Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

A USCHWITZ-BIRKENA U  165

The “Wall of Death”
This is a reconstruction VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
of the wall near Block 11
used for the summary Practical Information
executions by shooting. Oświęcim. Road map D5. Tel 33
Usually covered in flowers, 844 81 00. ∑ auschwitz.org
it now serves as a place Open Feb: 7:30am–4pm; Mar
of remembrance. & Oct: 7:30am–5pm; Apr, May,
Sep: 7:30am–6pm; Jun, Jul,
Aug: 7:30am–7pm; Nov & Jan:
7:30am–3pm; Dec: 7:30am–
2pm. Closed 1 Jan, Easter Day,
25 Dec. 8 Call to arrange, or
check website for details.
Transport
@ Bus to Auschwitz from Krakow
Bus Station; bus to Birkenau from
Information Centre.

Maksymilian Kolbe
The camp jail, in Block 11,
was used for those who broke
camp rules. Few emerged
alive. Father Kolbe (see p37)
died here after sacrificing his
life for another inmate’s.

Roll Call Square
Roll call took place up to three times a day
and could last for hours. Eventually, due to
the increasing numbers of prisoners, roll call
was taken in front of individual barracks.

1939 1940 First deportation of German 1942 The implementation of 1944 As the 1945 27 Jan, Soviet
1 Sep, Jews into Nazi-occupied Poland. the Final Solution is agreed Soviet Army soldiers liberate the
Hitler 1941 First gas at the Wannsee Conference closes in, the SS few remaining
invades chamber goes and mass deportation to begin destroying prisoners at
Poland. into operation. Auschwitz begins. all evidence of Auschwitz.
the camp.
1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
1941 Himmler 1943 Four gas
1940 Oświęcim makes first visit 1942 First chambers built 1945 7 May,
chosen as the site to Auschwitz section of for mass murder. Germany
of the Nazis’ new and orders its Birkenau camp 1945 18 Jan, 56,000 prisoners surrenders to
concentration camp. expansion. completed. evacuated on “Death March”. the Allies.