Disassembled bunk bed from Auschwitz concentration camp
Extent and Medium
a: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 5.125 inches (13.017 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
b: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
c: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
d: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
e: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
f: Height: 0.875 inches (2.223 cm) | Width: 5.875 inches (14.923 cm) | Depth: 110.750 inches (281.305 cm)
g: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 107.625 inches (273.367 cm)
h: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 107.500 inches (273.05 cm)
i: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 107.500 inches (273.05 cm)
j: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 107.500 inches (273.05 cm)
k: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.500 inches (181.61 cm)
l: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
m: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.500 inches (181.61 cm)
n: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
o: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
p: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 107.500 inches (273.05 cm)
q: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 107.500 inches (273.05 cm)
r: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 107.375 inches (272.732 cm)
s: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 107.750 inches (273.685 cm)
t: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 107.750 inches (273.685 cm)
u: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
v: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
w: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
x: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
y: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
z: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 67.375 inches (171.132 cm)
aa: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
ab: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
ac: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.500 inches (181.61 cm)
ad: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.500 inches (181.61 cm)
ae: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 8.125 inches (20.638 cm) | Depth: 110.375 inches (280.352 cm)
af: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 8.875 inches (22.543 cm) | Depth: 110.750 inches (281.305 cm)
ag: Height: 0.875 inches (2.223 cm) | Width: 7.250 inches (18.415 cm) | Depth: 110.250 inches (280.035 cm)
ah: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 5.875 inches (14.923 cm) | Depth: 110.875 inches (281.622 cm)
ai: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 5.875 inches (14.923 cm) | Depth: 111.125 inches (282.258 cm)
aj: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
ak: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 71.375 inches (181.292 cm)
al: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
am: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
an: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
ao: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
ap: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
aq: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
ar: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
as: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
at: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
au: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
av: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
aw: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 2.000 inches (5.08 cm) | Depth: 68.000 inches (172.72 cm)
ax: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
ay: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
az: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
ba: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bb: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.500 inches (181.61 cm)
bc: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 71.875 inches (182.562 cm)
bd: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
be: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bf: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bg: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bh: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bi: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bj: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bk: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 71.500 inches (181.61 cm)
bl: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bm: Height: 0.875 inches (2.223 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bn: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bo: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 67.625 inches (171.767 cm)
bp: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bq: Height: 0.875 inches (2.223 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
br: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.375 inches (181.292 cm)
bs: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 72.125 inches (183.197 cm)
bt: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bu: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bv: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bw: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
bx: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.625 inches (181.927 cm)
by: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
bz: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.625 inches (11.747 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
ca: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.875 inches (182.562 cm)
cb: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
cc: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm) | Depth: 71.750 inches (182.245 cm)
cd: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 1.750 inches (4.445 cm) | Depth: 14.750 inches (37.465 cm)
ce: Height: 0.125 inches (0.318 cm) | Width: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm) | Depth: 7.000 inches (17.78 cm)
cf: Height: 0.625 inches (1.588 cm) | Width: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Depth: 1.125 inches (2.858 cm)
cg: Height: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm) | Width: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm) | Depth: 1.375 inches (3.493 cm)
ch: Height: 0.125 inches (0.318 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm)
ci: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.500 inches (6.35 cm)
cj: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 1.000 inches (2.54 cm)
ck: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 1.125 inches (2.858 cm)
cl: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 1.625 inches (4.128 cm)
cm: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 1.875 inches (4.763 cm)
cn: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.000 inches (5.08 cm)
co: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.000 inches (5.08 cm)
cp: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
cq: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm)
cr: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.875 inches (7.302 cm)
cs: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm)
ct: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
cu: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm)
cv: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
cw: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
cx: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.875 inches (7.302 cm)
cy: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
cz: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
da: Height: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
db: Height: 0.375 inches (0.953 cm) | Width: 0.625 inches (1.588 cm) | Depth: 3.000 inches (7.62 cm)
dc: Height: 86.500 inches (219.71 cm) | Width: 72.875 inches (185.102 cm) | Depth: 3.875 inches (9.843 cm)
dd: Height: 86.625 inches (220.027 cm) | Width: 74.375 inches (188.912 cm) | Depth: 3.125 inches (7.938 cm)
de: Height: 86.375 inches (219.392 cm) | Width: 73.375 inches (186.372 cm) | Depth: 4.250 inches (10.795 cm)
Archival History
The bunk bed was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2014 by Państwowe Muzeum w Oświęcimiu.
Acquisition
Donated: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau
Scope and Content
Disassembled prisoner bunk bed from Auschwitz concentration camp. Auschwitz was established in the spring of 1940, in an abandoned Polish army barracks near Oswiecim, Poland. During its use, the camp complex was continuously expanded, becoming the largest and most lethal that the Germans built. Once prisoners arrived at the camp, the men and women were separated and went through selection. Those who were not selected for immediate execution were forced to work. Prisoners lived in either brick or wooden barracks, and slept on wooden bunk beds which were sometimes layered with straw bedding. The bunks were theoretically designed to hold three people, but in reality at times slept up to 18. The straw bedding was often fouled by sick prisoners, and the barracks lacked sanitation and were swarmed with rats and other vermin which festered disease. The barracks were leaky and not insulated. They were heated by two small stoves, but they were not sufficient to heat the entire space. Prisoners spent over ten hours per day working, driven on by guards and Kapos who beat anyone who faltered. The majority of prisoners selected for work died from overwork, mistreatment, disease or hunger. The prisoners initially worked to expand the camp, but over time the work expanded to include armaments manufacture, clerical jobs, trades and crafts, and labor on roads, farms, factories, mines, and chemical plants. In January 1945, the camp system was evacuated ahead of approaching Soviet forces. The Soviet army liberated 6,000 sick and dying prisoners on January 27, 1945.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
a-e, k-o, u-ad, aj-cc: Rectangular, wooden bed slat with a slightly warped, uneven surface. One side is brown, while the opposite side is gray. The brown surface is rough and splintery, while the gray surface is smooth. Several knots; small, circular nail holes, and a few nails are in the wood. f-j, p-t, ae-ai: Long, rectangular, wooden board with a slightly warped, uneven surface. One side is brown, while the opposite side is gray. The brown surface is rough and splintery, while the gray surface is smooth. The surface of some pieces have been stained. The wood has several knots, small circular nail holes, and a few nails protruding out. cd: Narrow, rectangular, wooden strip with a broken end, and two dowel holes in the center. The surface is brown and smooth with several small cracks. The underside is split off, revealing the pale tan interior of the wood and has a black rectangular stain in the center. ce: Narrow, rectangular, wooden strip with two dowel holes in the interior. The strip is wider on one end and tapers to half the width on the opposite end. The dowel hole in the narrower end is severed at the edge and the hole forms a U-shape. The top side has two rows of small, shallow, angular cuts in the surface. The wood has several small cracks in the surface. There is a white residue on the top surface and on one edge. cf-ch, db: Small, wooden, broken off sliver with a smooth, brown outer surface and tan-colored interior exposed as a splintered outer surface. ci, ck, cn-cp: Small broken piece of a brown, wooden dowel with a smooth surface. One end is flat with an edge that flares out slightly, while the other end is raggedly broken and splintered. The sides are flat but slightly curved with rounded edges, giving the dowel an almost cylindrical shape. cj, cl, cm: Small, short, tan-colored, wooden dowel pin with a smooth surface. One end tapers down on 4 sides to reach a rounded point, the other end is flat with some small chips missing from the interior. The sides are flat but slightly curved with rounded edges, giving the dowel and almost cylindrical shape. cq-da: Tan-colored wooden dowel with a smooth surface. The bottom end tapers slightly to a narrow, smooth, black, flattened surface. The top end is flat with a rough surface. The sides are flat but slightly curved with rounded edges, giving the dowel an almost cylindrical shape. The sides have an indentation on the surface near the bottom end. The surface has black-colored shading. db-dd: Brown, wooden outer section of a bunk bed frame. The section is composed of one vertical leg with three, evenly spaced horizontal boards attached. The leg has three smaller wooden studs nailed to the outside, one above each horizontal board. The boards are attached with pegs and dowels and a long, thin, rectangular slot cut out of the leg. The end of the board fits in the slot and is secured with wooden dowels that fit into corresponding perpendicular holes. A small strip of wood is nailed to the back-side of the top board. The ends of the boards reveal the cut down ends and dowel holes made to fit in the leg slots. The beams have several nails in them. The leg has several wooden dowels sticking out, and several small dowel and nail holes. There are several cracks and scratches throughout in addition to carved, illegible inscriptions in the wood. de: Brown, wooden outer section of a bunk bed frame. The section is composed of two vertical legs with three evenly spaced horizontal boards attached. The legs have three, smaller wooden studs nailed to the outside, one above each horizontal beam. The boards are attached with pegs and dowels and a long, thin, rectangular slots cut out of the legs. The end of the board fits in the slot and it is secured with wooden dowels that fit into corresponding perpendicular holes. A small strip of wood is nailed to the back-side of the top board. The ends of the boards reveal the cut down ends and dowel holes made to fit in the leg slots. The beams have several nails in them. The legs have several wooden dowels sticking out, and several small dowel and nail holes. There are several cracks and scratches in the wood.
Corporate Bodies
Subjects
- Labor camps--Poland.
- World War, 1939-1945--Poland--Exhibitions.
- World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, German.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Exhibitions.
- Concentration camps--Poland.
- Oswiecim (Poland)
Genre
- Furnishings and Furniture
- Object
- Bunk beds.