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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and Operation
of
the Gas Chambers © | |
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Document 61
[PMO file BW
30/34, page 40] |
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| Translation: |
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[manuscript] Krema II
[Error: should
be III] |
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| Auschwitz, 15/5/1943 |
| Correspondence register no. register no.
28819/43/Jä/Lm |
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URGENT
TELEGRAM! |
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| Address : |
Topfwerke Erfurt |
| Text: |
Bring Monday [17th May] rough
plan for production of hot water for about 100 showers. Fitting of
heating coils or boiler in the waste incinerator at present under
construction Krema III or system for using the high temperatures of
the flue gases. It would be possible to raise the brickwork of the
furnace to take a large tank. Herr Prüfer is requested to bring the
relevant drawings on Monday 17/5. |
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| Sig. Bischoff |
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Transmitted 14/5
Time 1730 hours
Sig. Civilian
Employee Schwender
Distribution
1 SPECIAL MEASURES file,
POW camp, [manuscript] Krema III, BW 30a
1 Project leader
[Kirschneck's initials]
1 SS Second Lieutenant
Kirschneck |
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On 25th May Messrs Robert Koehler of Myslowitz, who
had built the collective chimney of Krematorium II, started
repairing it by demolishing the lining [“Abbruch der Futter”], an
operation that took until 5th June [PMO file BW 30/34, pages 10
and 11.]
On Saturday 29th May, Bischoff had
Kirschneck send a telegram [Document 62] to engineer Schulze
of Topf, requesting the immediate dispatch of the original drawings
for the chimney of Krematorium II, as promised by Prüfer to Messrs
Koehler, who were unable to proceed without them. In fact, according
to the “Tagelohnzettel / daily pay sheets” [timesheets] compiled
weekly by Messrs Koehler, work did not stop, as claimed by Bischoff,
but the firm worked on the removal of the damaged lining from 25th
May to 5th June without a break, except for Sunday 30th
May.
On 1st June, the Bauleitung sent a further telegram to
Topf, again requesting the drawings promised by Prüfer and claiming
that Messrs Koehler had had to stop work because the drawings were
not available. But this forced stoppage still does not appear on the
Koehler timesheets.
On 2nd June, Messrs Topf wrote
acknowledging receipt of the Bauleitung telegrams of 29th May and
1st June [Document 63. This document, from a Soviet source,
is unfortunately incomplete, because the Soviet Commission forgot to
photograph the verso] and repeated its telegraphed reply, to the
effect that Topf needed the original drawings front Koehler in order
to obtain the dimensions of the chimney.
From 7th to 16th
June, according to the Koehler “Tagelohnzettel”, work on repairing
the chimney of Krematorium II was interrupted. Koehler and the
Bauleitung were waiting for Prüfer’s new drawings.
On
Thursday, 17th June, the drawings had still not reached Auschwitz,
but the Bauleitung nevertheless told Koehler to proceed with the
relining of the chimney. Work began that day and was no doubt
concerned only with preparation [PMO file BW 30/34, page
9].
On Saturday 19th, in a letter signed by Bischoff.
Kirschneck replied to the Topf letter of 2nd June. accusing them of
breaking their word. The situation was totally outside the control
of the SS. but they did have grounds for complaint: Topf were asking
Koehler for drawings of a chimney that they themselves had designed
in 1942, work for which the Bauleitung had in fact paid them 1769.36
RM. Topf claimed not to know its know the dimensions on their own
drawing, also forgetting that Koehler had built the chimney
scrupulously following (in theory) the dimensions and materials
specifications appearing on the Topf drawing. The Bauleitung,
exasperated by the course of events, demanded that argument should
stop and that the chimney should be rebuilt, and hence that Topf
should keep their promise and send new drawings to Messrs Koehler.
This letter had not yet been posted when the long awaited drawings
finally arrived on Monday, 21st June. Relining of the chimney then
proceeded without a break (apart from Sundays) until Saturday, 10th
July [PMO file BW 30/34, pages 6 to 8]. Krematorium II was
again operational at the beginning of the following week.
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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and operation
of the gas chambers
Jean-Claude Pressac
© 1989, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation |
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Page 241 |
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