Concentration Camps in Europe

Vught

Vught was the only official SS concentration camp in Northwest Europe. Its construction began in May 1942. The first prisoners arrived before the camp was completed at the end of 1942. Vught was divided into 2 sections. The first section was designed to hold Jewish prisoners before the transit to Germany. Prisoners would first be transferred from Vught to Westerbork, then from Westerbork to the extermination camps. The second section received all of the Dutch and Belgian political prisoners. Hundred of prisoners at Vught died in the first few months due to maltreatment, lack of clothing, lack of food, polluted water, and other diseases that spread quickly in the overcrowded buildings. In May and August 1943, 2 other sections were established; one section for women and the other for prisoners in detention. Like other concentration camp, Vught had a gallows and a crematorium. The gallows were used for the executions of 20 Belgian prisoners. In July, as the allied forces approached, the number of execution increased tremendously. More than 30,000 people passed though the camp before the allied forces arrived. On June 6, 1944 The Germans cleared the camp as fast as possible. The camp was evacuated on September 6, 1944. Vught was liberated on October 26-27, 1944.

I’m not finished with this yet, i will be adding probably 5 camps every day until sunday. Even then, this list will be FAR from complete. Germany had set up about 1,500 Concentration camps, big and small, all over Europe.