Virtual Reality Movies: Auschwitz

Each panorama movie is available in two file sizes. The small movies display at the same size on your computer screen as the large movies, but the small movies do not allow you to zoom in on as much detail as the large movies do. All movies are a full circle (360 degrees) unless noted otherwise.


Auschwitz Gas Chamber

[SMALL MOVIE] 612 K [LARGE MOVIE] 2.6 MB

This movie opens facing the gas chamber (behind an earthen embankment) and the gallows used to hang commandant Rudolf Höss. To the right is the SS Administration Building. After moving through main fence of the camp, blocks 12 through 28 are visible along a street. The large building just outside of the main fence housed the SS Hospital.


Auschwitz Inside Front Gate

[SMALL MOVIE] 776 K [LARGE MOVIE] 3.9 MB

This movie opens with a view of the front gate as seen from inside the camp. The message over the gate reads ARBEIT MACHT FREI, "Work makes you free." Moving 90 degrees to the right, you will see barracks along a street with a guard tower at the end. Zooming into the end of the street the gallows on which commandant Rudolf Höss was hanged can be seen to the right of the tower. Rotate 180 degrees to look toward the other end of the street. The assembly area was to the left of the small "watch box" built to protect the guards during the long roll calls. To the right of the watch box is the camp kitchen. Continuing to the right will return you to the entrance. The kitchen is now on your left. The camp orchestra played from the area next to the kitchen.


Auschwitz Main Entrance

[SMALL MOVIE] 1.1 MB [LARGE MOVIE] 2.8 MB

This VR opens facing the famous Arbeit macht Frei (work makes you free) gate. To the right, the long building with the chimneys was the camp kitchen. The next large building was (and still is) the camp reception center. The next two wooden buildings were workshops and the following brick building was the SS Garage. The last building just before returning to the gate was the SS Guard House and Office of the Camp Supervisor.


Auschwitz Roll Call Area

[SMALL MOVIE] 540 K [LARGE MOVIE] 2 MB

The Auschwitz roll call area faced the kitchen complex. Barracks 16 (to the right) now houses the Czechoslovak exhibition. Barracks 17 (to the left) now houses the Yugoslav and Austrian exhibitions.


Auschwitz "Wall of Death"

[SMALL MOVIE] 620 K [LARGE MOVIE] 2.3 MB

Prisoners were executed in this courtyard at the "Wall of Death." To the right of the execution wall is Block 11, the "Death Block." The Gestapo Police Court was held here. In the cellars were many prison cells including some that were a mere yard square, and others in which prisoners condemned to death by starvation were placed. On the other side of the courtyard was Block 10. Wooden shutters were placed on this building to prevent observation of the executions at the "Wall of Death."


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A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust
Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology,
College of Education, University of South Florida © 2005.

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