Auschwitz Essay

2719 Words6 Pages

Auschwitz was one of many concentration camps during the Holocaust; the only difference was that Auschwitz was the biggest and most brutal Nazi death camp that caused terror to millions of prisoners. Auschwitz was located near Oswiecim, Poland and stretched several miles long. Thousands of prisoners were held captive within Auschwitz and had no choice to obey the rules the SS men set for them. Those who did obey the rules were put to death instantly. Thousands of prisoners prayed that they would one day be set free; however, many prisoners spoke their last words within the barbed wires of Auschwitz. Rudolf Hoss was one of the three commandants of Auschwitz. Hoss was born on November 25, 1900. When Hoss was younger he wanted to become a Priest; however, after his father died in World War I, he decided that he did not want to be a Priest anymore ("Rudolf Höss"). Since Hoss ended his plans to become a Priest, in 1916 he joined the German Army. While apart of the German Army, Hoss was “wounded three times and was twice awarded the Iron Cross” (Bulow, Louis). It was not until 1922, Hoss met Adolf Hitler in which he immediately joined the Nazi Party. Shortly after joining the Nazi Party, Hoss was sentenced to ten years in prison for helping with the assassination of Walter Kadow (Höss, Rudolf). Hoss was released early as part of the general amnesty. Shortly after being released from prison in 1928, Hoss joined the Schutzstaffel (SS) and on “August 1, 1938, Hoss was appointed as adjutant of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp until his appointment as commandant of the newly-built camp in Auschwitz in early 1940” ("Rudolf Höss"). On April 27, 1940, Heinrich Himmler declared that a new camp be created near Oswiecim, Poland; declaring... ... middle of paper ... ...centration camp” (Gloria Hollander Lyon). Lyon proved that the concentration camps did change any people’s views on their religion. Prisoners of Auschwitz stood strong to their beliefs the entire time within the camps. Those who survived even kept practicing Jewish customs. Today, Auschwitz is still recognized for being the center of the Holocaust. Almost seven decades have past and Auschwitz is still being discussed. Museums have even been established to recognize the millions of lives that were lost due to Auschwitz. Individuals cannot forget what happened within all the concentration camps because once individuals forget, the chances of something happening like this again is very likely. Currently, parts of Auschwitz still stand in Poland. Auschwitz will always be remembered as the biggest and most brutal Nazi death camp that caused terror and genocide.

Open Document