The Dictionary that Should of Never Been

CreatedBy: Jonathan. G

Bergen – Belsen Bergen – Belsen is located in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was established in 1943 and was meant to hold people designated for foreign exchange with German Nationals. In March 1944 it went from a detention camp to a concentration camp. The first people who were brought there were classified as “unfit for work.” They were put into a section f the camp with terrible living conditions. In August 1944 a new section was added to house women , but there was no water or facilities. On December 2, 1944 Joesph Kramer took over the camp and the first thing he did was make it an official camp. From January to mid April of 1945, 35,000 people had died or were killed. On April 15, 1945 Bergen – Belsen was liberated by the British Army.

“Bergen – Belsen.” Learning About the Holocaust. 2001. Print

Bergen – Belsen Barracks

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View of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Germany, date uncertain

BuchenwaldBetween the years of 1938 and 1939 German Gypsies were sent to Buchenwald. Buchenwald was not a death camp but thousands died from being over worked, hunger, disease, and systematic violence. Work hours were from 6am to 5pm and a ½ hour break was for food. The food was usually a watery turnip soup and bread made from sawdust. When roll was called in the morning most were dead. Some of the bodies were propped up to be accounted for. In April 1945 British and United States liberated Buchenwald.

Drowning. David. The Nazi Death Camps. Milwaukee : World Almanac Library, 2006. Print

Buchenwald Barracks

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A view of barracks in the Buchenwald concentration camp. This photograph was taken after the liberation of the camp. Buchenwald, Germany, after April 11, 1945.

ChelmnoChelmno was the first death camp created in December of 1941 near the polish village of Chelmno. Chelmo was not under Himmers direct control. Himmler was the leader of the SS. On December 8, 1941, the first gassing at Chelmno began. Only some estimates agree that around 155,000 deaths happened. Later in July the final victims were driven in special vans to there deaths. The vans were equipped with gas to kill them. Any reaming people were shipped to Auschwitz.

Lace. William. The Death Camps .San Diego: Lucent Books, 1998. Print

Chelmno Train

Jews from the Lodz ghetto are forced to transfer to a narrow-gauge railroad at Kolo during deportation to the Chelmno extermination camp. Kolo, Poland, probably 1942.

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Dachau Dachau was opened in 1933, 10 miles away from the city of Munich. At first political enemies of the Nazi party were sent there. Then in April of 1933 the SS took over the camp. Upon arrival to camp, prisoners were taken of all possessions and rights. Then they were given a number and a colored triangle to indicate what race they were. Dachau was the site of medical experiments and having prisoners do private work. The sick and the weak were killed systematically. From October 1941 to April of 1942 Soviet prisoners were executed by the SS. In 1945 7,000 prisoners were forced to march South by the SS, and were shot if falling behind. Dachau was liberated on April 29, 1945. Following the war, 40 Dachau SS guards were captured and tried. 34 of the guards were put to death.

“Dachau.” The Holocaust. 1997. Print

Dachau Barracks

View of prisoners' barracks soon after the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. Dachau, Germany, May 3, 1945

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Mauthausen Mauthausen is a concentration camp in upper Austria. The camp was used at first for criminals and German Political criminals. The camp was then used to accommodate overflow from Dachau in may of 1938. The camp was growing at such a fast rate satellite camps were set up around it. Conditions at the camp were terrible, death rates were the highest of all the camps. When prisoners were killed, they used phenol injection until a gas chamber was built in 1942. The Jews were singled out for the harshest treatment. Most of the Jews died within a week of arriving. Toward the end of the war, Mauthausen was at its capacity. What the camp did was prepare a mass grave to kill all who were still living. American troops liberated Mauthausen in May of 1945.

“Mauthasuen.” The Holocaust. 1997. Print

Mauthausen Freedom

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An American soldier and liberated prisoners of the Mauthausen concentration camp. Austria, May 1945

WesterborkWesterbork was originally used for housing German Jews. They were refugees who entered the Netherlands illegally during Krystall Nacht. Westerbork is located in Northeastern Dutch providence of Drenthe. At the end of 1941the Germans changed the camp to one of the three transit camps. On July 14, 1942 the final solution was announced and 100,000 Jews were deported to Auschwitz or Sobidor. In April of 1945 the camp was liberated.

“Westerbork.” The Holocaust. 1997. Print

Westerbork Train Station

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Train station in the Westerbork camp. Westerbork, the Netherlands, between 1942 and 1944.