Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz

Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz

On January 27, 2015, the free world celebrated the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz by the Soviet army.

Auschwitz was not only one camp but a large complex called "Auschwitz-Birkenau" camp, according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia. The Auschwitz concentration camp complex was the largest of its kind established by the Nazi regime. It included three main camps, all of which deployed incarcerated prisoners at forced labor. One of them also functioned for an extended period as a killing center.

Trains arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau frequently with transports of Jews from virtually every country in Europe occupied by or allied to Germany. These transports arrived from 1942 to the end of the summer of 1944.

The breakdown of deportations from individual countries, given in approximate figures, is: Hungary: 426,000; Poland: 300,000; France: 69,000; Netherlands: 60,000; Greece: 55,000; Bohemia and Moravia: 46,000; Slovakia: 27,000; Belgium: 25,000; Yugoslavia: 10,000; Italy: 7,500; Norway: 690; other: 34,000.

In total, approximately 1.1 million Jews were deported to Auschwitz, among them at least 960,000 Jews were killed in Auschwitz. Other victims included approximately 74,000 Poles, 21,000 Roma (Gypsies), and 15,000 Soviet prisoners of war, and 10,000–15,000 members of other nationalities (Soviet civilians, Czechs, Yugoslavs, French, Germans, and Austrians).

It is important for us to remember these people who were victims of Anti-Semitism in Christian countries during the 20th century.

Related Articles

More From Shoah

Hitler Tried to Kill Me

“In many cases, Hitler succeeded in wiping out total families,” Holocaust survivor Nat Shaffir…
Hitler Tried to Kill Me

Holocaust Glossary

The following is intended to provide a frame of reference for discussion. Anti-Semitism…
Holocaust Glossary

Whose Child are You?

Holocaust survivor Josef Herschel tells of the horrific events of World War II and how his…
Whose Child are You?

Gisella Perl

Gisella Perl was born into a Jewish family in Hungary in 1907, and aspired to medical school…
Gisella Perl
Photograph: Kindertransport

Rescue of Children

During the Holocaust, countless Jewish organizations and individuals worldwide did what they…
Rescue of Children

Eli Eli - Hannah Szenes Senesh

“Eli Eli” Poem by Hannah Szenes (Chanah Senesh) Vocals by Carli Golbin Nemany Piano by Bruce…
Eli Eli - Hannah Szenes Senesh

Sir Nicholas Winton

Man saves hundreds, and now unknowingly is sitting among them.
Sir Nicholas Winton

Publish the Menu module to "offcanvas" position. Here you can publish other modules as well.
Learn More.


donation