Aerial Photographs of the deathcamp at Auschwitz Birkenau

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Auschwitz Birkenau: Aerial Photographs

Auschwitz photographs and text courtesy the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

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aerial-440114-02 48.19 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Buna plant, Auschwitz III. Mission: 5SG/1085 5PG Scale: 1/42,000 Focal Length: 6" Altitude: 21,000 One of a series of aerial photographs taken by Allied reconnaissance units under the command of the 15th U.S. Army Air Force during missions dating between April 4, 1944 and January 14, 1945. The photos were used to plan bombing raids, determine the accuracy of bombing sorties, or make damage assessments. A typical sortie employed two cameras equipped with lenses of different focal lengths. After the war the Auschwitz reconnaissance photographs were stored in the archives of the Defense Intelligence Agency (Washington, D.C.) until they were rediscovered in 1978 by two CIA photo analysts, Dino Brugioni and Robert Poirer. The photographs were later declassified and transferred to the National Archives, where they were became RG373. A selection of images were enlarged and annotated with identifying labels by the CIA in 1978. National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Jan 14, 1945 Locale: Auschwitz-Monowitz, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD	aerial-440404 91.55 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Auschwitz I camp. Mission: 60 PR 288 60 SQ Scale: 1/15,569 Focal Length: 20" Altitude: 26,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Apr 4, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD
aerial-44053102 83.79 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing Auschwitz II (Birkenau), including the gypsy camp. Mission: 60 PRS/462 60 SQ Scale: 1/54,000 Focal Length: 6" Altitude: 27,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: May 31, 1944	aerial-440531 51.53 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing Auschwitz II (Birkenau). Mission: 60 PRS/462 60 SQ Scale: 1/54,000 Focal Length: 6" Altitude: 27,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: May 31, 1944
aerial-440626 73.05 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II (Birkenau). Mission: 60 PR/522 60 SQ Scale: 1/60,000 Focal Length: 6" Altitude: 30,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Jun 26, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD	aerial-440825 80.02 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing Auschwitz I. Mission: 60 PR/694 60 SQ Scale: 1/60,000 Focal Length: 6" Altitude: 30,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Aug 25, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD
aerial-44091302 63.75 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) camp with bombs descending over crematoria II and III. Mission: 464 BG:4M97 Scale: 1/23,000 Focal Length: 12" Altitude: 23,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Sep 13, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD	aerial-440913 83.10 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) camp. Mission: 464 BG:4M97 Scale: 1/23,000 Focal Length: 12" Altitude: 23,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Sep 13, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD
aerial-44122102 75.51 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the destruction of the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) camp by the Germans in expectation of the arrival of Soviet troops. Mission: 15SG/994 5PG or 15SG/997 5PG Scale: 1/12,500 Focal Length: 24" Altitude: 25,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Dec 21, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD	aerial-441221 83.38 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) camp. Mission: 15SG/994 5PG or 15SG/997 5PG Scale: 1/12,500 Focal Length: 24" Altitude: 25,000' Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Dec 21, 1944 Locale: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD
aerial-450114 52.00 Kb	An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Auschwitz I camp. Mission: 5SG/1085 5PG Scale: 1/42,000 Focal Length: 6" Altitude: 21,000 Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Jan 14, 1945 Locale: Auschwitz, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD	aerial-450219 77.75 Kb	Aerial view: German reconnaissance after Soviet capture, Birkenau. Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Feb 19, 1945 Locale: Auschwitz, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD
aerial-unknown 80.56 Kb	Aerial photograph of the Auschwitz area showing a partial view of the I.G. Farben plant and the associated Monowitz (Auschwitz III) forced labor camp. One of a series of aerial photographs taken by Allied reconnaissance units under the command of the 15th U.S. Army Air Force during missions dating between April 4, 1944 and January 14, 1945. The photos were used to plan bombing raids, determine the accuracy of bombing sorties, or make damage assessments. A typical sortie employed two cameras equipped with lenses of different focal lengths. Credit: National Archives, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives Date: Apr 1944 - Jan 1945 Locale: Auschwitz-Monowitz, Poland Source: National Archives , College Park , MD	.	.