Bergen-Belsen

'Bergen-Belsen was not a death camp, but a special concentration camp for Jews who for various reasons could be released in exchange for P.O.W. or other purposes. At the end of the war it became the final destination for many inmates for other concentration camps.

The Detention camp

In the detention camp, life was very hard but not as hard as in other camps, at least initially. Around 2,500 children lived there (around 500 of them perished). All the inmates (including 2000 children) were evacuated at the end of the war and sent to Therensienstadt on board of three trains: only the second reached the destination, the Magdeburg Train and the Toblitz Train were liberated during their journey. On board of each train were around 600-700 children). Most of them survived.

Noticeable child survivors

• See [[Mag

The Concentration camp =

Around 1,000 children were among the thousands of inmates who arrived at Bergen-Belsen in the last days of the war. Conditions were desperate because of hunger and disease. 50% of the children perished (including Anne Frank. 500 children were found alive by the British liberators.