AUSCHWITZ Background to the Concentration Camp Accompanies PowerPoint: Auschwitz Worksheet

1. Year 10 History – Area of Study 2: Nazi Germany
Year 10 History
Area of Study 2: Nazi Germany
Auschwitz
View the PowerPoint “Auschwitz” and answer the
following questions.
1. ‘Arbeit macht frei’ is a German phrase. In English its equivalent would be?
2. Auschwitz was the largest concentration camp established by the Germans in World
War II.
a. When was it built?
b. When did it cease being a concentration camp?
c. How many people died within the walls of Auschwitz before it was liberated?
d. What was Auschwitz I?
e. What was Auschwitz II?
f. What was Auschwitz III?
3. Auschwitz had four large gas chambers.
a. What was the reason behind having four gas chambers?
b. Ovens, in Auschwitz, were designed especially for what purpose?
4. What was the process that was followed by the guards when a new batch of
prisoners arrived at Auschwitz?
a. What happened to the prisoners that survived the ‘process’?
b. What happened to the possessions of all victims that entered Auschwitz?
5. Those prisoners that survived the ‘process’ were only expected to survive a few
months. Apart from the ‘quasi medical experiments’, which other two ways did they
die?
6. Experimenting also included children. Many died as a result of inhumane tests on
their________________________, exposure to ___________ or ___________ and
forced ______________________.
7. The Auschwitz victims were not all Jews; victims included anyone they believed was
undesirable. State ‘which victims’ were ‘imprisoned and/or executed’ at Auschwitz,
how many non-Jewish Poles, Roma (gypsies) and Soviet prisoners of war were killed
there.
8. What does Auschwitz mean?
a. Could there be a reason why Auschwitz Concentration Camp [Death Camp]
was built in ‘Auschwitz’?
b. Victims were also brought in by train to Auschwitz from occupied Nazi
countries. State five (5) of those countries.
Auschwitz [PowerPoint presentation] Questions & Answers Page 1 of 2

2. Year 10 History – Area of Study 2: Nazi Germany
9. Did prisoners ever rebel against the Nazi ‘Auschwitz’ Regime? If so, when and why?
a. What was the outcome?
10. Who was Rudolf Hoess? What happened to him?
11. What is so significant about the date: 27th January, 1945?
12. Today Auschwitz is run by the Polish Culture Ministry. What is its purpose?
13. When Auschwitz was being liberated the Nazis took some 58,000-60,000 Auschwitz
prisoners on a march away from the liberators.
a. This March was eventually known as “The Death March” why?
b. How many prisoners did the liberators find at Auschwitz?
c. Who were the liberators?
14. Josef Mengele was infamous. How so?
15. What happened to children in Josef Mengele’s care?
16. Forced labour was a vital part of the German workforce. It was their way of ‘re-
education’ political opponents as early as 1933.
17. Where were ‘Auschwitz victims' forced to work?
Auschwitz [PowerPoint presentation] Questions & Answers Page 2 of 2