When was Auschwitz liberated? On 27 January 1945 units of the Red Army entered the camp complex near Oświęcim, revealing to the world the scale of Nazi crimes. This article explains what happened in January 1945, what liberation meant for survivors, and why 27 January became a day of remembrance. For historical background see The Origins of Auschwitz, the site layout in The Structure of the Auschwitz Complex, forced labour in Auschwitz Monowitz, and clandestine activity in Auschwitz resistance. Numbers and sources: Victims and Survivors of Auschwitz.
On this page: January 1945 – evacuation and death marches · 27 January – who liberated Auschwitz? · First witnesses and immediate aid · What liberation meant for survivors · Why 27 January? From event to remembrance · When was Auschwitz liberated? · Who liberated Auschwitz? · Why is 27 January Holocaust Memorial Day? · Methodology note
Authoritative overviews: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum – History · United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Auschwitz
January 1945 – evacuation and death marches
As the Soviet offensive approached in January 1945, the SS began evacuating the Auschwitz complex. Tens of thousands of prisoners were forced onto “death marches” in severe winter conditions toward railheads and other camps to the west. Many died from exhaustion, exposure, starvation and shootings along the routes.
Inside the camp area, SS units attempted to destroy evidence and abandon positions. Understanding how parts of the complex functioned helps read these events in context – see the Auschwitz map and the role of Monowitz in forced labour.
27 January – who liberated Auschwitz?
On 27 January 1945, soldiers of the Red Army’s 1st Ukrainian Front entered the grounds of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. They found thousands of emaciated prisoners left behind, among them children and the seriously ill. The date is now closely associated with the end of the camp’s operation and the first organised relief on the site.
The liberation is best understood alongside earlier evacuations and the wider wartime context. For the development of the camp up to 1945, see The Origins of Auschwitz.
First witnesses and immediate aid
Medical teams and local aid groups helped stabilise survivors, while initial documentation began: lists, photographs, testimonies and the securing of evidence. Early accounts by survivors and liberators shaped how the world learned about deportations, selections, killing facilities at Birkenau and the system of forced labour connected to Monowitz and subcamps.
These first witnesses are central to historical knowledge. For how estimates are built from multiple sources, see Victims and Survivors of Auschwitz.
What liberation meant for survivors
Liberation ended immediate persecution but began a difficult recovery. Survivors faced illness, malnutrition and grief. Many searched for relatives, returned to destroyed homes or remained displaced; some emigrated in the following years. Testimonies describe both relief and the challenges of rebuilding life after the camp.
Clandestine networks and acts of solidarity during imprisonment had often increased chances of survival. For forms of resistance and escapes, see Auschwitz resistance.
Why 27 January? From event to remembrance
The date 27 January marks the entry of liberating forces onto the camp grounds, and it has become a key day of remembrance internationally. Commemorations focus on victims and survivors, the evidence of crimes and the responsibility to preserve accurate history.
Institutions, including the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, maintain programmes of education and commemoration around this date. Articles across our site link the event to the camp’s structure and function – see the Auschwitz map and Auschwitz victims and survivors.
When was Auschwitz liberated?
Auschwitz was liberated on 27 January 1945, when units of the Red Army entered the camp complex near Oświęcim. The date is widely observed as a day of remembrance.
Who liberated Auschwitz?
Soldiers of the Red Army, operating within the 1st Ukrainian Front, entered the grounds of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau on 27 January 1945.
Why is 27 January Holocaust Memorial Day?
Because it is the date of the camp’s liberation. The day is used internationally to honour victims and survivors of the Holocaust and to support historical education against denial and distortion.
Methodology note
We reference institutional syntheses and survivor testimonies and avoid false precision. Context across our articles links figures and experiences to the camp’s functions: deportations and killing facilities in Birkenau, forced labour in Monowitz, administration in Auschwitz I. See: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and USHMM.
Read next
The Origins of Auschwitz · The Structure of the Auschwitz Complex · Auschwitz Monowitz and IG Farben · Auschwitz resistance · Auschwitz victims and survivors