Auschwitz II Birkenau
Visitors to Auschwitz II – the second part of the camp, located about 3 km from Auschwitz I, can see the remains of the crematoria, barracks and the conditions in which prisoners lived, as well as a railway car and preserved fragments of tracks on which prisoners were transported by trains.
One cannot remain indifferent to the rubble and remnants of the atrocities that happened there.
In Birkenau there are also ruins of gas chambers and crematoria, which were used for mass murders of prisoners.
Auschwitz II is a confirmation of the testimony of the Auschwitz I camp. Similar events cannot be allowed to take place in the future. This illustrates the enormous scale of cruelty.
In October 1941, the construction of the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) concentration camp began in the village of Brzezinka – 3 km from Oświęcim. About 300 different buildings were erected in this area – barracks, guardhouses, gas chambers, crematoria.
The Auschwitz II camp was originally intended for 100,000 people. prisoners. Auschwitz-Birkenau was the only Nazi concentration camp where, from March 1943, registration numbers were tattooed on prisoners – usually on the left forearm. Infants and small children were tattooed on the left thigh. Soviet POWs had numbers tattooed on their chests.
In the summer of 1941, Himmler designated Auschwitz-Birkenau as the site of the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question” (Endlösung). The implementation of this criminal plan began in this camp in the spring of 1942. The Birkenau camp became the site of the greatest mass murder in the history of mankind, carried out on European Jews as part of the Nazi plan for the total extermination of this nation.
The Nazis, regardless of the age, sex, profession, citizenship or political views of the Jews – they put them to death. These people died only because they were Jews.
The first mass killings with gas were organized in two makeshift gas chambers installed in rural cottages. After selections from 1942, carried out among the Jews on the railway platforms, people who were brought in and deemed unfit for work by the SS doctors were sent to the gas chambers: the sick, the elderly, pregnant women, and children. Nearly 70-75% of each transport was directed directly to death.
These people were not entered into the camp records, i.e. they were not marked with numbers and not registered. For this reason, it is only possible to estimate the global number of victims.
The crematorium ovens were put into operation between March and June 1943. As a result of this expansion, the number of murdered and burned victims increased to about 20,000 people a day. Until 1943, corpses were also burned on pyres and in pits dug for this purpose. According to former camp commandant R. Hoss, 6-7 kg of Zyklon-B gas was enough to kill 1,500 people.
Book Your Tour to Auschwitz Birkenau From Krakow
- Duration 8-9h
- Live Guide
- Pickup Included
From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour
- 8-9h
- Live Guide
- Pickup Included
Available in:
English, 
French, 
Spanish, 
Italian, 
German
Overview:
Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. Pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. Book your entrance ticket in advance. Join a guided tour where you will learn the history of the events that took place at Auschwitz-Birkenau
Highlights:
- Convenient tour with tickets, guide and transportation
- Comfortable waiting time before entry, with our friendly team taking care of you
- Hear stories from an official Auschwitz guide
- Visit Auschwitz I, where you will spend 1.5-2 hours and Auschwitz Birkenau for approx. 1-1.5 hours
Available in: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German,
Overview:
Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, Step into Auschwitz-Birkenau, one of the most powerful memorials of the Holocaust. Join a guided tour to learn about its history, reflect on the tragedy, and pay your respects to the victims. As the museum is visited by a very large number of people every day, advance booking is strongly recommended.
Highlights:
- Convenient tour with tickets, guide and transportation
- Comfortable waiting time before entry, with our friendly team taking care of you
- Hear stories from an official Auschwitz guide
- Visit Auschwitz I, where you will spend 1.5-2 hours
and Auschwitz Birkenau for approx. 1-1.5 hours
Included:
- Live Tour Guide
- Entrance tickets
- Transportation
What you will see on the tour:
- Auschwitz I
- Auschwitz II – Birkenau
Before you go:
- The starting time of the tour may change due to the availability of the museum. You will receive all information about possible changes no later than the day before the tour. Exact pickup time will be sent the day before, after 5 pm; pickups may be very early (even 5:00-6:00 AM) and depend on the museum’s schedule. While you can select a preffered time, it is not guaranteed; entry depends on ticket and quide availability.
- Dress suitably for both the weather and the respectful nature of the memorial site. As waiting times before entry may be long, you may need warm clothes, rain gear, or sun protection. The museum decides the pace and length of the tour.
Pick-up:
Pickup from selected pick-up locations around the city center. Excluding restricted traffic zones.
Free cancellation:
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the tour begins and get a full refund.
- Duration 6-7h
- Live Guide
- Skip the line
- Pickup Included
From Krakow: Private Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour
- 6-7h
- Live Guide
- Skip the line
- Pickup Included
Available in: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, 
Polish
Overview:
Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. Pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. Book your entrance ticket in advance. Join a guided tour where you will learn the history of the events that took place at Auschwitz-Birkenau
Highlights:
- Convenient tour with tickets, guide and transportation.
- Hear stories from an official Auschwitz guide.
- Visit Auschwitz I, where you will spend 1.5-2 hours
and Auschwitz Birkenau for approx. 1-1.5 hours
Available in: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish
Overview:
Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. Pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. Book your entrance ticket in advance. Join a guided tour where you will learn the history of the events that took place at Auschwitz-Birkenau
Highlights:
- Convenient tour with tickets, guide and transportation.
- Hear stories from an official Auschwitz guide.
- Visit Auschwitz I, where you will spend 1.5-2 hours
and Auschwitz Birkenau for approx. 1-1.5 hours
Included:
- Live Tour Guide
- Entrance tickets
- Transportation
What you will see on the tour:
- Auschwitz I
- Auschwitz II – Birkenau
Before you go:
The starting time of the tour may change due to the availability of the museum. You will receive all information about possible changes no later than the day before the tour.
Pick-up:
Pickup from selected pick-up locations around the city center. Excluding restricted traffic zones.
Final Sales:
This tour is non-refundable.
