Auschwitz Gallows

In the center of this area between blocks at Auschwitz the SS officer in charge of the roll-call received reports on the number of prisoners present. If there seemed to be anyone missing, prisoners had to continue to stand at attention until the SS were satisfied — regardless of the weather, sometimes for 12 hours or more.

To intimidate the prisoners, the SS also conducted public hangings here. The largest such execution was carried out on July 19, 1943, when 12 Poles suspected of helping three other prisoners to escape and of maintaining contacts with the outside world were hanged together. After the war, the Museum reconstructed the gallows.