Auschwitz

auschwitz

By Greisel Gomez
  • 1939

    1939

    Nazi Germany annexed in 1939 after invading and conquering Poland.
  • camp construction

    camp construction

    Construction began in May 1940 in an abandoned Polish army artillery barracks, located in a suburb of the city.

  • SS authorities

    The SS authorities established three main camps near the Polish city of Oswiecim: Auschwitz I in May 1940;
  • Gas

    Gas

    During the summer and autumn of 1941, Zyklon B gas was introduced into the German concentration camp system as a means for murder.

  • construction of auschwitz II

    Construction of Auschwitz II, or Auschwitz-Birkenau, began in the vicinity of Brzezinka in October 1941.
  • "provisional" gas chamber

    "provisional" gas chamber

    “Provisional” gas chamber I went into operation in January 1942 and was later dismantled.

  • inspectorate of concentration camps

    the Inspectorate of Concentration Camps was an agency of the SS Main Office
  • Transports

    Transports

    trains arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau frequently with transports of Jews from virtually every country in Europe occupied by or allied to Germany.
  • independent concentration camps

    independent concentration camps

    the SS decreed that Auschwitz-Birkenau and Auschwitz-Monowitz would become independent concentration camps

  • deportation

    Between late April and early July 1944, approximately 440,000 Hungarian Jews were deported, around 426,000 of them to Auschwitz

  • Prisoners

    several hundred prisoners assigned to Crematorium IV at Auschwitz-Birkenau rebelled after learning that they were going to be killed
  • Auschwitz II

    Auschwitz II

    Auschwitz II was reunified with Auschwitz I