Children in a concentration camp, waiting behind a fence.

Concentration camps were organized by gender and age. Some children were killed immediately when taken to camps or were kept for slave labor. Children were not treated any better than adults were. They lived in harsh conditions with smoke surrounding the camps, making it hard to breathe and it blocked out the sunlight. On November 9, 1938 thousands of kids were transferred to Britain which is known as Kindertransport. Hitler considered all Jewish kids undesirables. Children in concentration camps were treated poorly with living conditions, slave labor, and being separated from families.

Living Conditions

Conditions in camps for children were no less severe than adults (Saldinger). Most children under the age of fifteen were killed or taken to the Kinderlager in Britain (Saldinger). On November 9, 1938, Jewish children were transported to Britain through a program known as “Kindertransport” (“Children”). Children risked their lives on a daily basis just to get a crumb to eat or a drink of water. The camps had a horrific smell of burning bodies. Smoke was constantly over the camps blocking sunlight. Most of the children did not know what gas chambers or crematoriums were until it was too late (“Children of the Holocaust”). Survivors explain that, “Despite the tenuous support, all of these children suffered emotionally from the horrible conditions and treatment they endured and witnessed” (TGTH 3). 

This picture shows how dirty and disgusting it was to live in these camps with dead bodies surrounding them.

Gas Chambers

Life in Concentration Camps



Labor

The Nazis built two types of camps: concentration/labor camps and death camps ("Children"). Older and healthier children were kept for slave labor. Their work ranged from electrical work to carrying heavy stones for burying the dead (“Children”). Once the children were over-worked and dying, they would be burned or just left to die painfully (“Children of the Holocaust”). Experts stated, “The conditions in these labor camps were deplorable including malnutrition, poor protection from the elements, and hard labor” (TGTH 2-3). There were also forced science experiments on certain children when they arrived at concentration camps (“Children”).

Children waiting behind fences

WWII What happened in Concentration Camps

Separation from families

Some children were lucky enough to not get caught and hide with their families for months at a time, but would end up dying of starvation or would be found later. (“Children of the Holocaust”). Some Jewish families would of been lucky enough to receive small amounts of food from people who knew they were in hiding ("Children"). Most children were forced to be separated from any type of communication from their families. Men, women, and children were all kept in different camps. A good number of Jewish kids could blend in with the non Jewish community and not get caught (“Children”).  Experts explained that, “Other children hid their identities by living with Gentile families or traveling through the country and assuming children lives.” (TGTH 2). Without their families, children would make friends with other kids in their barracks so they wouldn’t be lonely (“Children of the Holocaust”).

Children and families being evacuated by the German.

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References

Bartoletti, Susuan Campbell. Hitler Youth. Singapore: First Printing, 2005. Print. 6

“Children.” A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2010. <http://fcit.usf.edu/‌HOLOCAUST/‌People/‌Children.htm>. 1

“Children of the Holocaust.” ADL. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2010. <http://www.adl.org/‌children_holocaust/‌children_main1.asp>. 3

“Children of the Holocaust.” Junior Scholastic: 16-18. Web. 1 May 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com/‌ehost>. 2

Dawidowicz, Lucy S. The War Against the Jews 1933-1945. New York: Bantam Books, n.d. Print. 4

Discovery Education. Reunion: Children of La Hille. Discovery Education streaming. N.p., 2005. Web. 5 May 2010. <http://player.discoveryeducation.com/‌index.cfm?guidAssetId=1A109CBD-01C5-4983-9975-8F6F2998B933&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US>. 7

HOLOCAUST AUSCHWITZ. 1945. Holocaust Museum, Washington D.C. AP Images. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://apimages.ap.org/>.

LUBA TRYSZYNSKA. 1945. Associated Press. AP Images. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://apimages.ap.org>.

NORDHAUSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP. 1945. U.S. Army Signal Corps. AP Images. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://apimages.ap.org/>.

Poland Obit Sendler. 1943. Associated Press. AP Images. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://apimages.ap.org/>.

Saldinger, Anne Grenn. Life in a Nazi Concentration Camp. U.S.A.: Lucent Book, 2001. Print. 5

Created by Cassie Despines (Scooby Doo)