Greece and North Africa. The largest number of prisoners were Jews, but individuals were arrested and imprisoned for a variety of reasons, including ethnicity and political affiliation. Prisoners were subjected to unimaginable terrors from the moment they arrived in the camps; it was a dehumanizing existence that involved a struggle for survival against a system designed to annihilate them.
Within the camps, the Nazis established a hierarchical identification system and prisoners were organized based on nationality and grounds for incarceration. Prisoners with a higher social status within the camp were often rewarded with more desirable work assignments such as administrative positions indoors. Some, such as the kapos (work supervisors) or camp elders held the power of life and death over other prisoners. Those lower on the social ladder had more physically demanding tasks such as factory work, mining, and construction, and suffered a much higher mortality rate from the combined effects of physical exhaustion, meager rations, and extremely harsh treatment from guards and some kapos. Prisoners also staffed infirmaries, kitchens, and served various other functions within the camp. Living conditions were harsh and extreme but varied greatly from camp to camp and also changed over time.
The following bibliography was compiled to guide readers to selected materials on daily life in the Nazi concentration camps that are in the Library's collection. It is not meant to be exhaustive. Annotations are provided to help the user determine the item's focus, and call numbers for the Museum's Library are given the call number in parentheses following each citation. Those unable to visit might find these works in a nearby public or academic library, or acquire them through interlibrary loan. Talk to your local librarian for assistance.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION « top »
Berenbaum, Michael, and Yisrael Gutman, editors. Anatomy of the Auschwitz Death Camp. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998. (D 805.5 .A96 A53 1998) [Find in a library near you (external link)]
Collection of articles on a wide range of topics from noted scholars such as Raul Hilberg, Yisrael Gutman, and Yehuda Bauer. Includes series of articles on prisoner administration and prisoner psychology; camp hospitals; the experiences of women, children, and families; as well as specific articles on Roma (Gypsies) and Hungarian Jews.
Cohen, Elie A. Human Behaviour in the Concentration Camp. London: Free Association Books, 1988. (D 805 .A2 C5613 1988) [Find in a library near you (external link)]
Provides a psychological perspective on life and behavior in the camps as experienced by both prisoners and perpetrators. Discusses general conditions in the camp, with particular notice of the medical consequences of daily life. Describes the living conditions in the camps and gives insight into the psychology of both prisoners and the SS. Based in part on the author’s experiences in various concentration camps. Includes tables, a bibliography, and an index.
Des Pres, Terrence. The Survivor: An Anatomy of Life in the Death Camps. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. (RC 451.4 .H62 D47 1980) [Find in a library near you (external link)]
Explores methods of survival in the concentration camps. Discusses relationships among inmates and with camp guards. Draws from both survivor testimonies and secondary sources. Includes a bibliography.
Hackett, David A. The Buchenwald Report. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1995. (D 805 .G3 B7746 1995) [Find in a library near you (external link)]
Presents the text of a report compiled by U.S. Army military intelligence operators who interviewed former prisoners of the Buchenwald concentration camp prisoners in the days and weeks after their liberation. Includes a general history of the camp along with details of daily life, such as the distribution of food, the types of forced labor, punishments, and general living conditions. Includes brief reports of conditions in other camps, a glossary of important terms, a select bibliography, and an index.
Iwaszko, Tadeusz. “The Housing, Clothing and Feeding of the Prisoners.” In Volume II of Auschwitz, 1940-1945: Central Issues in the History of the Camp, edited by Wacław Długoborski and Franciszek Piper, 51-64. Oświęcim: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, 2000. (D 805.5 .A96 A97313 2000) [Find in a library near you (external link)]
Overview of prisoner conditions in Auschwitz I, the main camp of the complex. Discusses the construction, arrangement, and facilities of the housing blocks, clothing and clothing regulations, and the food rations that prisoners received. Distinguishes between official regulations and de facto conditions in the camps.
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