This week in 1941, the Majdanek (also spelled Maidanek and/or Maydanek) concentration camp became operational. It was the second largest nazi concentration camp. It was located in Lublin, Poland.
But it was also this week in 1944 that the Majdanek concentration camp was liberated by Soviet troops. This was the first of many Nazi concentration camps to be liberated by the Allies.
Nearly a quarter million human beings died or were killed at the Majdanek concentration camp. The number of these victims at Majdanek from the nazi’s Zyklon-B gas chambers is unknown, but staggering nonetheless.
In addition to the main Jewish victims, Poles, Russians and other Slavs, the mentally and physically disabled, homosexuals and political dissidents were among the 10 million (conservative estimate) human beings who were victims of the Holocaust.
During its entire existence, only 512 inmates were able to escape from Majdanek concentration camp.
Please take a moment to remember not only all the victims of the Holocaust, but also the brave men and women who risked - and in many cases, gave - their lives in WWII for the eventual liberation of the survivors of those horrible camps and the Holocaust they represented.
