Pławy village, 5 kilometres far from Oświęcim. In March 1941 it's citizens were removed, and their houses have been destined for demolition. Beginning April, commandos of prisoners were brought to the area. They worked with drainage of the fields. Starting June, everyday around 400 prisoners worked with leveling the area, building the area and salvaging material from demolished homesteads. In February 1942 a decision was made, about creating a farm specialized in raising cattle and horses. It was under jurisdiction of one of the commandos from Auschwitz. Each day, prisoners from Auschwitz and Birkenau were brought here to handle the farm.

Adding to that, they also performed drainage and meliorating works. Specific number of prisoners is hard to determine. The farmstead held 80 horses, 100 cows, 300 geese and 35 pigs.

Permanent male camp in Pławy was set up shortly after Christmas 1944, and the female camp was set up on 3^rd of January 1945. One of the barracks held 200 prisoners, mostly Polish, but also some Russians and a few Jews, furthermore 200 female prisoners (mostly Russians, few Ukrainians and Polish, some German capo). Barrack had windows, electric lights and a stove. Prisoners slept individually on three store bunk beds, they had matressess made of hay and two blankets each. There was a toilet and bath loacated in the barrack. Prisoners in bad condition were moved to KL Auschwitz. The guards were only veteran Wehrmacht soldiers.

Like in most of the camps from Auschwitz complex, the inmates woke up at 6 o'clock, got their morning „coffe” and then attended at the muster carried for both men and women. The work lasted till 6 o'clock with one break  at midday, the prisoners were usually handed the "soup" at that time. For the supper, the prisoners got a ration of bread, butter and marmolade, sometimes  a sausage. Rations were inadequate, so the prisoners tried to acquire some food while working on the farm.  Living condition in the sub camp at Pławy were considered not so bad, thanks to the possibility of „organizing” food.

Some of the chores for female prisoners were milking the cows, cleaning cowsheds and piggery. Rest of the women sorted red beets, fodder beets, potatoes and carrots in the basement of the camp. Prisoners also worked with keeping the horses and fish. Furthermore, they served in many transports between KL Auschwitz and the sub camp. They sent them fish and milk regularly, and got animal fodder, food for prisoners and clothes in exchange.

18^th of January 1945 a decision of evacuating the camp has been made. 200 women and 138 men appeared ready for march. Two women from hospital, unable to walk, have been executed. Prisoners were lead to Wodzislav of Silesia, from where women went to Gross-Rosen and men to Mauthausen-Gusen.

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.