Hygiene Institute der Waffen SS-Polizei, Auschwitz

The Institute was established in Nov. 1942 as “Hygienische-Bakteriologische Untersuchungs Stelle der Waffen-SS und Polizei, Süd-Ost” later changed to “Hygiene Institut der Waffen SS-und Polizei, Auschwitz”. The Institute performed hygienic and bacteriological laboratory work for local SS, Wehrmacht and police units, as well as for concentration camps (the entire Auschwitz-Birkenau complex including the sub-camps, and Gross-Rosen Concentration Camp). The Institute analyzed samples of blood and other bodily fluids collected from camp prisoners, the SS garrison troops and their families, and armed SS and Wehrmacht formations stationed in the Oświęcim area. The analysis was intended to detect cases of, malaria and syphilis. The Institute was headed by SS Obersturmfuerer dr. Bruno Weber. The crucial objectives of the Institute were:
1. Attendance to the SS and police hospitals on the territory under the Institute activity, the area between Poznan and Prague, reaching Kiev in certain period.
2. Attendance to the block of Auschwitz camps, which mainly consisted in large-scale mass blood, urine and stool tests referring to the research on malaria, typhoid and other contagious diseases.
3. Attendance to the camps of civil labor.
4. Special examinations of food, water, chemical preparations and animal diseases.
5. Scientific research.

The documents from this collection are very often the only source information about prisoners of KL Auschwitz-Birkenau (personal data, camp number and date of stay in the camp).