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15. Camp Organisation
While the methods of organisation and administration of
Camps differ in the various, German-held sections of Europe, the
following outline is believed to be fairly representative of the
basic structure of such establishments. For a translation of
the Special Camp Orders for KL PSI:MCI:GEN see Annexe B.
• he Kammandantur (Camp HQ) is sub-divided into the following
•Abteilungen (Sections) ,- in charge of all aspects of camp
•administration and Organisation.
Abteilung I - Kommandant Commander)
AbteilUng Ia - Adjutant= (Adjutant)
.Abteilung II - Politische Abteilunag (Political Section)
•Abteilung III - Schutzhaftlager (Cam"; fornProteative Custody)
Abteilung IV - Verwaltung .(Ac3ministration)'
Abteilting V - Standortarzt (Camp‘Doctor)
• Abteilung VI - _u_l_mgsab Seh
t e lung (Instructicmal Department)
The Politische Komniissar (Political Commissar),. the Gestapo
official of the Politische Abteilung (Political . Section) has, in
the past, always been reported to exercise considerable control
over the administration 'of a concentration camp; even to the
point where he could have the Lagerkommandant removed. Recent
dooumentary evidence, however, leads us to believe that these
reports have .been erroneous.
• The Politische Abteilung (Political Section) is subordinated.
to the Gestapo AULrb . IV) which is part of the Reichasicherheitshauptarat,
(RSHA, or Department of National Security). Regional
control is exercised by the Gestapo through its Leitstellen and
Stellen.
According to recent evidence, the Chief function of the
Politische Abteilung seems to be the exaMination of each
Hattling before he or she may be transferred to another KL ccr
Aussenliser „(Sub-camp) and it may detain. special cases. The
Political Section makes out a Personalkartei (Persona). Card)
for each Hattling when he or she enters a camp. This card is
made out in duplicate; one copy is turned over to Abteilung
Arbeitseinsatz (Section for Allocation of Labour) and the other
copy is retained by the Politische Abteilunz. The copy sent
to the Abteilung Arbeitseinsatz has the name of the KL and the
inmates number inserted in pencil, since this copy goes with the
Haftling -when he is transferred from one camp to another. The -
other copy remains with the Pcaitische Abteilung and all pertinent
information (date of transfer, new KL etc.) is entered on it when
the inmate is transferred. The: cards are filled out in detail
and on the back of each card is a complete description of the
Arbeitseinsatz of the Hbftling. •
• On 17 Jun 1944, an order was issued by the ReichsfUhrer SS
Memo ordering a change in concentration camp administration.
•According to this order, Camp Commandants continue to be
responsible to the W\TrUl for all general administrative matters
except during alert periods (A-Falle), when the WSSPf (Superior
SS and Police Leader) assumes complete control of KLs in his
Wehrkreis and the Camp Commandants become members of his staff.
• The HSSPf is, henceforth, responsible for the milithrische
Siche (military securi ṯy) of all Kils and Arbeitslager (work
Camps) in his district with the exception of Sonderlager (Special
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