THE
SLAUGHTER
The proceedings of the extermination
followed two scripts; for Polish Jews already aware of Sobibor’s true function,
their treatment from arrival to their death in the gas chambers was cruel,
accompanied by shots, killing on the spot for the slightest resistance, beating
and terror.
The foreign Jews not aware of their
fate were threatened with deceptive care, even politeness until the doors of
the gas chamber. The following description of the fate of a typical Dutch
transport of 2.500 Jews will help you understand how millions could be killed
so easily.
Excerpts from Thomas Blatt’s diary describe
the arrival of a Dutch transport:
“…The arriving passenger train
stopped outside the camp at the small, obscure station amidst a wild forest.
Inside, every available seat was taken.
Soon eight to ten cars were detached
from the rest and pushed onto a sidetrack leading into the camp. The Germans
and the Ukrainian guards were posted around the platform and waiting (1). At
the Nazis’ signal, people were ordered to alight.
After leaving the heavy luggage
behind on the train platform, a column of about 500 people started towards a
long barrack (31) with large gates on opposite ends. Attached to the right side
of the barrack were smaller barracks (32). When they entered they were ordered
to leave any handbags they still carried. The moment the barrack was empty
prisoners, called “packettentragers” (packet carriers) opened doors to the
adjoining barracks (32). and quickly transferred all the handbags to be sorted. The purses were emptied onto tables and the contents
were thrown in the proper containers: money with money, brushes with brushes,
lipsticks with lipsticks, et cetera. Finally, documents, pictures and other
papers were taken in blankets to the incinerator.
While this was happening, the
victims ware led to a yard with an overhanging roof (33). There SS Scharfuehrer
Herman Mitchell in a quiet, convincing voice he welcomed the Jews. He
sympathetically apologized for the inconvenience of the trip and difficulty in
extending them a roof and a bed to relax in right away. First, - he explained -
because of strict sanitary
conditions, they must shower and be disinfected. Later, he assured them the
able-bodied would work, get paid and live with their families until the war was
won. The soothing speech of the wall-mannered SS man had its effect.
The women and children brought in
first - undressed and proceeded through the narrow alley between barbed wire
fencing towards three connected barracks, 100 meters away (45). There a group
of prisoners, ironically called ‘friseurs’ by the Nazis, were waiting to cut
their hair. It was done quickly with a few nervous dips of the scissors. The
young girls, visibly ashamed, sometimes begged the ‘barbers’ not to cut too short.
They were certain a shower would follow. A German stood in the middle of the
room with a whip in his hand, supervising and making sure the ‘barbers’ would
not speak to the victims. It was not necessary. The poor victims would not have
believed them anyway. Now robbed of all their possessions, even their hair, the
Nazis prepared to take their lives. The gas chambers were only four yards away.
And soon they walked innocently to its open gates to be brutally packed into
the gassing units (51).
SS Bauer and a Ukrainian named Emil
started the engine (52) and soon a horrifying mass scream could be heard. At
first it was very loud and spontaneous. About five minutes later it gradually
subsided until finally a contrasting silence took over.
The next ten cars of people, by this
time, were on route to the yard for the speech and surely heard the cries. But
mixed with the roar of the engine, and muffled by the thick walls of the gas
chamber, it sounded from distance like thunder. Only the prisoners, their
hearts frozen in terror, knew the truth.
Before piling the bodies on the pyres
(55), the gold teeth were pulled by the ‘dentist’ and other body cavities were
searched for more possessions, all with restless speed.
Now, the victim’s dead, the
prisoners finished sorting out the clothing. First, they removed the Star of
David and checked every fold for hidden valuables. Then they packet them in
lots of ten tying with string and stored them in huge warehouses (44) to be
send of later. Simultaneously, the hills of private documents, diplomas,
pictures etc., were being burned in a specially built incinerator (46),
removing the last traces of their existence. Thus, the destruction of a
transport of Jews was completed. The people killed, the goods stored, the
documents destroyed... as if, IT NEVER WAS.”
|
Garrison Compound |
Lager II |
|
1. Unloading platform |
31. Barracks for depositing
hand luggage and purses |
|
2. Dentist office for SS
and jail for Ukrainian guards |
32. Barracks for sorting
hand luggage |
|
3. Guard House |
33. Undressing yard |
|
4. SS Clothing storeroom |
34. Food warehouse and
porch were SS gave welcoming speech |
|
5. SS quarters – the
Swallows’s Nest |
35. Kiosk where SS collected
money and jewelry |
|
6. SS quarters |
36. Electrical
generator |
|
7. Laundry |
37. Stable and barns |
|
8. Well |
38. Administration building
and storeroom for valuables |
|
9. Showers and barbershop
for SS |
39. SS ironing room |
|
10. Garage |
40. Shoe warehouse |
|
11. SS kitchen and canteen |
41. Garden |
|
12. Commandant’s
headquarters – the Merry Flea |
42. Barracks for sorting clothes
and suitcases |
|
13. Armory |
43. Barracks for sorting clothes
and suitcases |
|
14. Barracks for Ukrainian
guards |
44. Warehouse for sorted clothes |
|
15. Barracks for Ukrainian
guards |
45. Barracks where women's hair
was cut |
|
16. Barracks for Ukrainian
guards |
46. Incinerator |
|
17. Bakery |
47. "Lazarette"
(former chapel) used in the beginning to kill immobile Jews |
|
|
48. Latrine |
|
Lager I |
Lager III |
|
|
|
|
49. Barracks for Jewish workers |
|
|
50. Barracks for Camp Jewish
workers, kitchen and "dentist" workshop |
|
|
18. Dispensary |
51. Gas chambers |
|
19. Tailor shop for SS |
52. Engine room for gas chambers |
|
20. Shoemaker and saddler
for SS |
53. Enclosed yard |
|
21. Mechanic shop |
54. Graves |
|
22. Carpenter shop |
55. Cremation shop |
|
23. Latrine |
|
|
24. Painter’s shop |
Lager IV |
|
25. Barracks for male
prisoners |
A few bunker-like structures
for sorting captured Soviet ammunition. |
|
26. Barracks for male
prisoners |
|
|
27. Prisoners kitchen |
|
|
28. Barracks for female
prisoners |
|
|
29. Shoemaker shop for
Ukrainian guards |
|
|
30. Water ditch |
|