Brzezinka (German Birkenau ) is a village in Poland , located about 3 kilometers from Oswiecim .
General Information
Village located in the region of Malopolska in Poland, gmina of Oswiecim ( Auschwitz ), at the confluence of the rivers Vistula and Soła in central Vistula Valley, 240 meters above sea level. By the time of the construction of the first railway station in 1856 , the station was in Brzezinka territory, but was later transferred to the vicinity of Oświęcim ( Auschwitz ).
It is a large village, with many roads and abundant houses with village style. Two major factories are there: Maszyn Górniczych “Omag” (which in 1930’s called Spółka Akcyjna Zjednoczenia Fabryk Maszyn i Samochodów “Oświęcim”, produced the car “Oświęcim-Prague”, which won a Monte Carlo Rally) and The Polinova Company (commonly known as Papownia).
History
From 1440 to 1483 Brzezinka was dominated by Jan Brzeziński. During World War II Poland it was occupied by Germany and the village was chosen as the site of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau , which still exists, along with Auschwitz, in memory of the victims of fascism.