One of the largest concentration and extermination camps in Germany proper, Buchenwald was located in Thuringen, on the northern slope of Ettersberg, a mountain five miles north of Weimar. In addition to the main camp, Buchenwald encompassed 130 satellite camps and extension units.

Buchenwald was established well before World War II, on July 16, 1937, and originally housed just 149 inmates, mostly political detainees and criminals. The camp was officially named Buchenwald by Heinrich Himmler, head of the Schutzstaffel (SS) on July 28, 1937. By 1939, during the invasion of Poland, the camp was divided into three parts: a "large camp," which housed prisoners who had some seniority; a "small camp," to quarantine new prisoners; and a "tent camp," to receive Polish prisoners. Additionally, the camp included the SS barracks and the camp factories. Buchenwald was commanded by SS-Standartenfuhrer Karl Koch from 1937 to 1941 and by SS-Oberfuhrer Hermann Pister from 1942 to 1945.

The camp grew quickly. From the original 149 in July 1937, the population swelled to 2,561 by the end of the year. Most of these were identified as political prisoners. As the Nazi regime cracked down on various groups identified as "asocial elements," Buchenwald received even more prisoners. By July 1938, there were 7,723; 2,200 more, all Jews, came from Austria on September 23, 1938. Following Kristallnacht, November 9-10, 1938, the camp received another 10,000 Jews, so that by the end of the month the population passed 18,000. However, by the end of the year, most of the Jewish prisoners were released, bringing the camp population to 11,000. . .