Mauthausen

Mauthausen is a former Nazi concentration camp located in the Austrian town of Mauthausen an der Donau. It was established in March 1938 as a subcamp of the Dachau concentration camp, and later became an independent camp in 1940. The camp was primarily used for forced labor, with prisoners working in various industries, including armaments and construction. The conditions in the camp were harsh, with prisoners subjected to brutal treatment, including beatings, torture, and executions. The camp was liberated by American forces on May 5, 1945, just days before the end of World War II. After the war, the camp was used as a prison for Nazi war criminals, and later as a labor camp for displaced persons. Today, Mauthausen is a museum and memorial site, dedicated to remembering the victims of the Holocaust and other atrocities committed during the Nazi regime. The camp is also a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world who come to learn about the horrors of the past and pay their respects to the victims.