The houses and apartments where they lived were long ago appropriated by others. Without property, money and relatives who died in the Nazi death machine, they needed to survive again, even in the post-war period. One can only marvel at the strength of will and courage of people who have passed through concentration camps and managed to survive after them.

Auschwitz Museum

After the war Auschwitz, the death camp, entered the UNESCO World Heritage List and became a museum center. Despite the huge flow of tourists, it is always quiet here. This is not a museum in which something can please and pleasantly surprise. However, it is very important and valuable, like the unceasing scream from the past about innocent victims and moral fall, whose bottom is infinitely deep.

The museum is open to all, the entrance to it is free. For tourists there are excursions in different languages. In Auschwitz-1 visitors are invited to look at the barracks and storerooms of personal items of the deceased prisoners who were sorted with German pedantry: rooms of glasses, mugs, shoes and even hair. Also it will be possible to visit the crematorium and the firing wall, where flowers are still being brought to this day.

On the walls of the blocks you can see the inscriptions left by the captives. In the gas chambers to this day on the walls were traces of the nails of the unfortunate, dying in terrible agony.

Only here you can fully penetrate the horror of what happened, see with your own eyes the living conditions and the scale of the destruction of people.

The Holocaust in works of art

One of the works exposing the fascist regime is Anne Frank's "Refuge". This book in letters and notes tells the vision of the war by a Jewish girl, who together with her family managed to find refuge in the Netherlands. The diary was conducted from 1942 to 1944. Records are interrupted on August 1. Three days later the whole family was arrested by the German police.

Another famous work is Schindler's Ark. This is a story about the manufacturer Oscar Schindler, who, being amazed by the horrors taking place in Germany, decided to do everything possible to save innocent people, and sent thousands of Jews to Moravia.

According to the book, the film "Schindler's List" was shot, which received a lot of prizes from various festivals, including 7 Oscars, and highly appreciated by the community of critics.

The policy and ideology of fascism led to one of the largest human catastrophes. The world does not know more cases of such mass, unpunished killing of peaceful people. The history of delusions that led to the enormous suffering that affected the whole of Europe must remain in the memory of mankind as a terrible symbol of something that can never again be allowed.