Introduction

About the lecture

This module provides a general introduction to the Nazi concentration camp system. Using the example of Auschwitz, the deadliest site of the Holocaust, we think about the different functions the Nazi concentration camps fulfilled and how these changed over time. In particular, we explore the different functions of Auschwitz as a detainment camp for political prisoners, a destination for the mass deportation and murder of Jews and as a hub for slave labour. Finally, we consider the larger web of concentration camps established in Germany and beyond during Nazi rule, exploring their individual differences as well as their changing character over time.

To find out more about the history of the Nazi concentration camp system, visit this free online resource hosted by Birkbeck, University of London.

About the lecturer

Professor Wachsmann joined the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology at Birkbeck in 2005. He previously worked as a research fellow at Downing College (University of Cambridge) and as a lecturer at the University of Sheffield.