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

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