The SS in Auschwitz were essential to the daily functioning of the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp. As part of the Nazi state apparatus, the SS was responsible for establishing, running and expanding the camp system. Members of the …

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, …

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 …

Auschwitz victims and survivors are counted on the basis of many different sources rather than a single complete list. This overview explains what the sources are, how estimates are built, what we know about the murdered, and what historians mean …

Auschwitz resistance is the term used for clandestine networks, escapes and acts of solidarity inside the camp complex. This article explains what resistance meant in practice – how prisoners organised, what risks they faced and why the 1944 Sonderkommando revolt …

This article explains how forced labour shaped the Auschwitz complex, with a focus on Auschwitz III-Monowitz (Buna) and the nearby IG Farben works. For the overall site layout, see The Structure of the Auschwitz Complex, and for the origins of …

This guide explains the Auschwitz map and layout so readers can understand how the camp complex functioned. “Auschwitz” here refers to the entire complex – Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau and Auschwitz III-Monowitz – unless stated otherwise. For the historical background …

A factual, respectful overview of Auschwitz-Birkenau’s history: origins, expansion, deportations, liquidation and memory. Key dates, context and sources …