MAJDANEK

The establishment of the Majdanek camp was associated with plans of Germanization of areas of Eastern Europe. According to these plans, Majdanek was supposed to be a source of labor. It was intended for prisoners of various nationalities, the most numerous group of prisoners were Jews. The Majdanek camp was different from Belzec and Sobibor in many ways.

The organization of the camp

Majdanek camp consisted of six divisions:

• Komendantura  (Kommandantur)
• Branch of political (Politische Abteilung)
• Branch of prisoner (Schutzhaftlagerführung)
• Branch of administration - economic (Verwaltung)
• Physician camp (Lagerarzt)
• Branch of cultural - SS training (Fürsorge-,Schulung- und Truppenbetreuung)

Marking of prisoners

After crossing the gate of the camp inmates were assigned a number, which was to replace the name and category of prisoner. The prisoner had the duty to learn to their number in the German language.  He had it on the left breast and thigh on the right leg. Beisdes the number each prisoner was required to sew the triangle of a specified color, which meant the category of prisoner. At its center there was the first letter of the country from which the prisoner came (in German).

The living conditions

The living conditions were very bad. Organisms to extreme exhaustion occurred as a result of poor food and over-work. Prisoners receive three meals a day containing a total of less than 1000 calories.  The big problem was the density of the prisoners on a fairly small area. Prisoners were placement in stable barracks. For each allocated 250 - 500 people. Separate barracks were designated for Jews. High density contributed to the occurrence of diseases that literally decimated the prisoners. Especially popular were epidemics of typhus, which was spread by lice.

Number of victims

According to the latest research conducted by historians from the Museum at Majdanek, it can be assumed that during the operation of the camp in years 1941 - 1944 died or were murdered at least 80 thousand. prisoners of various nationalities. Of this number, approximately 60 thousand. were Jews.