Concentration camp

A concentration camp is a large detention center created for political opponents, aliens, specific ethnic or religious groups, civilians of a critical war-zone, or other groups of people, often during a war. The term refers to situations where the internees are persons selected for their conformance to broad criteria without judicial process, rather than having been judged as individuals. Camps for prisoners of war are usually considered separately from this category, although informally (and in some other languages) they may also be called concentration camps. The word "concentration" indicates a regional concentration, but it also implies the crowded, and often unhealthy, state of the facilities.

France

Under Nazi occupation, the Natzweiler-Struthof camp, in Alsace, was one concentration camp on French soil during the Second World War -- the three departments of Alsace-Lorraine (Haut-Rhin, Bas-Rhin and Moselle) had been annexed and incorporated into the Third Reich.

Related Topics:
Natzweiler-Struthof - Alsace-Lorraine

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Camps also existed in the Pyrenees, on the border with pro-Nazi Spain, one of which was called Camp De Gurs.

Related Topics:
Pyrenees - Camp De Gurs

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During France's occupation of Algeria, large numbers of Algerians were forced into "tent cities" and concentration camps during the initial French invasion in 1830s and particularly during the Algerian War of Independence. During the latter conflict, whole villages which were suspected to have supported the FLN were rounded up in such camps. During the early part of the colonial period, such camps were used mostly to forcibly remove Arabs, Berbers and Turks from the fertile areas of land and settle primarlily French, Spanish and Maltese settlers. It has been estimated that between 1830 and 1900 between 15 and 25% of the Algerian population died in such camps.

Related Topics:
Algeria - Algerian War of Independence - FLN

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