Bunker 1, Gas chamber in Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp, Poland
Bunker 1 was a brick building containing two sealed rooms used for executions, with toxic gas entering through roof openings. The structure stood in the eastern section of the camp complex, removed from the main areas where prisoners lived.
This building was constructed in early 1942 as an execution facility and remained in use until larger gas chambers began operating in 1943. Before its demolition that year, it marked a significant turning point in how the camp functioned.
This structure became known as the Little Red House and marks a shift in how executions were carried out at the camp. It represents the deliberate move toward organized killing at an industrial scale.
The original building no longer exists, as Nazi forces destroyed it in 1943 and filled in the burial pits with soil. Visitors today see the memorial grounds, with guided tours and exhibitions providing information about this location.
Prisoners were brought to the building under false pretenses, told they were entering delousing facilities for hygiene purposes. Afterward, special work units removed the bodies and burned them in nearby pits.
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