Auschwitz Research
by Landon Isaman
Auschwitz I
Auschwitz opened in 1940 and was the biggest concentration camp that the Nazis had. This concentration camp was basically a detention for prisoner and other people that the Germans wanted there. Auschwitz was an extermination camp for Jew's and other enemies of the Nazis often in gas chambers, and crematoriums. More than 1 million people died at this very own camp. Auschwitz I was the main base and probably the smallest of the camp. It had the Commandants office and living quarters. It also had the " death block ", prisoners kitchen and nine guard towers. It was surrounded by barbed wire fence. The first crematorium and gas chamber were located there too.
Auschwitz I
Main entrance to Auschwitz I.
No Way Out
Looking at this picture, you can see that any where the Jews were allowed there was barb-wired fences put up to keep them inside.
Daily Life of the Prisoners
All prisoners were woken up before dawn from the filthy, wooden beds for roll call. They were to make there beds with their thin blanket, pillow, and wooden mattress. If anything the prisoners did didn't meet the SS guards liking punishment would follow. At roll call, prisoner would have to stand outside in rain, snow or whatever the weather in their stripped clothes waiting for their number or name to be called. After roll call the day begins of punishment and neglect that was uncalled for. They would go to breakfast were they ate very little and they would be put to work for 11-12 hours. They each had 10 seconds to use the bathroom the off to the barracks they would go sleeping 10 people to a bed ( people weren't the only things they shared their bed with either). Life was rough to a prisoner at Auschwitz, nothing like it used to be when they were home.
Auschwitz- Birkenau
Birkenau was built in 1942 to make room for more prisoner at the camp and was now the biggest section of Auschwitz. Up to 200,000 prisoners were put in the barracks, 800-1,000 prisoners in each of them. It contained gas chambers and crematoriums II, III, IV, and V and that was a constant thought in all the inmates minds that stayed in Birkenau. While the prisoner work all they can smell is burnt flesh and hair. The SS guards did not care how you felt they wanted you to suffer and that's what they told the prisoners.
Important People at Auschwitz I and II
1. Elie Wiesel
2. Dr. Mengele