April 11 - Buchenwald Concentration Camp is Liberated

This Day in History: 11 April 2020

 

11 April 1945

 

75 years ago, today, Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated by the American Third Army, near Weimar, Germany. This camp is judged today as being second only to Auschwitz in the horrors that were imposed on its prisoners. While American forces closed in on Buchenwald, Gestapo members at Weimar called the camp administration to announce that explosives were being sent to blow up any evidence of the camp, which included its prisoners. However, the Gestapo did not know that the camp administrators had already fled and left the camp, in fear of an attack from the Allies. Instead, an inmate answered the phone, informing the Gestapo that explosives would not be needed, as the camp had already been blown up. This was not true.

 

Buchenwald had held thousands of prisoners, mainly slave labourers. There were no gas chambers, but nevertheless, hundreds would die every month from disease, malnutrition, beatings or execution. Inmates would also receive medical experiments from doctors, testing the effects of viral infections and vaccines. At this camp was Ilse Koch, the wife of a camp commandant, known for her sadism, as she would often beat prisoners with a riding crop. She collected lampshades, book covers, and gloves made from the skin of camp victims. In contrast to Koch's barbarity, however, among those who were saved by the Americans was Elie Wiesel. Just over 40 years later, she would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize of 1986.

 

Want to find out more about the liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp? Click here for more information, or here for a video where veteran, Rick Carrier, recalls the liberation.