Incredible Photos That Show the Reality of the Death Camps at the End of World War II

In the spring of 1945, photographs and witness accounts from the liberation of camps like Bergen-Belsen afforded the disbelieving world outside of Europe its first glimpse into the abyss of Nazi depravity. These incredible photographs below were taken by LIFE photographer George Rodger in April 1945 when he accompanied the British 11th Armoured Division (the fabled “Black Bull”) into the camp just days earlier.

British doctor using DDT while delousing newly freed female prisoners at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Female prisoners in the newly liberated Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Female prisoners in the newly liberated Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Female prisoners sifiting through garbage for food at the recently liberated Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Portrait of Magdalene Kessal, 25, a domestic servant who served as SS girl at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

New internees of the freshly liberated Bergen Belsen concentration camp includ this pair of French brothers, Charles and Louis Perret, wearing white boots they took from the Germans.

German guard being forced to put bodies of prisoners into a mass grave at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

British doctor administers delousing treatment of DDT up the skirt of an embarrased looking female prisoner who is among the 60,000 prisoners just released from Bergen Belsen concentration camp after its liberation by Allied forces

British doctor administers delousing treatment of DDT up the skirt of an embarrased looking female prisoner who is among the 60,000 prisoners just released from Bergen Belsen concentration camp after its liberation by Allied forces.

Weak and dying prisoners stretch out on dirt bank behind Bergen Belsen barracks after the concentration camp was liberated by Allied troops.

Male & female German SS soldiers being forced to load corpses onto trucks under British guard at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

British doctors using DDT to delouse newly liberated prisoners at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Newly liberated prisoners waiting on line for food at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

Newly liberated prisoners at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp lining up for food shortly after Allied forces overran the area.