The role of the kapos in the Holocaust was highly controversial. Some kapos exploited their power and abused the prisoners under their supervision, while others tried to protect them or at least make their lives more bearable. Many survivors of the Nazi camps remember the kapos with bitterness, while others acknowledge the difficulties of the role and the pressures kapos faced.
After the Holocaust, some former kapos were tried and convicted of war crimes. However, many escaped punishment and went on to lead normal lives.