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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and Operation
of
the Gas Chambers © |
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Page 187 |
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At the beginning of July 1942, the Bauleitung
invited two building firms already working on the construction of the POW camp,
Huta [Document 10] and Lenz & Co [Document 11], both of Kattowitz,
to tender for the construction of the shell of ONE crematorium (the future
Krematorium II) at Birkenau [Document 12].
On 13th July 1942,
Huta submitted its tender at a price of 133,756.65 Reichsmark, a price which
was to undergo several modifications (described in detail below). On 15th July,
Lenz & Co refused to tender on the grounds of labor shortage.
On
17th and 18th July 1942, Reichsführer Himmler visited the Auschwitz
Birkenau complex for the second time. On the 17th he witnessed the complete
process of a "Sonderaktion/ special action" [Document 12/II] on a Jewish
convoy; he saw the detraining, the gassing of the latter in Bunker 2 and the
removal of their bodies which were then buried in mass graves. In recognition
of his untiring activity in the development of the camps, SS Major Hoess was
promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Hoess was in luck, for only five days after
Himmler's departure he had to decree, by Kommandanturbefehl 19/42 of 23rd July,
a state "Lagersperre / isolation of the camp" because of an
outbreak of typhus. Disinfection and delousing measures were stepped
up.
On 29th July 1942, the Bauleitung awarded Huta a contract
worth 133,756.65 RM for building the shell of the new crematorium at
Birkenau [Document 13]. Two mirror-image buildings were in fact
constructed, but no known document mentions a second order or its date. Huta
themselves were to prepare the site and erect the shell of the building:
brickwork, facings, floors, concrete and reinforced concrete, for 116,366 65 RM
while the damp proofing work was subcontracted to Vedag at a price of 17,390
RM. The Huta price amounted to scarcely more than one fifth of the total price
of a crematorium: Krematorium III cost 554,500 RM and Krematorium II probably
646,000 RM before inspection [BW 30/43, page 29]). Other contracts were
subsequently awarded: construction of two chimneys (Messrs Robert Kochler);
supply of ten incineration furnaces, the ventilation systems and two corpse
lifts (Messrs Topf & Sons, who received 110,000 RM per crematorium); design
of the roof frame (Messrs Konrad Segnitz) before supply and erection of roof
frames and covering (Industrie Bau AG, who invoiced those of Krematorium III at
9,418.04 RM); drainage work (Messrs Karl Falck) [see list of enterprises in
annex].
Huta subsequently recalculated its estimate (including the
work to be subcontracted to, Vedag) and arrived at a total of 140,795.65 RM,
which was reduced by the Bauleitung to 115,832.90 RM (half of the saving being
achieved under "bricklaying", where the SS provided their own prison labor).
After some negotiation, on 7th May 1943 Huta claimed 120,443.16 RM for
Krematorium II and an identical sum for Krematorium III, After a new agreement
had been reached between had been reached between the parties, the accounts
were closed on 1st November 1943 at a sum of 119,007.23 RM for Krematorium II
(or a 12% reduction on the original tender. Of the 120,443.16 RM claimed for
Krematorium III, the Bauleitung accepted only 116,532.69 RM (or a 15% reduction
on the agreed price), which was claimed by Huta on 1st November 1943, |
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Document 3
[PMO
file BW 30/27, page 27] |
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| Translation:
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| Copy |
| Correspondence
register no. 715 ?/4 Ho |
22nd October
1941 |
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| Subject: |
Order for Topf 3
muffle furnaces, [suction type] forced drought installation and waste
incinerator. |
| Reference:
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Conversation between
our Head of Construction, K Bischoff and your Herr Prufer. |
| Enclosure:
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Messrs J Topf & Sohne
ERFURT
The Waffen SS and Auschwitz Police Construction Management refers to
the conversation that took place between Herr Prufer and our Head of
Construction K Bischoff, and hereby orders from you: |
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5 Topf
three-muffle furnaces with pulsed air installation; |
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2 Topf forced
draught installations each approx 10,000 m³ flue gas per hour;
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1 Topf
incinerator |
With the furnaces you are to supply all the
refractory and insulating materials as well as all cast iron parts, ducting and
pulsed-air blowers. For its part our Construction Management will supply the
construction materials necessary for the furnaces, such as bricks, sand, lime
and cement and the cast iron anchors.
For this order we request a
detailed estimate, the prices on which will serve as a basis for the contract.
We should also like to have an estimate for air extraction installations for
the two corpse cellars. the dissecting room and the furnace room.
As
this project is urgent, we would ask you to immediately establish the plans for
the furnace foundations and the various flues and to submit these to the
Construction Management within 14 days.
Delivery of the above mentioned
furnace components shall be within 3 months.
Within about 8 weeks you
are to make available to our Construction Management one of your fitters, who
will supervise the construction of the foundations.
Two drawings
concerning this project have already been given to your Herr Prufer. On the
basis of these drawings you are to furnish the Construction Management with
data regarding the required chimney section and height. |
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| Signed: |
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For Second Lieutenant Janisch [copy of BW 30/27
page 27]
For Second Lieutenant Kirschneck [copy of BW 30/34, page 116]
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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique and operation
of the gas
chambers
Jean-Claude Pressac
© 1989, The Beate Klarsfeld Foundation |
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