Buchenwald was one of the largest concentration camps on German soil. Established by the SS in 1937, the camp served as a forced labour camp for political prisoners, Russian Prisoners of War and groups the Nazi Party identified as 'degenerate'.



It was not common for Allied Prisoners of War to be sent to concentration camps, but over the summer of 1944, 168 Allied airmen were sent to the Buchenwald. Many of the airmen had crashed in occupied France and after being caught evading capture, disguised as civilians or carrying false papers, German Authorities considered the airmen to be spies. Their status as Prisoners of War under the Geneva Convention was not respected, and the airmen were sent to the Concentration Camp on 20 August 1944.



On arrival at Buchenwald the Allied POWs were shaved and denied shoes and for the first three weeks of their imprisonment were forced to sleep outside without shelter. To combat the difficult living conditions, the group of Allied POWs banded together, holding meetings as the KLB Club. On 19 October 1944, 156 airmen were transferred to Stalag Luft III, the remainder were transferred over the following weeks, but in that time American POW Levitt Beck, succumbed to disease and died in the Camp.



Attempts were made to evacuate the camp from 6-11 April 1945, but after receiving a response to a message sent to the US Army, prisoners staged a resistance, storming the watch towers and killing guards. US troops of the 6th Armored Division arrived on 11 April 1945 to Liberate the camp.



It is estimated that over 56,000 people died at Buchenwald during its operation.