The Pros Of Nazi Concentration Camps

The internment and extermination of Jews is synonymous with the term concentration camp, but in fact, the Jews were a small percentage of the total population detained in these camps. However, the original purpose of concentration camps was to hold political dissidents. While serving as Chancellor of Germany, Hitler launched a political vendetta on his political opponents. He used the incident when the Communists burned the Reichstag as the impetus to begin this political cleansing. During this time, arrests could be made indiscriminately as Hitler implemented a policy where anyone in the government was authorized to place people in indefinite detention. Over 50,000 political prisoners were sent to Dachau in Bavaria. In addition to political opponents, homosexuals, gypsies, Poles, union leaders, the handicapped, authors, artists, Jehovah Witnesses, and Jews were imprisoned in concentration camps for their ways of life, beliefs, heritage, or impairments. Unfortunately, if someone was mistakenly detained, there was no legal court to which they could appeal. Himmler was the sole judge and jury. …show more content…
He was overseer of the design, regulations and the policies of the concentration camps. Himmler chose members of the SS that was a political offshoot of the Nazi Party to enforce his policies and guard the inmates in the concentration camps. These guards were ruthless in their treatment of the prisoners as they were not your average soldier, but hard core Nazis and veteran military. The mentality of the SS was that they were performing the ultimate duty and to use any use of force that they saw fit to protect the Aryan race. Beating of inmates was routine as was attacks by dogs resulting in many deaths at the hands of the SS