Death Marches Research
Spencer Jarvis
What were the Death Marches?
The Death Marches were evacuations of Jewish concentration camps in Poland during the winter of 1944 and 1945 by the Nazis.There was a total of 59 different marches that took place. With the Russians and Americans coming closer to the Polish front, the Nazis wanted to get their prisoners into Germany for three reasons. These reasons were 1) to make sure word about the concentration camp experiences doesn't get out, 2) in order to keep the productions of weapons flowing and 3) General Himmler believed that the Jews could be used as bargaining chips. In total, about 200,000-250,000 people were killed during the marches. That was about 25% of the total Jewish population.
The March from Stutthof's Satellite Camps to The Danzig Region
One of these marches took place from Shutthof's satellite camp into the Danzig region. This was a ten day march in total. In the beginning there were about 50,000 prisioners that were going to be marched into Laundenburg in eastern Germany. Before they left, 5,000 prisoners were forced into the Baltic Sea and were killed. There were only thirteen known survivors. In the ten day total march, it is not known how far they had to walk since they didn't reach their destination. When cut off by the Soviet forces, the prisoners were forced to turn around and go back into Shutthof. When they went back many more Jews were executed in the Baltic sea, while the rest were sent to other concentration camps by boat. Many drown along the way to the camps. In total, about 25,000 people died in the death march. When the camp was liberated there were only 100 people left at the camp.
Important Dates
JANUARY 18, 1945
DEATH MARCHES FROM THE AUSCHWITZ CAMP SYSTEM BEGIN
JANUARY 25, 1945
THE EVACUATION AND DEATH MARCH FROM STUTTHOF CONCENTRATION CAMP
APRIL 7, 1945
DEATH MARCH FROM BUCHENWALD CONCENTRATION CAMP
APRIL 26, 1945
DEATH MARCH FROM DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP
Citations
US Government. "Death Marches." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 29 Jan. 2016. Web. 22 May 2016.
The Gale Group. "Encyclopedia Judaica: Death Marches."Jewishvirtuallibrary. The Gale Group, 2008. Web. 22 May 2016.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Stutthof." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Government, 29 Jan. 2016. Web. 22 May 2016.