(German: Pfahlbinden)

A frequent punishment in Auschwitz. It was initially applied in Auschwitz I, where prisoners were hung from hooks on high posts—this was the origin of its name. Prisoners had their hands tied behind their backs with rope or a chain that was then hung at a height making it impossible for their feet to touch the ground. The intense pain caused by the twisting of the shoulders sometimes caused the victims to pass out, and the ligaments in their shoulders were frequently torn. Prisoners injured in this way could be classified as unfit for labor and sent to the gas chamber. The punishment was administered for one to several hours.

(Mini dictionary of terms from the history of Auschwitz)