Question #7da8b
1 Answer
Jun 1, 2016
Armbands like the one pictured were used to indicate that a prisoner was a Kapo , a prisoner that also served as a guard or clerk in the camps.
Explanation:
On some posters, the indicator name of the armband in German is Kennzeichen für Funktionshäftlinge, or "Indicator of a Prisoner-Functionary". These prisoners, also referred to as Kapos ("bosses"), served in supervisory roles over the concentration camps. For guarding or patrolling their fellow prisoners, they often received a larger share of rations, occasional gentler treatment, or luxuries like tobacco. However, as many prisoners saw them as SS puppets or informers, they were often disliked and distrusted.
