Auschwitz Birkenau

Auschwitz Birkenau was established when the original Auschwitz was too small for all the prisoners that were being sent to their deaths. Located over 700 acres, from land and property that was reclaimed from Polish citizens, who lost their homes and business so the Nazi's could send over a million people to their deaths.

The railroad to death. Loaded into cattle trucks, from all over Europe, sometimes from thousands of miles away, the trip could take days, with no water, food or sanitation. The trucks shunted into the compound where the prisoners were unloaded. There possessions removed from them and they were selected according to workers, elderly and children.

Compound fenc

Photo of workers digging the ditch inside the compound fence

Inside the latrine house

200 latrines, down the centre and along both sides, were just a hole in the concrete. Inmates were allowed 30 seconds, both in the morning and in the evening. Although the minute amount of food, water and coffee, it was a wonder that there system would work efficiently.

Timber huts, There are only a few left. When the allies were coming the Nazies set fire to most of the buldings

A rail carriage that was an example of the carriages used to transport the prisoner.

The brick buildings

This is a section of where the women and children would sleep. It was about 2 x 1.5 metres. There was no mention of how many would be sleeping in this small area. The sections were two high.

The wash area

HOrrible experiments were conducted by the doctors on the women. Sterilisation without anaesthetic. Injections of both mothers and babies with phenol bring death.

Mostly in the dark, there was no lighting or heating.

two murals preserved behind glass. They was painted by the inmates