The Auschwitz concentration camp complex was a system of concentration camps (German: Konzentrationslager, abbreviated as either KL or KZ) run by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland from 1940 to 1945. The main camp (German: Stammlager) was Auschwitz I. Auschwitz II, or Birkenau, was a concentration and extermination camp, and became the most notorious of the camps. Auschwitz III, or Monowitz, was a labour camp.
In addition to the three largest camps, Auschwitz consisted of several subcamps. The satellite camps were named Aussenlager (external camp), Nebenlager (extension or subcamp), and Arbeitslager (labour camp). Several lay within 10km (10miles) of the main camp, with prisoner populations ranging from dozens to several thousand.[1]
As the size and purpose of Auschwitz changed during World War II, its structure and chain of command changed too. From 1940 to late 1943, Auschwitz I was the Stammlager and the other camps were subordinate to it. In November 1943 Birkenau and Monowitz became independent camps with their own commandants, although the commandant of Auschwitz I remained the senior officer. Auschwitz I and Birkenau were placed back under one command in November 1944, and Auschwitz III was named Monowitz.[2]
Rudolf Höss (May 1940 – November 1943), Arthur Liebehenschel from (November 1943 – May 1944), Richard Baer (May 1944 – 27 January 1945)
Fritz Hartjenstein (November 1943 – May 1944), Josef Kramer (May 1944 – November 1944). Other: Johann Schwarzhuber (overseer, men's camp, November 1943 – November 1944)
Heinrich Schwarz (November 1943 – January 1945)
The known subcamps of the Auschwitz complex included:[3]
Name of the subcamp | Location | Life time | Number of prisoners | Tenant | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Harmense (Geflügelfarm) | Harmęże | Dec 1941 – Jan 1945 | About 150 prisoners | For purposes of KL | |
2. | Budy (Wirtschaftshof) | Brzeszcze | Apr 1942 – Jan 1945 | 700-800 prisoners | For purposes of KL | |
3. | Babitz (Wirtschaftshof) | Babice near Oświęcim | Mar 1943 – Jan 1945 | About 340 prisoners | For purposes of KL | |
4. | Birkenau (Wirtschaftshof) | Brzezinka near Oświęcim | 1943 – Jan 1945 | More than 200 prisoners | For purposes of KL | |
5. | Raisko (Gärtnerei) | Rajsko | Jun 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 300 female prisoners | For purposes of KL and SS research | |
6. | Plawy (Wirtschaftshof) | Pławy | Dec 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 200 prisoners | For purposes of KL | |
7. | Golleschau | Goleszów | Jul 1942 – Jan 1945 | About 1,000 prisoners | Ostdeutsche Baustoffwerke GmbH | |
8. | Jawischowitz | Jawiszowice | Aug 1942 – Jan 1945 | More than 2,500 prisoners | Reichswerke Hermann Göring | |
9. | Chelmek (Aussenkommando) | Chełmek | Oct 1942 – Dec 1942 | About 150 prisoners | Ota Schlesische Schuhwerke ("Bata Shoes") | |
10. | Monowitz Buna-Werke[4] | Monowice near Oświęcim | Oct 1942 – Jan 1945 | 10,223 prisoners in three IG Farben locations as of 17 January 1945. | – | |
11. | Eintrachthütte | Eintrachthütte concentration camp in Świętochłowice | May 1943 – Jan 1945 | 1,374 prisoners | Berghütte | |
12. | Neu-Dachs | Jaworzno | Jun 1943 – Jan 1945 | More than 3,500 prisoners | Energieversorgung Oberschlesien Aktiengesellschaft (EVO) | |
13. | Fürstengrube | Wesoła near Mysłowice | Sep 1943 – Jan 1945 | 700–1,200 prisoners | IG Farben | |
14. | Janinagrube (Gute Hoffnung) | Libiąż[5] | Sep 1943 – Jan 1945 | 877 prisoners | IG Farben | |
15. | Lagischa | Łagisza, now Będzin | Sep 1943 – Sep 1944 | About 1,000 prisoners | Energie-Versorgung Oberschlesien AG | |
16. | Günthergrube | Lędziny | Feb 1944 – Jan 1945 | 300-600 prisoners | IG Farben | |
17. | Gleiwitz I | Gliwice | Mar 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 1,300 prisoners | Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk | |
18. | Laurahütte | Siemianowice Śląskie | Mar/Apr 1944 – Jan 1945 | 1,000 prisoners | Rhinemetall Borsig AG | |
19. | Blechhammer | Blechhammer concentration camp near Sławięcice | Apr 1944 – Jan 1945 | 609 prisoners | O/S Hydrierwerke AG | |
20. | Bobrek | Bobrek concentration camp near Oświęcim | May 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 50–213 prisoners and about 50 female prisoners | Siemens-Schuckert | |
21. | Gleiwitz II | Gliwice | May 1944 – Jan 1945 | More than 1,000 prisoners | Deutsche Gasrusswerke | |
22. | Sosnowitz II | Sosnowiec[6] | May 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 900 prisoners | Ost Maschinenbau GmbH (Berghüte) | |
23. | Gleiwitz III | Gliwice | Jul 1944 – Jan 1945 | 450–600 prisoners | Zieleniewski - Maschinen und Waggonbau GmbH - Krakau | |
24. | Hindenburg | Zabrze | Aug 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 400-500 female prisoners and about 70 prisoners | Vereinigte Oberschlesische Hüttenwerke AG (Oberhütten) | |
25. | Trzebinia | Trzebionka near Trzebinia | Aug 1944 – Jan 1945 | 600-800 prisoners | Erdölraffinerie Trzebinia GmbH | |
26. | Tschechowitz I Bombensucherkommando[7] | Czechowice-Dziedzice | Aug 1944 – Sep 1944 | About 100 prisoners | Reichsbahn | |
27. | Althammer | Stara Kuźnia near Halemby, now Ruda Śląska | Sep 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 500 prisoners | ||
28. | Bismarckhütte | Chorzów | Sep 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 200 prisoners | Berghütte (for its Bismarck steel mill at Chorzów Batory)[8] | |
29. | Charlottengrube | Rydułtowy | Sep 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 1,000 prisoners | Reichswerke Hermann Göring | |
30. | Neustadt | Prudnik | Sep 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 400 female prisoners | Schlesische Feinweberei AG | |
31. | Tschechowitz II Vacuum | Czechowice-Dziedzice | Sep 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 600 prisoners | ||
32. | Hubertshütte | Łagiewniki, now Bytom | Dec 1944 – Jan 1945 | 200 prisoners | Berghütte-Königs und Birmarckhütte AG | |
33. | Freudenthal | Bruntal | 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 300 female prisoners | Emmerich Machold | |
34. | Lichtewerden | Světlá (now Czech Republic) | Nov 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 300 female prisoners | G.A. Buhl und Sohn | |
35. | Sosnitz | Sośnica near Gliwice | Jul 1940 – Aug 1940 | About 30 prisoners | For purposes of KL | |
36. | Porombka (SS-Hütte, Solahütte) | Międzybrodzie Bialskie | Oct/Nov 1940 – Jan 1945 | About 50 prisoners and about 10 female prisoners | For purposes of SS | |
37. | Altdorf | Stara Wieś near Pszczyna | Oct 1942 – 1943 | About 20 prisoners | Oberforstamt Pless (Pszczyna forestry authority) | |
38. | Radostowitz | Radostowice near Pszczyna | 1942 – 1943 | About 20 prisoners | Oberforstamt Pless | |
39. | Kobier (Aussenkommando) | Kobiór | 1942 – Sep 1943 | About 150 prisoners | Oberforstamt Pless | |
40. | Brünn | Brno | Oct 1943 – Apr 1945 | 250–150 prisoners | For purposes of SS | |
41. | Sosnowitz (I) | Sosnowiec | Aug 1943 – Feb 1944 | About 100 prisoners | ||
42. | Gleiwitz IV | Gliwice | Jun 1944 – Jan 1945 | About 500 prisoners | For purposes of SS | |
43. | Kattowitz (Sonderkommando) | Katowice | Jan 1944 – Jan 1945 | 10 prisoners | Gestapo | |
44. | Bauzug (2 SS) | Karlsruhe, after Stuttgart | Sep 1944 – Oct 1944 | About 500 prisoners living in a train | SS-WVHA |