The First Auschwitz Concentration Camps

Auschwitz Auschwitz was one of the many concentration camps that the Nazis established to torture and usually kill Jews and others who helped the Jews. There many innocent lives were lost and many people were tortured.

Auschwitz I was the "main camp." It was the first Auschwitz camp established. SS authorities used prisoners there for forced labor. The prisoners worked in workshops, supply stores and for SS companies. In October 1944 a so-called "camp extension" was built. There women prisoners produced artillery-shell fuses. Auschwitz I held about 16,000 prisoners. The first couple years it was mainly politics against the Jews and people helping them. Later they arrested more Jews. Like many other concentration camps Auschwitz

This concentration camp is located in Brzezinka. It began in October 1941 it was divided into ten sections that were separated by barbed wire and guarded by men and dogs. Auschwitz II had the largest populations of prisoners. The camp held sections for men, women and a family center for Gypsies. It played the role of killing Jews from Europe. Four big crematorium buildings were built. Each one had three parts: a disrobing area, an enormous gas chamber and a crematorium oven. The gas chambers held up to 2,000 people at a time. Men wore striped pants and jackets while women wore simple working dresses. They never changes their clothes and scarcely got to take showers. Auschwitz II was an evil place.

Auschwitz III was created in October 1942, one year after Auschwitz II. Prisoners there manufactured rubbers and fuels. This camp was the most important to the Nazis because of what was being made there. It had the biggest effect on the war effort. This camp was built by other inmates from Auschwitz I. Inmates there who worked in the factories had a better chance of survival because they were considered too valuable to send to the gas chambers. Auschwitz III was an evil