Auschwitz II Birkenau Barracks

The brick barracks seen here are part of a group used for housing select prisoners deemed capable of work and not immediate execution. These barracks were horribly exposed to the elements and were built directly on the swampy ground without foundations. The compressed earthen floors thus became muddy swamps in their own right when it rained or snowed. Three tier berths lined the barracks with 3-5 people crammed into each tier. (Picture taken by Steven Mercatante on September 5, 2014).