Auschwitz: A Study in Atrocity
This worksheet explores the history, impact, and legacy of Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, for Grade 12 social studies students.
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Auschwitz: A Study in Atrocity
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Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful, detailed answers based on your knowledge of World War II and the Holocaust. Use complete sentences and proper grammar.
The infamous gate of Auschwitz I bears the cynical inscription 'Arbeit Macht Frei' ('Work Sets You Free').
1. Which of the following best describes the primary function of Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz II)?
A prisoner-of-war camp for Allied soldiers.
A forced labor camp for political dissidents.
An extermination camp for the systematic murder of Jews and other minorities.
A re-education camp for German youth.
2. The 'Arbeit Macht Frei' sign at the entrance of Auschwitz I is an example of:
Nazi propaganda designed to deceive prisoners.
A genuine belief by the SS that work would liberate prisoners.
A historical artifact with no deeper meaning.
A tribute to the hard work of the prisoners.
3. Auschwitz was actually a complex of concentration and extermination camps, with the main camps being Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III- .
4. The gas used in the extermination chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau was .
5. Explain the role of 'selection' on the ramp at Auschwitz-Birkenau and its immediate consequences for the arriving prisoners.
6. The majority of victims at Auschwitz were Jewish people.
True
False
7. The Soviet Army liberated Auschwitz in January 1945.
True
False