Auschwitz Birkenau (Auschwitz II) was the largest part of the Auschwitz complex and the main site of mass deportations, selections and murder. This hub explains what Birkenau was, how its sectors and facilities were organised, what happened on the ramp, and how it relates to Auschwitz I and Monowitz. For the background to the site’s creation see The Origins of Auschwitz; for the overview map see The Structure of the Auschwitz Complex; for forced labour in industry see Auschwitz Monowitz; for clandestine activity see Auschwitz resistance; for figures and sources see Auschwitz victims and survivors.
On this page: What Birkenau was · Layout and sectors · Deportations and selections on the ramp · Killing facilities at Birkenau · Daily life and survival · Resistance and documentation · Liberation and what remains · FAQ: What does ‘Birkenau’ mean? · FAQ: Where is Auschwitz Birkenau? · FAQ: How many were murdered in Birkenau?
Authoritative overviews: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum – History · United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Auschwitz
What Birkenau was
Begun in 1941, Auschwitz II-Birkenau became the largest part of the complex and the main site of deportations and selections. Trains arrived from across German-occupied Europe; most deportees were Jews. Other victims included Roma (Sinti and Roma) and prisoners from groups persecuted under Nazi policies.
Birkenau’s role changed over time as facilities expanded. Understanding these functions requires seeing the whole complex: administration centred on Auschwitz I; forced labour for industry concentrated at Monowitz; Birkenau combined mass arrivals, selections and killing facilities.
Layout and sectors
Many readers searching for an “Auschwitz Birkenau map” need a basic orientation. The site included the main gate and rail spur, sector divisions (women’s and men’s areas, family sectors at different times), hospital barracks and quarantine areas, as well as storage zones and workshops. Crematoria II–V stood in the western part of the camp; provisional gas chambers operated earlier in adapted farmhouses known as “Bunkers”.
Birkenau lies roughly three kilometres from Auschwitz I. For distances and a simple plan of the complex, see the Auschwitz map.
Deportations and selections on the ramp
Deportees arrived in sealed cattle cars. On the ramp, SS doctors conducted selections: most people were sent directly to the gas chambers; others were assigned to forced labour under conditions of starvation, disease and violence. Family groups were often separated immediately.
Selections determined life chances within hours of arrival. For how historians handle numbers and evidence, see Auschwitz victims and survivors.
Killing facilities at Birkenau
Provisional gas chambers (“Bunkers”) began operating in 1942. In 1943 four large crematoria with gas chambers (II–V) were completed. Zyklon B was used as the killing agent. The facilities and open-air burning during peak periods, such as the deportations of Hungarian Jews in 1944, enabled mass murder on an industrial scale.
This section summarises functions. For estimates and sources, see Auschwitz victims and survivors. For structure and distances across the complex, see the Auschwitz map.
Daily life and survival
Life in Birkenau was marked by extreme deprivation: lack of food, overcrowding, disease and violence. Assignments varied by sector and period. Survival depended on health, assignment, mutual aid and chance. Many prisoners were later transferred to other sites for forced labour or during evacuations in 1945.
Forced labour linked Birkenau to a wider regional network of subcamps and to Monowitz. Understanding these links helps explain how exploitation and killing were organised together.
Resistance and documentation
Resistance in Birkenau included clandestine organisation, the gathering of evidence and, in October 1944, the revolt of the Sonderkommando who worked in the crematoria. Escapes from different parts of the complex brought testimonies to the outside world. For an overview, see Auschwitz resistance.
Liberation and what remains
On 27 January 1945, soldiers of the Red Army’s 1st Ukrainian Front entered the grounds of Auschwitz I and Birkenau. Thousands of prisoners were liberated on the site while many others had been forced out on death marches. For the chronology and memory of 27 January, see When was Auschwitz liberated?
Today, visitors encounter the remains of barracks, the ruins of crematoria, the ramp area and the International Monument. Preserving the site and documenting evidence remain central to historical education and remembrance.
What does ‘Birkenau’ mean?
‘Birkenau’ is the German name for the village of Brzezinka near Oświęcim. The camp took its name from this location.
Where is Auschwitz Birkenau?
Auschwitz II-Birkenau lies about three kilometres from Auschwitz I. For orientation and distances across the complex, see the Auschwitz map.
How many were murdered in Birkenau?
Historians present ranges based on multiple sources. The majority of victims murdered in the Auschwitz complex were killed in Birkenau. For the best-established summaries and how estimates are built, see Auschwitz victims and survivors.
Read next
The Origins of Auschwitz · The Structure of the Auschwitz Complex · Auschwitz Monowitz and IG Farben · Auschwitz resistance · Auschwitz victims and survivors · When was Auschwitz liberated?