Kapos were trusted inmates who supervised the prisoners in the German concentration camps. Some of these Kapos were Jewish, and they would treat their fellow prisoners very harshly. Kapos were involved in all aspects of prisoner administration. They had many responsibilities. They would have to implement commands, maintain order, assist other Kapos, head work groups, determine the health of various inmates and ensure that they performed their tasks properly and meet their quotas. If an order was not fulfilled, the Kapo in charge was directly responsible. Failure to perform these duties would have resulted in severe punishment and even death.

If you were selected to be a Kapo you had no choice but to take the position. It was a matter of survival and one did not deny the SS anything or the result would be death. A kapo had better quarters, food, and clothing. They enjoyed their own reserved section in the prison barrack. They had enough to eat and their clothing was relatively warm.

After the war, the kapos were charged as war criminals, particularly those who were Jewish.

Sources: Jewish Virtual Library