Why did the Nazis set up Auschwitz?

Answer 1

The camp was originally established in May 1940 as a large and harsh concentration camp for: 1. Poles who did not co-operate with the Germans. 2. Educated Poles, who might preserve Polish culture and traditions. In 1941-42 the camp was expanded till it became a vast forced labour and killing centre.

Answer 2

The Nazis used the political prisoners as forced labour - and worked them to death. The other reason was that the Nazi leaders agreed on 'final solution', i.e. the extermination of the Jews in 1942. About 1.5 million Jews were gassed and incinerated in the gas chambers and crematoria of Auschwitz between 1942 and 1945.

Answer 3

It started in May 1940 as an extremely harsh concentration camp, mainly for Polish intellectuals and Poles who did not co-operate with the Nazis. From October 1941 onwards, it was greatly extended and Auschwitz II (Birkenau) was added, mainly as an extermination camp. It eventually consisted of three camps on the main site and a further 45 satellite camps.

Answer 4

It had a double function: it was used as a labour camp. The prisoners (Communists, democrats, socialists, political criminals, homosexuals) were used as forced labour. Most of the 'workers' died in 3 months. And it was an extermination camp as well. In Auschwitz-Birkenau about 1.5 million people were killed. It was equipped with gas chambers and crematoria. The Nazis used Zyclon-B to gas the Jews (about 12,000 -20,000 a day). The camp was the location of medical experiments with the leadership of J Mengele. He experimented on dwarfs and twins.

Answer 5

The camp opened in May 1940 and initially was intended as a very tough concentration camp for Poles who resisted or didn't co-operate with the Nazis.

Answer 6

Initially, it was set up in 1940 to hold Polish political prisoners and pows, but its fucntions expanded rapidly from 1941 onwards.

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