| Zusammenfassung: | Contrary to the claims made after the Second World War by Rudolf Höß, former commandant of Auschwitz, Heinrich Himmler did not give the order to set up a camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau as early as March 1941. In fact, not until the end of September 1941 was the order given to build a camp for Soviet prisoners of war Himmler intended to use as workers for his Ostsiedlung initiative. Since the Generalplan Ost could be carried out without the aid of a hundred thousand forced laborers, Himmler was in search of a suitable work force. Although the Reichsführer SS at first favoured prisoners from the forced labour camp Lublin, since September 1941 he began to show preference for Soviet prisoners of war. When, during the winter of 1941/42, it became clear there would not be enough prisoners of war to complete the required construction work, Himmler demanded the utilization of Jewish forced laborers. Indeed, for a while mainly Jewish prisoners fit to work were brought to Auschwitz. However, because of the terrible living conditions, few survived the first few months. According to SS leadership, the Kriegsgefangenenlager in Auschwitz-Birkenau was used as a forced labour camp for the Ostsiedlung until at least May/June 1942. With the regular arrival of Jewish families, the practice of Selektion presumably in effect since 4 July 1942, and the systematic mass extermination of persecuted Jews from all over Europe, Auschwitz evolved to become the center for mass murder during the Holocaust. (Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte / FUB)
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