The German SS commanders and their staff were in charge of the camps. The guards were members of the "SS-Wachtbatallion", which consisted mainly of Dutch volunteers. In Westerbork they were replaced by military police and later by the Amsterdam Police Battalion, most of whom had trained in Schalkhaar. The prisoners had the most dealings with the camp SS, who did the most important administrative work, held the roll calls, exercised general supervision, and escorted the prisoners during their forced labour.

The occupying forces also liked the prisoners themselves to administer the camp: the camp leaders, barracks leaders, stewards and foremen. Those who performed a function in the camp hierarchy were treated better than the others, but it also made them accomplices and they were often hated. Administration by the prisoners themselves was taken furthest in Camp Westerbork, where not only the supervisory but also almost all organisational and administrative tasks were performed by the Jewish prisoners themselves - including the drawing up of the transport lists.

References to documents with information about the camp administration

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