How Were People Treated in Concentration Camps?

Have you ever wondered what daily life was like in a Nazi concentration camp? How were people treated in concentration camps, and what horrors did they face?

In her memoir Five Chimneys, Olga Lengyel provides a harrowing account of her experiences in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her firsthand testimony reveals the brutal reality of life in one of history's darkest places.

Read on to discover the shocking details of survival, resistance, and the human spirit in the face of unimaginable cruelty.

The Horrific Reality of Nazi Concentration Camps

Arrival and Initial Shock

When you arrived at a Nazi concentration camp, you immediately learned how people were treated in concentration camps – with utter disregard for human dignity. The journey there was already a nightmare – imagine being crammed into cargo wagons for eight nights with barely any room to move. There was no water, no sanitation, and you were surrounded by the sick and even the dead.

Once you reached the camp, things only got worse. You'd trade your personal belongings for water, desperate for any relief. The Nazis cleverly disguised their true intentions, with medical personnel and emergency vehicles on standby. But this was just a ruse to send the sick directly to the gas chambers.

Your new "home" was likely to be something like Barrack 26 – a huge, rough board stable with wooden cages called "koias." There was no comfort, no space, and certainly no privacy. Can you imagine sharing eating utensils with 1,500 other people? And those same utensils were often used as chamber pots. The conditions were truly deplorable.

Daily Life and Survival

Life in the camps was a constant struggle for survival. You'd face intense scarcity of essential supplies. The barracks were overcrowded, with leaky roofs and muddy floors. Sanitation was practically non-existent, and soap, if you could find it, often smelled terrible.

You'd stand exposed to the cold during roll calls, wearing wet and insufficient clothing. Food was scarce, and prisoners often had to barter for meals. The hunger was relentless, and combined with exhausting duties and fear of punishment, it created a pervasive sense of despair.

Disease was rampant due to overcrowding and lice infestations. You'd constantly battle to maintain some level of hygiene and dignity, but it was an uphill struggle against brutal weather conditions and the camp's intentional efforts to dehumanize you.

The Machinery of Death

The camps were designed as efficient killing machines. Auschwitz-Birkenau, for example, could process a staggering 24,000 bodies daily through its gas chambers and crematoria. The smell of burning flesh was constant, a horrific reminder of the fate that awaited many.

Some prisoners, known as Sonderkommando, were forced to assist in these mass murder operations. They had to guide people into the gas chambers and then remove the bodies afterward. It was a gruesome task, and despite their "essential" role, they too would eventually face the same fate as those they helped dispose of.

Inhumane Medical Experiments

If the daily struggle wasn't bad enough, some prisoners were subjected to brutal medical experiments. Nazi doctors like Mengele conducted cruel tests with no scientific basis, pushing the limits of human survival under harsh conditions.

These experiments often included castration and sterilization, either through surgery or X-ray radiation. Young prisoners suffered through agonizing trials that often resulted in severe physical consequences, including cancer or the removal of reproductive organs.

Resistance and Hope

Despite the overwhelming horror, some prisoners found ways to resist and maintain hope. Secret resistance groups formed within the camps, engaging in sabotage, spreading information, and gathering resources. They'd secretly listen to radio broadcasts and share small comforts like a toothbrush or a piece of fruit.

Joining these resistance movements was incredibly dangerous. You'd risk execution or intense interrogation if caught. But for many, it provided a sense of purpose and a way to fight back against the dehumanizing conditions.

The Final Days and Liberation

As the war neared its end, the Nazis forced prisoners on deadly evacuation marches. SS officers and guards inflicted fatal or severe injuries on inmates who fell behind, leaving a trail of bodies along the route.

For those who managed to escape or survive until liberation, adapting to normal life afterward was a significant challenge. The author of Five Chimneys found it difficult to reconcile the atrocities she'd witnessed with the mundane aspects of everyday existence.

Many survivors, like the author, felt compelled to share their experiences. They saw it as a duty to raise awareness and prevent such horrors from happening again. Their testimonies would later prove crucial in bringing former concentration camp staff to justice.

The brutal reality of life in Nazi concentration camps is almost beyond comprehension. Yet, it's crucial that we remember and learn from these dark chapters of history to ensure they're never repeated.