: Space was severely limited; in the Kovno ghetto, prisoners were allocated less than ten square feet of living space each. In Antopol, as many as 50–60 people lived in a single house.
Ghettos were designed as temporary, closed quarters to isolate, control, and segregate Jewish populations. Conditions were characterized by extreme deprivation: Ghetto Prisoners
: In some locations, such as Theresienstadt, a "polis" mentality emerged among functionaries who viewed the ghetto as a reformed society, albeit with limited autonomy from the SS. : Space was severely limited; in the Kovno
: Intellectuals and artists engaged in "spiritual resistance." In the Vilna ghetto, the "Paper Brigade" risked their lives to smuggle and hide precious Jewish manuscripts and books from Nazi destruction. Conditions were characterized by extreme deprivation: : In
Despite the enforced misery, prisoners developed complex internal societies:
: Authorities often withheld food and water supplies, leading to rampant starvation and outbreaks of infectious diseases like typhus.
: The lack of healthcare and sanitation resulted in massive death tolls; for instance, nearly one in four prisoners in Theresienstadt died within the ghetto itself. 2. Social Structures and Internal Dynamics