The construction of the sub camp in Babice was preceded by the displacement of the locals in april of 1941. German authorities ordered them, to leave the livestock at place. Most of the displaced were moved to General Governship, some of them settled at Oświęcim and close towns. Commandos of prisoners were sent to the village to disassemble the homesteads. Dismantling lasted up to 1942. The materials that were acquired in process, were later used for constructing of camp in Babice and some sub camps.
At the same time, german authorities made a decision of settling the families of civilian workers from IG Farbenindustries at still existing houses. At the first stage of constructing the subcamp, the prisoners employed for disassembly were marching from near KL Auschwitz for 2,5 kilometres on daily routine. During the construction, there were built: Some housing barracks, 2 barns, cowshed, stable, toolsheds, a silo, manure tank and a pool with water used for extinguishing fire. The stables and cowsheds were filled with livestock left by the displaced citizens.
Permanent subcamp was organized in March of 1943. Primarily, it consisted of 60 men and 50 women. Over months, these numbers rose to 180 women and 200 men. Most of them were Jews, there were also some Polish prisoners and soviet POW's. At the moment of liberation of the camp there were 180 women and 160 men.
The prisoners worked with wheat, beetroots, white beets, potatoes, cabbage and rape, they also collected hay for fodder. The ground was fertilized with ashes that came from Auschwitz crematoria. Some of the prisoners were employed in meliorating the area. At the time of lower intensity of farm work, they leveled the area, built roads and demolished the rest of farmsteads. In 1944, when the Army confiscated horses, they were replaced with cows, and, in short time, with women. It was the hardest labor they have been forced to. It lasted from dawn till dusk.
The housing conditions of woman prisoners were much different from those of woman camp in Birkenau. They had single pailassess and blankets. Thanks to the water intake and the room with kitchen stove, they could care about their hygiene. The rooms they lived in were heated at winter, fall and early spring. They also had a medical point at their service, where they could get any needed help. The standards of the food tho, were not different of those from the camp. It's base was „coffe”, „soup” and poor rations of bread or potatoes. Their outfit in winter was the camp striped cloth, in summer they wore grey or blue canvas dresses and aprones. They also had white bandanas.
All the means of contact beetwen prisoners were forbidden, any attemp of contact resulted in severe beating and deprivation of food.
The women commando of prisoners was terminated in 1944, they were sent to women camp in Brzezinka. At the moment of liberation on 17th january 1945, the camp consisted of 159 prisoners able to march.
Bibliography:
Auschwitz 1940 – 1945. Węzłowe zagadnienia z dziejów obozu. Tom 1 Założenie i organizacja obozu., pod red. W. Długoborskiego, F. Pipera, Oświęcim 1995.
Der Ort des Terrors. Geschichte der nationalsozialistischen Konzentrationslager, Band 5 pod red. W.Benz, B. Distel, München 2007.
Zięba Anna, „Wirtschaftshof Babitz”. Podobóz przy majątku dworskim Babice., Zeszyty Oświęcimskie nr 11, Oświęcim 1969.