The history of Auschwitz begins in 1940, when Nazi Germany established the camp in the suburbs of Oświęcim, a Polish city they annexed and renamed Auschwitz. Initially conceived as a concentration camp for Polish political prisoners, it grew into a massive complex of forced labour and extermination sites that became a central symbol of the Holocaust and Nazi terror.

The Establishment of Auschwitz I (1940)

Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, ordered the establishment of the camp on April 27, 1940. Rudolf Höss was appointed as the first commandant in May. The first transport of prisoners, 728 Poles arrested for political reasons, arrived on June 14, 1940. The camp was built in a former Polish army barracks, and its initial purpose was to terrorise the local Polish population and hold political prisoners. The infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign was placed over the entrance gate during this early phase.

Expansion and the Birth of Birkenau (1941)

In 1941, two developments dramatically expanded Auschwitz's role. The German chemical conglomerate I.G. Farben decided to build a factory for synthetic rubber nearby, leading to the creation of the Auschwitz III-Monowitz sub-camp to provide slave labour. More significantly, following the invasion of the Soviet Union, construction began in October 1941 on a vast new camp in the nearby village of Brzezinka, or Birkenau. This site, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, was initially intended for Soviet prisoners of war but was soon repurposed to become the epicentre of the "Final Solution."

The Centre of the Holocaust (1942-1944)

Beginning in 1942, Auschwitz-Birkenau became the largest of the Nazi extermination centres. The first mass gassings using Zyklon B had been tested on Soviet POWs in September 1941. By mid-1942, two provisional gas chambers were operating at Birkenau, and construction began on four massive, purpose-built gas chambers and crematoria. These facilities became operational in 1943, enabling the industrial-scale murder of Jews transported from across occupied Europe. The peak of the killing occurred in the summer of 1944 with the arrival of over 400,000 Hungarian Jews, most of whom were murdered immediately upon arrival.

Key Historical Dates

Resistance and Uprising

Despite the horrific conditions, resistance existed within Auschwitz. This took many forms, from smuggling food and medicine to documenting SS crimes and organising escapes. One of the most notable acts of resistance was the Sonderkommando revolt on October 7, 1944. Prisoners in this unit, who were forced to work in the crematoria, managed to blow up Crematorium IV and attack SS guards before the uprising was brutally suppressed. It was a desperate act of defiance by men who knew they were marked for death.

Liberation and Aftermath (1945-Onwards)

As the Soviet Red Army advanced through Poland, the SS began evacuating Auschwitz in mid-January 1945, forcing nearly 60,000 prisoners on brutal death marches westward. The SS attempted to destroy evidence of their crimes by blowing up the gas chambers and crematoria and burning documents. On January 27, 1945, soldiers of the 322nd Rifle Division of the Red Army entered the camp. They found approximately 7,000 emaciated and sick prisoners left behind, along with vast warehouses of victims' belongings and the horrifying physical evidence of the genocide. In 1947, the Polish Parliament decreed the creation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on the site of the former camps to preserve their memory for all time.

Frequently asked questions

When was Auschwitz operational?

The Auschwitz camp complex was operational from its establishment in May/June 1940 until its liberation by Soviet forces on January 27, 1945.

Who liberated Auschwitz?

The Soviet Red Army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp complex on January 27, 1945, during their Vistula-Oder Offensive. They found around 7,000 prisoners who had been left behind.

Why was Auschwitz built in Poland?

Auschwitz was built in German-occupied Poland due to its central location in Europe and its position at a railway hub, which facilitated the transport of Jews from across the continent. The area was annexed by the Third Reich, and the existing Polish army barracks provided a ready-made infrastructure to begin the camp.

Understanding this history is crucial. To delve deeper into the stories and see the grounds for yourself, consider booking guided tours of the Memorial.