Ravensbrück was liberated by the Soviets #OnThisDay in 1945.
Ravensbrück was the largest concentration camp for women in the German Reich. In the concentration camp system, it was second in size only to the women's camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Ravensbrück was the largest concentration camp for women in the German Reich. In the concentration camp system, it was second in size only to the women's camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
In late April, SS guards forced about 20,000 female prisoners, as well as most of the remaining male prisoners, on a brutal and forced evacuation on foot toward northern Mecklenberg.
Advancing Soviet forces intersected the route of the march and liberated the prisoners.
Advancing Soviet forces intersected the route of the march and liberated the prisoners.
On April 29 remaining SS guards at the camp fled, and on April 30 the vanguard of the Soviet Army arrived at Ravensbrück; on May 1 its regular units appeared and liberated the last prisoners.
Starting in the summer of 1942, SS medical doctors subjected prisoners at Ravensbrück to unethical medical experiments. SS doctors experimented with treating wounds with various chemical substances (such as sulfanilamide) to prevent infections.
They also tested various methods of setting and transplanting bones; such experiments included amputations. The SS selected nearly 80 women, mostly Polish, for these experiments. Many of the women died as a result.
The survivors often suffered permanent physical damage.
The survivors often suffered permanent physical damage.
In 1942 the SS began opening brothels in some of the concentration camps.
Camp authorities sought to exploit the women forced to work in these brothels to reward male prisoners for meeting or surpassing production quotas.
Camp authorities sought to exploit the women forced to work in these brothels to reward male prisoners for meeting or surpassing production quotas.
Between 1939 and 1945, over 130,000 female and 20,000 male prisoners passed through the Ravensbrück camp system; between 20,000 to 30,000 of these prisoners perished in the camp.
View of the Ravensbrück concentration camp.
Clandestine photograph of a Polish political prisoner and medical experiment victim in Ravensbrück.
Prisoners took several clandestine photos as evidence of the medical experiments conducted on them.
Pictured here, Bogumila Jasuik.
Prisoners took several clandestine photos as evidence of the medical experiments conducted on them.
Pictured here, Bogumila Jasuik.
German doctors experimented on her twice in November and December 1942, making four cuts on the muscles of her thigh.
At the Nuremberg "Doctors' Trial," a doctor presents the scars on the leg of a Polish survivor who endured sulfanilamide experiments in Ravensbrück.
Herta Oberheuser, Nazi physician who performed medical atrocities on prisoners at Ravensbrück.
Sentenced to 20 years imprisonment at the Nuremberg Doctors' trial, she served only five.
A survivor of Ravensbrück termed her, "a beast masquerading as a human."
Sentenced to 20 years imprisonment at the Nuremberg Doctors' trial, she served only five.
A survivor of Ravensbrück termed her, "a beast masquerading as a human."
US forces captured former camp commandant Max Koegel, but he committed suicide in prison.
Source: USHMM
Book recommendation: "If This Is A Woman: Inside Ravensbruck: Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women"
amazon.com/By-Sarah-Helm-…
amazon.com/By-Sarah-Helm-…
