The transport of 728 Polish political prisoners from Tarnów to the Auschwitz concentration camp in June 1940 marked a significant moment in the history of Nazi oppression in occupied Poland. The prisoners included a mix of political leaders, intellectuals, and members of the Polish resistance who had been detained following the German invasion of Poland. The establishment of Auschwitz began with this initial batch of inmates, reflecting the early attempts of the Nazis to eliminate potential opposition in the occupied territories. 

These prisoners arrived under conditions of extreme duress, amid an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. The camp, initially set up as a detention center for political prisoners, would soon evolve into a site of mass extermination. The selection process often involved harsh treatment, and many of the captives suffered cruel punishments simply for being suspects of anti-German sentiment. This initial group set a precedent for the horrific treatment that would become commonplace in the following years. 

As deportations continued, Auschwitz became a central location in the Nazi regime's strategy to systematically eliminate groups considered undesirable. This marked the first step in what would become one of the most infamous concentration camps of the Holocaust, evolving from a simple detention facility to an integral part of the genocide machinery employed by the Nazis during World War II.