This article describes the “Death Baths” (Totbaden) execution method used at the Gusen concentration camp (a sub-camp of Mauthausen) during World War II – where prisoners were forced to stand under freezing water jets until they died. The content is for educational and historical documentation only, based on survivor testimonies, archival records, and historical sources. It does not aim to glorify violence or advocate for any political ideology.
The Death Baths: Torture and Execution at Gusen Concentration Camp
Throughout the Second World War, inside the concentration camps, there were a number of different execution methods used. Inside Auschwitz, there was a firing range known as the Death Wall. However, inside Gusen – a sub-camp of Mauthausen – the Death Baths (or Totbaden) were used. These were showers in which prisoners, in freezing cold weather, were forced to stand under freezing cold jets of water.
It is believed that 300 prisoners of Gusen were executed in this way. The freezing cold water led to hearts stopping and bodies being forced into shock and organ failure. However, it was deemed not efficient enough to be used across other concentration camps. It was a horrific execution method.
1. The Context: The Mauthausen-Gusen Camp System
Mauthausen was one of the most brutal concentration camps in the Nazi system. Located in Austria, it was classified as a “Grade III” camp – meaning it was reserved for prisoners considered “incorrigible” or “politically dangerous.” The camp’s sub-camps, including Gusen, were even more brutal.
Gusen was established in 1940 and became the largest sub-camp of Mauthausen. It was primarily a forced labor camp, with prisoners working in nearby quarries, munitions factories, and construction projects. Conditions were horrific: starvation, disease, beatings, and arbitrary executions were daily occurrences.
It was within this environment that the Death Baths were created.
2. How the Death Baths Worked
The Death Baths were essentially industrial showers located inside the Gusen camp. Prisoners were stripped naked and forced to stand under the showerheads. The water was intentionally kept at freezing temperatures – often near or below zero degrees Celsius.
According to survivor testimony, prisoners were forced to stand under freezing water for extended periods, which led to death by hypothermia and drowning.
The combination of freezing water, high pressure, and overcrowding led to death by hypothermia, shock, or drowning.
3. The Brutality of the SS Guards
The SS guards who operated the Death Baths were known for their particular cruelty. They would often prolong the ordeal for their own amusement, watching as prisoners shivered, collapsed, and died.
Survivors testified that SS guards prolonged the ordeal and prevented prisoners from escaping.
The Death Baths were not just about killing – they were about torture, degradation, and psychological terror.
4. The Death Toll: How Many Died?
It is believed that approximately 300 prisoners died in the Death Baths at Gusen. However, the exact number is unknown, as records were poorly kept and many deaths were not documented.
Most victims were political prisoners, Soviet POWs, and Jews who were deemed “unfit for work.” The Death Baths were also used to punish prisoners who attempted to escape or who violated camp rules.
Although 300 deaths may seem small compared to the millions who died in the gas chambers, the Death Baths were notable for their deliberate sadism – they were designed to cause maximum suffering before death.
5. Why Was It Considered “Inefficient”?
Despite its brutality, the Death Baths were deemed not efficient enough to be used across other concentration camps. The reasons for this assessment included:
Time-consuming: The process took hours, whereas gas chambers could kill thousands in minutes.
Labor-intensive: The Death Baths required a large number of SS guards to oversee the process.
Unpredictable: Some prisoners survived the ordeal, requiring additional measures to finish them off.
Messy: The flooding, drowning, and hypothermia created logistical problems for disposal of bodies.
By comparison, the gas chambers at Auschwitz and other camps were far more “efficient” – they could kill thousands of people in a single day with minimal effort.
6. The Psychological Horror: Drowning in Cold Water
What made the Death Baths particularly horrific was the psychological torment inflicted on the prisoners. The experience of standing naked under freezing water, unable to escape, watching others collapse and die, created a sense of utter hopelessness.
Survivors who witnessed the Death Baths described the screams, the shivering, and the sound of bodies splashing. One survivor later testified:
“I saw men who were strong and healthy collapse in minutes. The water was so cold that your skin turned blue.”
The experience was prolonged and horrific.
7. The Death Wall vs. The Death Baths
Auschwitz had the Death Wall – a wall where prisoners were executed by firing squad. Gusen had the Death Baths. Both were methods of mass execution, but they differed in their approach.
Unlike the Death Wall at Auschwitz, where prisoners were shot quickly, the Death Baths caused prolonged suffering. The Death Baths were designed to inflict maximum pain and humiliation before death, making them one of the most sadistic methods of execution used in the Nazi camp system.
8. The Legacy of the Death Baths
The Death Baths at Gusen are not as well-known as the gas chambers or the Death Wall, but they remain a symbol of the sadistic cruelty of the Nazi camp system. They remind us that the Holocaust was not just about mass murder – it was about dehumanization and suffering.
Today, the site of the Gusen camp is a memorial. Visitors can see the remains of the shower block and learn about the horrors that took place there. The Death Baths serve as a warning about the depths of human cruelty and the importance of never forgetting.
9. Conclusion: A Warning from History
The Death Baths were not the most efficient execution method of the Nazi regime, but they were among the most brutal and degrading. They were designed not just to kill, but to break the human spirit.
We remember the approximately 300 prisoners who died in the Death Baths at Gusen. We also remember the survivors who carried the trauma of that experience for the rest of their lives.
Their story is a reminder of the importance of human rights, dignity, and justice – and a warning about what can happen when these values are abandoned.
Primary Sources:
Mauthausen-Gusen Memorial Site archives
Survivor testimonies – Gusen sub-camp
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) – Gusen records
Historical studies of the Mauthausen concentration camp system
Wikipedia – Gusen concentration camp / Mauthausen-Gusen