Terror of Auschwitz essays

Terror of Auschwitz essays The Holocaust refers to any widespread human disaster, but it is more widely known as the almost complete destruction of the Jews in Europe by Nazi Germany. During the 19th century, European Jewry was being emancipated, and, in most European countries, Jews achieved some equality of status with non-Jews. Nonetheless, at times Jews were vilified and harassed by anti-Semitic groups. Indeed, some anti-Semites believed that Jewry was an alien "race" not assimilable into a European culture, but they did not formulate any coherent anti-Semitic campaign. In 1940, Germany began sending Jews to Concentration Camps, a place where selected groups of people (Jews) are confined, usually for political reasons and under inhumane conditions. One of the largest concentration camps was located thirty-seven miles west of Krakow, Poland. Auschwitz was the camp where Jewish people were worked and killed. This camp, out of all the rest tortured the most people. Auschwitz began as a barracks camp in the town of Oswiecim, for the polish army in the early 1930's. Germany then captured Poland and needed another location for Polish political prisoners. In 1940, the German SS sent a commission to Oswiecim to see if the barracks there could be used. The first inspection reported that it could not be used, however, a later inspection stated that after a few minor changes it would be useable. On May 4, 1940 Rudolf Hoss officially established it as a German concentration camp. Hoss was Auschwitz's first commandant. Auschwitz was originally intended for Polish political prisoners and other Poles. In June of 1940, the first load of prisoners arrived. 728 Poles and a handful of Jews. Soon, though, it became a melting pot of prisoners. Male Czechs, Soviets, Yugoslavs, Jews, and Gypsies; were housed there. Not until 1942 did women arrive. In January of 1942 it was decided that Auschwitz would become the main Jewish exterm...