We all know of the Nazi camps that existed during World War II. From 1933 to 1945, they were a key characteristic of Nazi Germany’s regime. Many people don’t realize that these camps were merely genocide sites. Therefore, I’ll go deeper to tell you more about these Nazi camps. Types Of Camps There were several types of Nazi camps. The first camps to emerge in Germany were the early camps. They were often lacking in infrastructure and under the supervision of their superiors. The SA guarded state camps, also known as storm troopers, and were prototyping sites for future concentration camps. (Dachau seen in the top photograph, Esterwegen). Hostage camp was also known as police prison cells. These camps were home to hostages who were later executed in reprisal action. (Haaren, Michielsgestel)Labour camps were concentration camps where captives had to perform hard labor under inhumane conditions and cruel treatment. (Stammlager and Aussenlager). Prisoner of War camps were places where enlisted prisoners were kept after being captured.
Many prisoners were sent quickly to labor camp. (Arbeitskommandos)Work Instruction camps were camps where the “rehabilitation and re-education of ethnic Poles” according to the Nazi values were held. The transit and collection camps were places where prisoners were temporarily or permanently held until they were sent to the main camps. (Sammellager, Durchgangslager)Extermination camps were the camps whose main function was genocide. Gassing was used most often to accomplish this. (Treblinka, Belzec). Poland was home to many of these camps as it had the largest Jewish community. Some of these were a mixture between extermination and concentration camps, such as Majdanek or Auschwitz. Pre-War CampsThe very initial of these camps, which were called the “early camps”, was built in Germany on January 1933. This happened shortly after Hitler took office as Chancellor. In order to hold the large number of suspected or actual political opponents, the SA, SS, local authorities and police established these camps throughout Germany in just weeks. More than 3.5 million Germans were detained in camps during the Nazi regime. The Esterwegen Camp, Germany was an example of such a camp. This camp held political opponents like Karl Von Ossietzky (German author). Karl von Ossietzky, a Nazi opponent and pacifist, was imprisoned at Esterwegen in just a few months after receiving the Nobel Prize of Peace for 1936. The Nazis had a problem with Karl von Ossietzky, who was awarded the Nobel Prize. They couldn’t kill him since he was known throughout the world at the time. Under close observation by the Gestapo, he ended up being transferred to a nearby hospital. The end of the First World War was not the end. Following the start of World War II, concentration camps turned into places where millions of people were held captive. New Nazi concentration camps were established for the “undesirables” during the war. These “undesirables” were political opponents, Jews, homosexuals as well communists, communists, and Polish intelligencesia members. Prisoners were required to wear identification overalls with colored badges. Red triangles were for communists and other political prisoners. Green triangles were for common criminals. Purple triangles were for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Black triangles were for asocials. Later, the yellow triangle was for Jews. Treatment Many prisoners died at the concentration camps as a result of starvation or disease, or because they were considered unfit to work. Many prisoners died in the trains before they reached their destination. This train can accommodate 50 people. However, it often holds more than 200 prisoners.
Many were either dehydrated in summer heat or frozen to death during winter. To provide labor for the forced, many subcamps were created near factories in 1942. IG Farben built a synthetic-rubber plant in 1942 at Monowitz concentration prison (Auschwitz III); many other camps were located near the airplane factories, coke mines and rocket propellant factories. The conditions were harsh and prisoners were frequently sent to gas chambers or executed on the spot if they didn’t work fast enough. The camps became medical experiment sites after the war. There were many experiments at the camps, including Eugenics experiments and freezing prisoners to test how pilots who were killed in combat. Sigmund Rasser performed cold water immersion trials at Dachau concentration prison. Liberation Between 1944 and 1945, the Allied forces liberated the camps. On July 23, 1944, the Soviets discovered Majdanek as the first major camp. Auschwitz was also liberated by Soviets in January 1945. Buchenwald was captured by the Americans April 11, 1945. Bergen-Belsen and Dachau were captured by the Americans and Ravensbruck respectively on April 29, 1945. Mauthausen and Mauthausen were taken over by Soviets May 5, and Theresienstadt by Soviets May 8. Nearly all of those held in the camps were expelled. There were only a few thousand survivors.
Many of those who survived the war died weeks later from other illnesses such as malnutrition, typhus or malnutrition. Treblinka and Sobibor were not liberated by the Nazis, but they were destroyed in 1943. Post-War Use Even though most Nazi concentration or extermination camps were destroyed during the war effort, others were used for holding German Prisoners of War and other purposes. The museums and permanent memorials that were left standing in the camps were made. Auschwitz Concentration Camp is among the remaining camps. This is the Camp that bears the famous sign ‘work makes us free’ in German.
Visitors today follow a tour guide who takes them around the camps, telling stories about survivors and providing information. These horrible camps were finally destroyed 12 years later. These horrific places’ aftermath will not be forgotten. The physical and mental torture that was inflicted on the victims resulted in many innocent deaths, broken families, and psychological trauma for survivors. Today is the International Holocaust Memorial Day. It is a time to honor and remember the millions upon millions of Holocaust survivors and victims. As such, I urge everyone in the audience to observe a minute silence every year on this day to remember the Holocaust survivors and victims. This is a day to reflect on the past and ensure that the next generation does not repeat it.
