The Holocaust was an unspeakable tragedy of World War II, with Auschwitz-Birkenau as its cruel epicenter. It's estimated that six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, with a staggering 1.1 million of those souls perishing within the confines of Auschwitz. T

Arrival at Auschwitz: how new inmates were treated

New prisoners arrived at Auschwitz camp packed tightly in freight cars, often spending days without food or water. Upon arrival, prisoners faced the “selection process.” SS doctors decided who would be forced into slave labor and who would be sent directly to the gas chambers. The elderly, the infirm, and small children were typically murdered upon arrival. If you were wondering how long is survival in Auschwitz camp, life expectancy for prisoners was typically a few weeks or, at most, months.

Jewish women and Jewish men who passed the selection into concentration camps were stripped of their belongings, shaved, and tattooed with an identification number. Auschwitz was not a mere prison – it was a machine designed to dehumanize Jewish people at every turn.

The conditions in Auschwitz camp were beyond inhumane. Prisoners were crammed into overcrowded barracks, each of the fellow inmates allotted a space equivalent to a single newspaper page on the wooden bunks. Meals were sparse, typically a piece of stale bread and a thin soup, leading to widespread malnutrition and disease.

The Dark Side of Nazi Science

Perhaps the most chilling aspect of Auschwitz’s history is the medical experimentation that took place. Notorious figures like Dr. Josef Mengele, known as the “Angel of Death,” performed torturous experiments on twins, dwarves, and other individuals, all under the guise of medical research.

Learning from the Past: A Guided Tour of Auschwitz

Seeing the remnants of the war effort and standing before the haunting “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate, provides a palpable connection to history that surpasses what any book or documentary can offer. Guided tours offer a wealth of information, providing historical context, individual stories from a holocaust survivor, and insights that deepen understanding. For easy access and better experience, we recommend an Auschwitz Birkenau & Salt Mine One Day Tour or Auschwitz Birkenau & Salt Mine One Day Tour.