Img. ID: 494899
Inscription:
BERGEN – BELSEN
BERGEN-BELSON CONCENTRATION CAMP WAS OPENED IN GERMANY
IN APRIL 1943 FOR THE INITIAL PURPOSE OF EXCHANGING JEWS WHO
WERE IMPRISONED THERE FOR GERMAN NATIONALS HELD IN ALLIED SWITZERLAND. THOUSANDS DIED IN THE CAMP.
UNTIL MARCH 1944 CONDITIONS WERE RELATIVELY GOOD IN COMPARISON
WITH THOSE IN OTHER CONCENTRATION CAMPS. HOWEVER, THE GERMANS
SOON BEGAN HOUSING AT BERGEN-BELSEN THOSE DEEMED UNFIT FOR / WORK. THE INFLUX OF THOSE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ILL AND STARVING / PRISONERS. JOINED BY EVACUEES ON DEATH MARCHES, LED TO THE
RAPID DETERIORATION OF CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN THE DEATHS/ OF 37,000 MORE VICTIMS FROM JANUARY 1945 ONWARDS.
IN APRIL 1945, BRITISH ARMED FORCES ARRIVED AT THE CAMP.
THE 60,000 FREED PRISONERS, MOST OF WHOM WERE JEWS 14,000
DIED WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF LIBERATION 14,000 MORE DIED IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS
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