Holocaust: Death Camp Crematoriums of Auschwitz-Birkenau
The Holocaust is considered one of the most horrifying crimes against humanity. This twisted event was masterminded, by Adolph Hitler, in an attempt to establish a pure “Aryan” race. This unrestrained dictator decided that all mentally ill, gypsies, non supporters of Nazism, and the Jews were to be eliminated from the German population. In January of 1941, Adolf Hitler and his top officials decided to make their “Endlösung der Judenfrage”or “final solution” become a reality, through the use of concentration and death camps. Their goal was to eliminate the Jews and the “unpure” from the entire population. (Bauer, 58) Thus the “Gates of Hell” were born or less ominously known as Auschwitz-Birkenau. Deception was a skill of the Nazi’s, before Auschwitz-Birkenau was at its highest point of use the menacing signs of trouble, to arriving prisoners were silent. The sign to the “Gates of Hell” read "Arbeit Macht Frei” in English “Work Will Make You Free.” These words promoted the false hope that by hard work, prisoners could gain their freedom. The sign entering Auschwitz-Birkenau should have read “Tod bildet dich frei” in English that means “Death Makes You Free”. Between dangerous jobs, brutal guards, a starvation diet and selection, most prisoners were killed with in a month. Since, a majority of prisoners were forced to do hard, heavy labor; these prisoners had an even lower survival rate. (Holocaust: Death Camp, 64)
The Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp has become a symbol of terror for its role in the Holocaust. Auschwitz was built in provincial Polish town of Oshwiecim in Galacia, since it had railway links with other parts of Europe it was the best location in both transportation and enlargement.(The Holocaust, 23-24) In 1930 it was one of the first legitimate concentration camp, which the Nazis set up. After an experimental gassing there in September 1941, the real camp began. By 1942, it became...