Kapo

Kapo (plural Kapos) is a historical term used to describe inmate functionaries in Nazi concentration camps who were given authority by the SS to supervise other prisoners. Kapos were selected from among the inmate population, often from criminals or political prisoners, and tasked with managing work details, maintaining order, and enforcing camp rules within their assigned blocks or groups.

The duties of Kapos varied by camp and period but commonly included organizing labor gangs, counting prisoners, distributing food and tools, supervising roll calls, and carrying out punishments for rule violations. Their role was inherently coercive and precarious; while some Kapos gained a degree of privilege or relatively better treatment, they remained under constant SS oversight and faced the risk of demotion, torture, or death if they failed to control prisoners or if SS priorities shifted.

Privileges could include better food, lighter workloads, or avoidance of certain tasks, but these came with significant moral and personal costs. Some Kapos used their positions to help fellow prisoners, while others exploited inmates for gain or protection, contributing to widespread brutality within camps.

After the war, Kapos were among those scrutinized in trials and historical investigations. They are a controversial figure in Holocaust memory: some are regarded as victims of coercion acting under extreme duress, while others are condemned as collaborators who perpetrated abuses against fellow prisoners.

Related terms include Blockältester, the highest prisoner leader within a camp block. The concept of Kapos is central to discussions of camp administration, prisoner hierarchy, and the mechanisms by which the Nazi regime maintained control over vast prisoner populations.