Commemorations began today in the southern city of Tarnow in tribute to the first victims of the Auschwitz camps. 65 years ago this week, 728 Polish citizens were transported from Tarnow to the newly created camp at Oswiecim. The detainees were by and large members of the intelligentsia or wealthy businessmen, as well as young soldiers who had not managed to evade the Nazis following the fall of Poland.
The Gestapo had established a prison in Tarnow and it was from there that the detainees were transported 65 years ago. The prisoners arrived at the Auschwitz camp on June 14th 1940, where they were tattooed with serial numbers.
All in all it is estimated that between 1,100,000 and 1,500,000 people perished at the camp. The great majority were Jews. Many thousands of the Polish intelligentsia, gypsies and Russian soldiers also died in the camps.
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