Auschwitz

A concentration camp can be defined as a camp where particular people are confined or detained for a period of time, although ironically the term death camp is commonly used as a synonym. Between the years of 1942 and 1945 the German Nazi Party had concentration camps for all Jews and other people that were considered inferior to Adolf Hitler. This is a commonly known fact, although in-depth knowledge is limited to most people. The majority of concentration camps made were used for the containing and eventual death of its prisoners. Camps have been located all over the world for many different reasons. Survivors (tough rare) do exist and always have gruesome, life changing stories. Not a doubt that Auschwitz in Poland is the most well known camp during the Holocaust.

Auschwitz concentration camp has become a symbol for terror for its role in the Holocaust. In 1930 it was to be a concentration camp that the Nazis set up. The actual camp began in 1942, and became one of the largest death camps ( Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum). This specific camp was expanded as a major camp because it was easy to reach by train and extremely isolated (Altshuler 72).

Within the first year that the camp opened the police cleared a zone for about 22 square miles as the “development zone” which was to be for the exclusive use of the camp. Some of the first prisoners of Auschwitz were German prisoners who got transferred from Sachsenhausen concentration camp, which was located in Germany.

Auschwitz was made for 3 purposes, very similar to most of the German concentration camps. To confine enemies, both real and perceived of the Nazi regime and to the German authorities in Poland, to have supplied forced laborers and as a place to physically get rid of targeted groups whose death was determined by the police authorities.

This concentration camp, like many others, included a gas chamber and a crematorium. When it started the only gas chamber was located in the basement, but later a much bigger gas chamber was built in a separate building right outside where the prisoners were held. SS physicians also did many medical experiments. They performed experiments that were considered to be without scientific foundation, on people such as infants, twins, and dwarves (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).

The Nazis were