Page 166 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

164  FUR THER AFIELD

e Auschwitz I

For most people, Auschwitz represents the ultimate horror of
Hitler’s war. Over 1.1 million people died here between 1940
and 1945, 90 percent of whom were Jews. Auschwitz began
as a camp for Polish political prisoners, many of whom died
of malnourishment, overwork or torture. It subsequently
became a camp for Soviet prisoners of war, who were similarly
mistreated. From 1942 onwards, the subsidiary Auschwitz- Exhibitions
Birkenau camp was built to deal with the vast numbers of The daily horrors of life in the
Jews brought to be murdered as part of the Nazi’s Final camp are today displayed in
Solution. Auschwitz is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. some of the barracks.

The Camp
Auschwitz I opened in 1940 on the site of
former Polish army barracks. Originally built
to incarcerate Polish political prisoners, further
buildings were added in the spring of 1941
as the number of prisoners dramatically
increased. Camp administration was
also based at Auschwitz I.

0 metres 100
0 yards 100

Gas Chambers and Crematoria
The entire Auschwitz complex had seven
gas chambers and five crematoria. Six of
the gas chambers were in Birkenau but the
first was at Auschwitz, operating from 1941.
KEY

The Two Camps 1 SS Guard house and office of
the camp supervisor
Though part of the same camp complex, Auschwitz and 2 “Arbeit Macht Frei” entrance:
Birkenau are in fact 3 km (2 miles) apart, on the western the words above the infamous
suburbs of the bustling entrance to Auschwitz translate as
town of Oświęcim “Work makes you free”. This was
(Auschwitz in German). certainly not the case for the
Birkenau was opened in prisoners transported here, who
March 1942 in the village were often worked to death.
of Brzezinka, where the 3 Block 11 was the central jail
residents were evicted to that housed prisoners from all over
make way for the camp. the camp complex.
There were an additional 4 Store containing the poison,
47 sub-camps in the Zyklon B, first used at Auschwitz to
surrounding area. kill prisoners.
5 Camp kitchen
Aerial view of the complex taken by the Allies in 1944. The yellow dotted line 6 Present-day Information
marks Birkenau; the blue shows Auschwitz I. Centre for visitors