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Nazi Concentration Camps: What Secrets Do You Know Behind This Horror History?
From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps (German: Konzentrationslager) in its territory and in German-occupied Europe. The first concentration camps were established in March 1933. The system quickly unfolded soon after Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany. The establishment of these concentration camps was not only a tool of political persecution, but also a systematic suppression of resistance voices by the Nazi regime.
The initial prisoners were mainly members of the German Communist Party, but over time the group of arrests expanded to include "habitual criminals", "asocial elements" and Jews.
Behind this horrific history, there are many hidden details. The actual operation of the Nazi concentration camps changed from early chaos and disorder to later institutionalization, not overnight, but through careful planning and execution. In 1934, after the power struggle within the Nazi Party, the management of the concentration camps was completely handed over to the SS (SS), which was quickly transformed into a weapon to control and eliminate "enemies of society."
Historical background
While the early concentration camps were similar in concept to Southern China's "concentration camps," they were executed in different ways. The early British concentration camps in South Africa did not involve systematic murder. Germany also established similar concentration camps during the genocide of the Herro and Nama people from 1904 to 1907, with a mortality rate as high as 45%. During World War I, Germany also detained millions of prisoners of war, most of whom died due to poor working conditions and lack of food.
Operation and expansion of concentration camps
In 1933, when Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, his government quickly established the first concentration camp. With the fascist purges of 1934, the concentration camp system became increasingly entrenched, leaving hundreds of thousands of political opponents with nowhere to escape. The real expansion of the concentration camps began in 1937, marking the evolution of the system from an authoritarian instrument to a comprehensive machine of violent repression.
Many sources point to the fact that the Nazis' systematic pursuit of different groups was not only to eliminate dissidents, but also to combat the illusion of "lower humanity." This is evident in the remarks of Heinrich Himmler.
With the beginning of World War II, the number and capacity of concentration camps increased again, and many new concentration camps were opened one after another. Most of these camps became places of forced labor and concentrated internment. In June 1940, Auschwitz concentration camp was established. It was initially used to imprison Polish resistance activists, and later became one of the most deadly places for the Jewish community.
Life and conditions of prisoners
Prisoners in concentration camps faced brutal living conditions. As the war progressed, food became more scarce, living conditions became worse, and the workload increased significantly. Many prisoners died from disease and malnutrition, and mortality rates rose rapidly.
Although the environment in the concentration camp is extremely cruel, in the fierce competition for survival, there are still a small number of prisoners who strive to survive, sometimes even at the expense of infringing on other people's right to survival.
Forced labor was also part of the concentration camp system, initially in response to economic crises and demands related to the external political environment. As the war progressed, the SS used prisoners to produce military supplies to make up for the shortage of manpower, often making prisoners work in conditions that were almost impossible to survive.
Public reaction and subsequent impact
As time goes by, society’s understanding of the results and actions of the Nazi concentration camps becomes clearer and clearer. These atrocities are not only the product of extreme politics, but also a profound test of human nature and morality.
Many concentration camps have been converted into memorial halls and become places to reflect on this period of history. Today, the Nazi concentration camp system has become a symbol of violence and terror around the world, reminding the world to be vigilant and that such a tragedy should not happen again. Faced with the profound lessons of history, are there any omissions in our reflection on social values and supervision of power?
