Extermination techniques used in death and concentration camps included gassing, starvation, mass killings and shootings, and burning.  Zyklon B and Hydrocyanic gas were the most common gasses used to kill prisoners.  Starvation took effect after about six months.  Hell Vans, huge vehicles, killed Jews in bulk in only one to two hours. Also, newborn babies were thrown into fire pits at Auschwitz. Lastly, shootings occurred daily and were in close range scenarios. 

            Gas killed a plethora of people during the Holocaust.  Hydrocyanic gas was used in the gas chamber rooms(Testimony on the gassing at Auschwitz).  It took five to seven minutes for the lethal gas to kill(The Killing Evolution).  Jews were put into the chambers in large amounts.  Chambers back then resembled shower rooms.  Before going into the gas room, prisoners at Auschwitz had to undress(Testimony on the gassing at Auschwitz).  Once in the chamber, the gas filled the lungs of the prisoners killing them all.  Another gas that was used was Zyklon B(The Killing Evolution).  Zyklon B took one to two hours to take effect and kill(The Killing Evolution).  An expert stated, “…….gassed on arrival” ( Testimony on gassing at Auschwitz).  Some people were gassed within hours of their arrival, while others were not and performed labor.  During World War Two, thousands were killed from gas.

   An oven that prisoners were burned in after being gassed.                                   

A gas chamber at Auschwitz.

            Starvation was another known cause of death at concentration and death camps.  Prisoners usually died from starvation and malnutrition within six months of their arrival(Saldinger).  At Auschwitz, one bowl of food and one serving of bread was given to five people to share(Saldinger). Jews did not receive enough nutrients from the food as well.  A researcher explained, “Prisoners are shown on their way to the camp kitchen carrying their food bowls where they received barely edible and pitifully small portions of food” (Saldinger 34).  In the camps, Jews were fed little amounts similar to crumbs.  Also, food had a foul smell and contained hair and rags(Saldinger).  Even though the food tasted disgusting, the prisoners ate whatever was given to them.  By the time starvation started taking its toll, they were emaciated and their ribs protruded from their bodies(Liberation of Auschwitz).  After long hours of labor, the Jew would eat close to nothing. 

     During the Holocaust, Jews were killed in bulk.  Hell Vans were a way of killing Jews in a large number(The Killing Evolution).  They would be left running and the carbon monoxide would end up killing all who were in the van(The Killing Evolution).  Another way of killing in mass amounts was in close-range shootings.  Close range means shooting within view of the victim(Hilberg).  Also, death walks killed hundreds in a matter of hours.  On the marches, prisoners died from weakness and from being shot by the guards(Saldinger).  Lastly, many prisoners died as a group during beatings.  A witness exclaimed, “Hesller ran after the truck and with his bludgeon repeatedly struck women going to their death”(Testimony on gassing at Auschwitz). These causes of death helped lead to the total of six million killed during World War  II  (Liberation Of Auschwitz).

A death march that killed hundreds in a couple of hours.  

     At death camps and concentration camps many children were burned alive.  In one of the most cruel camps, Auschwitz, fire pits were dug by prisoners(Liberation Of Auschwitz).  Babies were thrown into the fire pits when they were still living(Hilberg).  Branches covered in gasoline filled the trenches(The Killing Evolution).  Cremation was used in the camps in another way as well.  After being gassed, dead cadavers burned in ovens.  Auschwitz had several camps in one large area(Testimony on the gassing at Auschwitz). To avoid problems, the workers had prisoners burn the dead bodies. A witness stated, “One night we were awakened by terrifying cries”(Testimony on the gassing at Auschwitz).  Sounds similar to screams were heard regularly at the camps.

                                                                                                                           By  Pocahontas

Return Home 

References

Hilberg, Raul. “Concentration Camp.” Grolier Online Passport. Encyclopedia Americana, 2010. Web. 3 May 2010. <http://go.grolier.com>. 3

Ho. Death Marches. 5 Mar. 2007. AP Images. Power Library, 5 Mar. 2007. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://apimages.ap.org/>.

“The Killing Evolution.” Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State. PBS, 2005. Web. 3 May 2010. <http://www.pbs.org>. 1.

“Liberation Of Auschwitz.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 4 May 2010. <http:/‌www.ushmm.org/‌museum/‌exhibit/‌focus/‌Auschwitz/>. 4

Monkey, Rod. Gas Chamber #1. 20 Oct. 2005. Flickr. yahoo, 20 Oct. 2005. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/‌photos/‌rod_monkey/‌54327569/>.

Ovens in a German concentration camp. N.d. United Streaming. Web. 10 May 2010. <http:///www.discoveryeducation.com>.

Poland Pope Visit. 25 May 2006. Ap Images. Power Library, 25 May 2006. Web. 12 May 2010. <http://apimages.ap.org/>.

Saldinger, Anne Grenn. Life in a Nazi Concentration Camp. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001. Print. 5

“Testimony on the gassing at Auschwitz.” Middle Search Plus. ebsco host, 2009. Web. May 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com>.

2