27 January 1945 the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front, commanded by Marshal Ivan Konev liberated prisoners of the Nazi Auschwitz concentration camp. They were at that time was only seven and a half thousand - people, survivors of a ruthless killing machine.
The sad story of the death factory
After the occupation of Poland by the Nazis founded in the XII century, the city Oswiecim, what in 60 kilometers west of Krakow, It was officially included into Germany and renamed Auschwitz. Under this name it and save it in the memory of Europeans. The Soviet and Russian historiography often used the old Polish name - Auschwitz.
AT 1940-1945 respectively in the vicinity of the city located a complex of concentration camps, comprised of three main: Auschwitz-1, Auschwitz-2 and 3-Auschwitz, collectively occupying an area of more 500 ha.
The first camp was equipped in May 1940 on the site of the former Polish military barracks. They had been brought here arrested occupiers local patriots for development and further construction camp. He will remain a work camp with a rather tough regime, to solitary confinement, torturous and firing grounds. Workers will Auschwitz-3, consisting of a group (about - 40) small camps.
At Auschwitz-Birkenau, located 1-administration of the entire complex. They settled here around 20 thousands of prisoners. We came to the camp and Soviet prisoners of war. On them 3 September 1941 year did the first test gas “Zyklon B” for poisoning people. In the basement unit cells 11 the Nazis destroyed the gas 600 Soviet and 250 Polish prisoners.
After this barbaric action near the village of Birkenau (or Brzezinka) in October 1941 the Germans began to build a real death camp, adapted for the mass extermination of human beings. Actually it is what we call Auschwitz.
To summer 1943 Year built here four gas chambers and crematoria as much. The factory of death stood at his terrible conveyor. Here from all over Europe drove the Jews, Roma, mentally ill, opponents of the Hitler regime and the other doomed.
In Auschwitz, both on tour
As archival documents, three-quarters of which was brought for several hours gassed. Often it happened, that brought the station poor fellows kept in the nearest grove, and then sent to the "shower" - Pipelining death, Starting at gassed camp.
This group includes people, recognized as unfit for work, - a small growth or frail physique, disabled, older women and men, the sick and children. Per day in the ovens of the crematoria burned to ten thousand prisoners. Sometimes, the furnace does not have time for the gas chambers, then sacrificed burnt in pits near the camp.
The Nazis went to Auschwitz-Birkenau, both on tour. At the party functionaries and high rank SS became the rule to come to the death camp and in practice, to look, how to solve the national (“racial”) question, laid them in the policy documents of the NSDAP.
Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hoess boasted, at the sight of the "final solution of the Jewish question," the guests are speechless. Constantly asked Höss, he and his people might be witnessing this and how they are able to bear all this.
Hёssa Poles in povesyat 1947 year at the gate of the crematorium Auschwitz-1. It will be given Poland the British military after, how "work information". it is appalling. According to the historian of Mr.. D. Komkova, recorded in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the total number of victims of Auschwitz exceeded 4 million people. Modern historians reduce this figure and believe, that was destroyed in the camp 1,4 million. human, of which about 1,1 million. are Jews.
Pogolovnaya digitalization. Russia ahead of the rest?
The fate of prisoners, do not fall immediately to the gas chambers of death camps, was no less tragic. This applies especially to people, which are selected for their experiments Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele. Medical research on prisoners practiced in many Nazi camps, but the fanaticism of Mengele at Auschwitz took monstrous scale character.
take, for example, his experiments on twins. Mengele infected one of them dangerous infection. Then he dissected both, Comparing the affected and healthy organs. Many more public fanaticism came up with this doctor.
Recount all his criminal experiments difficult even for a healthy psyche. But people have gone through it. Of 1500 pairs of twins survived 300 human.
Auschwitz was notorious not only for Josef Mengele. He was the largest camp for the destruction of people in Nazi Germany. Therefore, the liberation of death camp at Birkenau so shook the world community, and even Germany itself.
Feat at all times
AT 1996 the Government of Germany has announced a day of the liberation of Auschwitz, 27 January, an official day of remembrance for Holocaust victims. In November 2005 year as the World Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Holocaust announced that day, and the United Nations.
Today in the West, Red feat, liberated Auschwitz, trying to downplay and even discredit. In Poland, eg, announced, that Auschwitz was liberated “Ukrainians” (on the front title). When this stuff was refuted, lead “data”, as allegedly slow to release Red Army camp, because of what the sad list of Auschwitz “up to a thousand people”.
Speculation on the story was always. Most often, it ended ignominiously. So it will be this time. The feat of the Soviet soldiers, liberated Auschwitz prisoners, will remain in the memory of the people at all times, the truth will remain with us.
Gennady Granovsky
