Nazi Camps in Europe: A Guide to the Sites

During the Nazi era a large number of camps were created across Germany and the territories it occupied, each with its own history, location and function. Listing and describing these individual sites helps convey both the geographic reach of the system and the different roles particular camps played. Some held prisoners for years as forced labourers, others served mainly as transit or holding sites, and a small number were built specifically as centres of mass killing.

Among the concentration and labour camps located within Germany and Austria were sites such as Buchenwald, Mauthausen, Sachsenhausen and Ravensbruck, the last of which held mainly women. Dachau, one of the earliest camps, became a template for the wider system. Smaller and satellite camps were attached to larger ones, supplying labour to industry and construction. Conditions in these camps were harsh, with overcrowding, malnutrition, disease and violence causing very high mortality even where killing was not the primary purpose.

The dedicated extermination camps were located mainly in occupied Poland. Belzec, Treblinka and others were created to murder deported Jews on a massive scale, while Auschwitz and Majdanek combined extermination with forced labour. Holding and transit sites, including Theresienstadt and the so-called Small Fortress associated with it, channelled prisoners toward these destinations. Identifying each location, the period it operated and the fate of those sent there is an important part of historical research and remembrance, and many of these places are now preserved as memorials and museums.

Frequently asked questions

Were all Nazi camps the same?

No. They varied in purpose, including concentration and labour camps, transit and holding sites, and extermination camps built specifically for mass killing. Many had attached satellite camps as well.

Where were the main extermination camps located?

The dedicated extermination camps were located chiefly in occupied Poland, including sites such as Belzec and Treblinka, while Auschwitz and Majdanek combined killing with forced labour.

Why is it important to document each camp individually?

Recording the location, operating period and function of each camp preserves an accurate historical record, supports remembrance of the victims, and shows the scale and organisation of the camp system.