Auschwitz: The Nazis and The 'Final Solution' by Laurence Rees

Auschwitz: The Nazis and The 'Final Solution' is a history book by Laurence Rees. It presents a detailed account of Auschwitz and its development within the Nazi system.

Key details

• Written by Laurence Rees, an author and broadcaster
• Focuses on the history of Auschwitz
• Traces the camp’s evolution from a site for Polish political prisoners
• Describes Auschwitz as both a death camp and a concentration camp
• Draws on Rees’s documentary work and material from Russian archives

Synopsis

Laurence Rees sets out a history of Auschwitz, described as the most notorious Nazi institution, and follows its transformation from a concentration camp holding Polish political prisoners into a combined death camp and concentration camp. The book states that around a million Jews were killed there, making it the site of the largest mass murder in history.

It examines the mentality and motivations of key Nazi decision makers, and includes accounts from perpetrators speaking about their actions. Drawing on a landmark documentary and Russian archive material that challenged previously accepted arguments, it presents further details about camp life and operations, including references to a brothel and to corruption within the camp.