On the way to Vienna we stopped at the Mauthausen concentration camp. There were 190,000 prisoners there during World War 2, and 90,000 died. Most died of natural causes or starvation within 4 to 6 weeks. There were memorials of all the different countries where prisoners came from and died.
There was also a 380 volt electric fence – the soldiers used to flick the prisoners hats off and make them go and get them. This allowed them to shoot them or force them into the fence where they got electrocuted.
The Germans made the prisoners lift 50kg rocks from the quarry up 400 stairs and if they were too weak they would just shoot them. If the prisoners were slacking off, they would make them push each other off the cliff to their certain death. The amount of people supposed to be in a bunk room was 300 but they made them fit 2,000 people in a room. There were 3 high bunk beds and 2 to a bed.
They cremated the dead bodies in ovens and they dumped the ashes outside the electric fence. They also killed over 2,500 men, women and children in the gas chamber which looked grim. There were swarms of insects at the camp as we walked around. It was almost as if they could smell death.
Wow Max, I got goosebumps whilst reading this. It is hard to believe that was the reality for people then. We are so very lucky with where we live and the life we have been given.
ReplyDeleteHow did it make you feel visiting this site?
Hi Max
ReplyDeleteI would love to go there and see all that amazing places you have went to.
was the trip fun?
Maybe next time you could make the photo bigger.
From Jovi
from Lochiel school
Hi max
ReplyDeleteI would like to go there and see all the cool places you have be to.
would you love to go there again?
maybe said what the place.
from josh
from lochiel