The camp was established in the spring of 1940 by the Germans in occupied Oświęcim. Initially, Poles were imprisoned in the camp and died. Jews, Roms, Soviet prisoners of war and prisoners of other nationalities and minorities were also imprisoned there.

From 1942, the camp became one of the places of extermination of European Jews and the Roma population. Most of the deported Jews were sent immediately after being brought to death in gas chambers. In total, at Auschwitz, Germans killed at least 1.1 million people, including about one million Jews.

The camp was liberated by the Red Army on January 27, 1945.

On July 2, 1947, the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was created, and in 1979 this place was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The place of Remembrance today is, among others collections, archives and a scientific, educational, conservation and publishing center. The museum is visited by over two million people from around the world each year.

Warning! Entrance to the Museum, as well as a parking for visitors are located at ul. Stanisława Leszczyńska 11

Published with the consent of the Press Office of the Auschwitz Museum
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