The Role of Nazi Camps in the Holocaust
During the Holocaust, the Nazi regime created a vast system of camps designed to control, exploit, and murder millions of people. These camps had different purposes—some were used to imprison political opponents, others to force people into labor, and many were built to carry out mass murder. Together, they formed a network of brutality that played a central role in the Nazis' goal of eliminating entire groups of people.
Concentration Camps
Concentration camps were places where people were imprisoned without trial. The first of these camps, such as Dachau, opened in Germany in 1933, shortly after Adolf Hitler came to power. At first, they were used to hold political prisoners—people who spoke out against the Nazis or were seen as threats. Over time, the camps expanded to include Jews, Roma (sometimes called Gypsies), people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others. Conditions in these camps were harsh, with overcrowding, disease, forced labor, and little access to food or medical care. Many died from neglect and abuse.
Forced-Labor Camps
The Nazis also built slave labor camps, where prisoners were forced to work in factories, mines, or construction—often in support of the German war effort. One example is Dora-Mittelbau, where prisoners built weapons under inhumane conditions. People were worked until they collapsed. Medical care was almost nonexistent, and those too weak to work were often sent elsewhere or left to die. The goal of these camps was to use prisoners as a source of cheap, expendable labor.
Transit Camps
Some camps were used to temporarily hold people before moving them to other locations. These were called transit camps. Places like Drancy in France and Westerbork in the Netherlands served as holding centers. People were brought there from towns, ghettos, or prisons, often without knowing where they were going next. Many were then transported to killing centers in the east. Life in transit camps was filled with fear and uncertainty.
Killing Centers
The most horrific part of the camp system was the killing centers, also known as death camps. These were not prisons or labor sites—they were designed solely for mass murder. The most well-known killing center was Auschwitz-Birkenau, where over a million people, mostly Jews, were murdered. Others included Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec. Victims were transported in crowded trains and killed shortly after arrival. These sites were part of the Nazis’ “Final Solution”—the plan to eliminate the Jewish people entirely.
Targeted Groups and Shared Suffering
Jews were the primary target of the Holocaust, but they were not the only group persecuted. Roma families, Soviet prisoners of war, Poles, and others were also imprisoned and killed in camps. While different groups were treated in different ways, most were dehumanized, stripped of rights, and forced to endure terrible conditions. Some were targeted for who they were. Others were punished for what they believed or where they came from. All suffered in a system built on hatred and control.
Remembering the Camps
The Nazi camp system was a central tool of persecution and genocide. It reveals how a government can use laws, fear, and propaganda to carry out mass violence. Studying these camps is not just about learning what happened—it’s about remembering those who were lost, honoring those who survived, and understanding the dangers of unchecked power and prejudice.