Auschwitz Timeline
January 25, 1940- The SS decides to build a concentration camp near Oswiecim.
May 20, 1940- 30 prisoners arrive at Auschwitz.
March 1, 1941- Chief of German Police Heinrich Himmler orders auschwitz to be expanded to hold more prisoners.
September 3, 1941- The first gassing of prisoners occurred in Auschwitz. The SS tests Zyklon B Gas by killing 600 soviet soldiers of war, and 250 ill or weak prisoners.
January 25, 1942- Himmler informs Richard Gluecks, Inspector of Concentration Camps, that 100,000 Jewish men and 50,000 Jewish women would be deported from Germany to Auschwitz as forced laborers.
February 15, 1942- The first transport of Jews from Bytom in Germany arrive at Auschwitz.
December 31, 1942-German SS and police authorities deported around 175,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
January 1–March 31, 1943-German SS and police authorities deport approximately 105,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
January 29, 1943-The Reich Central Office for Security orders all designated Roma(Gypsies) residing in Germany, Austria, and other countries to be deported to Auschwitz.
February 26, 1943-The first transport of Roma (Gypsies) from Germany arrives at Auschwitz.
April 1, 1943–March 1944- German SS and police authorities deport approximately 160,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
May 2, 1944-The first two transports of Hungarian Jews arrive in Auschwitz.
July 6, 1944-The deportation of Hungarian Jews is halted by order of Regent Miklos Horthy.
August 2, 1944- SS camp authorities murder just under 3,000 of the Gypsy family camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. The SS murders an estimated total of 20,000 Roma (Gypsies) in the Auschwitz.
April 1944–November 1944-SS and Police authorities deport more than 585,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
October 7, 1944- Women prisoners had smuggled gunpowder out of nearby factories to members of the Sonderkommando. The SS quickly suppresses the revolt and kills all the Sonderkommando members.
November 25, 1944- SS chief Heinrich Himmler orders the destruction of the Auschwitz-Birkenau gas chambers and crematoria.
January 6, 1945- Weeks before Soviet forces liberate the camp, the SS hung four women who smuggled gunpowder into the camp.
January 18–27, 1945- Tens of thousands of prisoners, mostly Jews, are forced to march to the cities in the western part of Upper Silesia. During the march, SS guards shoot anyone who cannot continue. The prisoners will be put on unheated freight trains and deported to concentration camps in Germany. 15,000 die during the forced marches. Thousands more were killed in the days before the evacuation.
January 27, 1945- Soviet troops enter Auschwitz and liberate approximately 7,000 prisoners remaining in the camp.
May 20, 1940- 30 prisoners arrive at Auschwitz.
March 1, 1941- Chief of German Police Heinrich Himmler orders auschwitz to be expanded to hold more prisoners.
September 3, 1941- The first gassing of prisoners occurred in Auschwitz. The SS tests Zyklon B Gas by killing 600 soviet soldiers of war, and 250 ill or weak prisoners.
January 25, 1942- Himmler informs Richard Gluecks, Inspector of Concentration Camps, that 100,000 Jewish men and 50,000 Jewish women would be deported from Germany to Auschwitz as forced laborers.
February 15, 1942- The first transport of Jews from Bytom in Germany arrive at Auschwitz.
December 31, 1942-German SS and police authorities deported around 175,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
January 1–March 31, 1943-German SS and police authorities deport approximately 105,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
January 29, 1943-The Reich Central Office for Security orders all designated Roma(Gypsies) residing in Germany, Austria, and other countries to be deported to Auschwitz.
February 26, 1943-The first transport of Roma (Gypsies) from Germany arrives at Auschwitz.
April 1, 1943–March 1944- German SS and police authorities deport approximately 160,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
May 2, 1944-The first two transports of Hungarian Jews arrive in Auschwitz.
July 6, 1944-The deportation of Hungarian Jews is halted by order of Regent Miklos Horthy.
August 2, 1944- SS camp authorities murder just under 3,000 of the Gypsy family camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. The SS murders an estimated total of 20,000 Roma (Gypsies) in the Auschwitz.
April 1944–November 1944-SS and Police authorities deport more than 585,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
October 7, 1944- Women prisoners had smuggled gunpowder out of nearby factories to members of the Sonderkommando. The SS quickly suppresses the revolt and kills all the Sonderkommando members.
November 25, 1944- SS chief Heinrich Himmler orders the destruction of the Auschwitz-Birkenau gas chambers and crematoria.
January 6, 1945- Weeks before Soviet forces liberate the camp, the SS hung four women who smuggled gunpowder into the camp.
January 18–27, 1945- Tens of thousands of prisoners, mostly Jews, are forced to march to the cities in the western part of Upper Silesia. During the march, SS guards shoot anyone who cannot continue. The prisoners will be put on unheated freight trains and deported to concentration camps in Germany. 15,000 die during the forced marches. Thousands more were killed in the days before the evacuation.
January 27, 1945- Soviet troops enter Auschwitz and liberate approximately 7,000 prisoners remaining in the camp.