Buchenwald was the largest concentration camp in Germany itself, having 88 sub-camps and accommodating prisoners from a minimum of 30 different countries.
Buchenwald
Buchenwald was built in 1937, and by 1938 the camp contained around 10,000 Jews. Although the camp had no gas chambers, hundreds of prisoners died from overwork, starvation, or murder by the camp's administrators and employees. Buchenwald was also an important source of slave labor during the war, for the inmates were required to do back breaking work making supplies for the war effort.
Buchenwald's Horrendous Medical Department
Medical experiments were often carried out on the prisoners, many of which were vaccination trials that ended up killing hundreds. Other testings included studying the effects of poison on humans and researching cures for homosexuality. Experiments began occurring at Buchenwald in 1941, but some were not initiated until 1943 and '44.
Buchenwald's Liberation
Prior to Buchenwald's deliverance in spring of 1945, about 28 thousand prisoners were evacuated from the camp. The prisoners were forced on a death march, on which or upon arrival, about a third of the evacuated prisoners perished. The prisoners left at the camp overthrew the remaining Nazis and took charge of the camp. On April 11, 1945, American soldiers arrived at Buchenwald and officially liberated the camp and its prisoners.
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