How Bergen-Belsen, the Site of Anne Frank’s Death, Stood Apart from Other Nazi Concentration Camps

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A new exhibition at the Wiener Holocaust Library in London chronicles the German camp complex’s history, from its origins housing prisoners of war to its afterlife holding displaced persons

Meilan Solly
– Senior Associate Digital Editor, History

April 10, 2025 6:30 a.m.

As World War II drew to a close, the Nazis transported tens of thousands of Jewish prisoners from various concentration camps in Central and Eastern Europe to Bergen-Belsen, a facility located in northern Germany. The civilian population of Bergen-Belsen surged dramatically, rising from approximately 7,300 in July 1944 to 41,000 by March 1945. This influx exacerbated already dire living conditions.

Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch described the atmosphere of despair at Bergen-Belsen, stating, “In Auschwitz, people were murdered in the most sophisticated manner; in Belsen, they simply perished.” She noted the absence of gas chambers, blaming disease and starvation for the suffering endured. An estimated 70,000 individuals lost their lives in Bergen-Belsen, including Anne Frank, the young girl whose diary has made her a symbol of the Holocaust.

These memories are preserved in the new exhibition titled “Traces of Belsen,” at the Wiener Holocaust Library in London. This exhibition, launched in conjunction with the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation on April 15, 1945, showcases a variety of documents, artifacts, and photographs that reflect the complex and often overlooked history of Bergen-Belsen. While initially established as a prisoner-of-war camp, the facility also served to house Jews reserved for potential trade deals, although very few were ultimately exchanged. Post-war, the site transitioned into a displaced persons camp.

Documentation related to Bergen-Belsen is scarce, as much evidence of its past was systematically destroyed by the Nazis. Furthermore, upon liberation, British forces incinerated the camp’s barracks to contain outbreaks of typhus. Yet, archives from survivors, artifacts, and artistic expressions from liberators have provided crucial insights into its history.

“Traces of Belsen” aims to shed new light on a historical event that is often only recognized through haunting visuals of death and devastation broadcast to the world in 1945, as noted by the library’s director, Toby Simpson. He emphasizes the importance of examining the available evidence to gain a deeper understanding of the catastrophic conditions that characterized the camp, particularly in its final months.

Bergen-Belsen stands out among Nazi concentration camps for several reasons. Officially classified as a concentration camp only in December 1944, it incorporated three distinct components created over different periods during the war: the POW camp, the residence camp, and the prisoners’ camp.

The earliest phase of Bergen-Belsen began in 1940 when 600 French and Belgian POWs were transferred to a facility that had previously served as a construction worker barracks in a small village. By 1941, over 20,000 Soviet POWs continued to arrive, many suffering from adverse conditions including starvation. Tragically, approximately 14,000 of these prisoners died within the first couple of years due to neglect and illness. This loss is memorialized in the exhibition, showcasing family-held photographs that highlight the human cost of the camp.

In 1943, Bergen-Belsen underwent significant changes as the Nazis disbanded the POW camp but maintained the hospital as a medical facility. At this time, the camp also became a location for Jewish civilians captured for possible exchange, referred to as “exchange Jews.” While these individuals faced harsh conditions, their treatment was relatively better compared to other camps. Unfortunately, most were never released, despite their perceived value.

The prisoners who constructed the residence camp found themselves in the prisoners’ camp, which briefly closed in February 1944 but reopened to accommodate sick prisoners transferred from other camps, including those evacuated from Auschwitz, such as Anne Frank and her sister, Margot.

Records from the library exhibit a diary kept by Ruth Wiener, the daughter of the library’s founder Alfred Wiener. Her documentation serves as the only contemporary account confirming the presence of the Frank sisters at Bergen-Belsen. On December 20, 1944, she noted that “Anne and Margot Frank were in the other camp.” Tragically, researchers later determined the sisters died of typhus just two months later, in February 1945.

Leadership of Bergen-Belsen transitioned to Josef Kramer in late 1944, who implemented brutal strategies that included the denial of food and systematic violence. The conditions deteriorated further for all prisoners, including those previously designated as “exchange Jews.” In March 1945 alone, over 18,000 prisoners succumbed to starvation and disease.

When British forces liberated the camp in April 1945, they discovered approximately 55,000 emaciated and seriously ill survivors, alongside countless deceased individuals. Medical assistant William Arthur Wood commented on the horrors of the scene, where the living and dead were indistinguishable in the chaos, and lamented the loss of additional lives even post-liberation.

London artist Eric Taylor, who witnessed the liberation, captured the traumatic aftermath in his paintings, found in the library’s collections. These works highlight the complexity of “liberation,” as many remained too weakened to benefit from their newfound freedom. One painting bears a message from Taylor that reads, “The unbelievable horror of Belsen was beyond human understanding.”

In the UK, the images of Bergen-Belsen’s liberation have become a profound part of historical memory, symbolizing the triumph over evil. Yet, as historian Rainer Schulze noted, this narrative often oversimplifies the suffering endured by those interned in the camp.

Following liberation, many survivors remained and gradually relocated to a nearby displaced persons camp where they began to rebuild their lives. While British authorities attempted to rename the camp, survivors insisted on retaining the name Bergen-Belsen to honor their shared past. The exhibition features photographs by relief workers and Yiddish materials that depict the resurgence of Jewish life in the vicinity after the war.

Survivors forged new lives, forming families and educational institutions, while also rallying around the cause of Zionism, advocating for immigration to British-controlled Palestine. The displaced persons camp operated until August 1951, when the last residents departed for new homes. A memorial and museum now stands on the site, honoring the approximately 50,000 concentration camp prisoners and nearly 20,000 Soviet POWs who lost their lives there.

“Traces of Belsen” is on view at the Wiener Holocaust Library in London through July 10.

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