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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and Operation
of
the Gas Chambers © | |
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Document 69
[PMO file BW 30/25, page
12] |
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| Translation: (the corrections are not
translated) |
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| KI/L6 36132/43 |
| Auschwitz, [Monday] 13/9/1943 |
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| Summary Record |
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Subject: Meeting concerning the imputation of the costs incurred
in having to replace the
defective lining of the chimney of Krematorium II, POW camp BW
30 |
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On Friday, 10/9/1943, Herr chief engineer Prüfer, as the
representative of Messrs Topf & Sons of Erfurt, consulted with
this service [Bauleitung] to clarify the situation with regard to
the subject stated.
The Zentralbauleitung maintained the
position that the damage to the chimney lining was due above all to
the incorrect drawings and instructions furnished by Messrs Topf
& Sons. Here chief engineer Prüfer was in 1942 the consultant
for the whole installation and he declared at the time to SS Second
Lieutenants (Specialists) Ertel [Ertl], Dejaco and Jahnisch
[Janisch] that the Krematorien should be built according to the
drawings provided by Messrs Topf. As for the chimneys, they should
be built according to the project drawing for the chimney for
Krematorium I in the main camp on the one hand and the measurements
and instructions for the individual parts of the chimney appearing
on the above mentioned drawings provided by Messes Topf & Sons.
One of these drawings shows a lining thickness of 12 cm. The lining
itself is shown to a height of 6 m in orange, as is all the other
refractory brickwork. The brickwork supporting the lining is shown
in red, meaning ordinary bricks. [See drawing 933[ 934](r) in annex,
where the lining of the chimney, of a color different from the pink
walls, should be orange, which it is very faintly on the original in
the PMO archives].
During a subsequent inspection and
conversation with the Chief Capo of the Krematorien, it was noted
that the collapse of part of the flues was not error or confusion,
as [claimed] in the letter of 6/8/1943 counts. reg, no. h.e.s./D
IV/Prf, but in fact as stated in the Bauleitung letter of 17/7/1943,
whole sections of the roof [of the flues] were caving in and the
connections between the hot flues and the chimney were in very bad
condition.
On this occasion it was also established that all
the draught adjustment dampers had melted due to a fault in
construction, but this fault had been eliminated in the light of
rear own experience and now |
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Document 69a
[PMO file BW 30/25, page
12] |
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| Translation: (corrections are not
translated) |
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the system worked perfectly. Here chief engineer Prüfer this
time designated the reason for the damage to the lining as being
that the brickwork was bonded with lime mortar instead of refractory
mortar, and also errors in the static calculations.
In
reply to this, in the conversation on the following day [Saturday
12th September] with Herr engineer Koehler, who built this chimney
according to the Topf & Sons drawings, stated that the lining
was completely built with refractory mortar from the bottom to the
top.
It was pointed out to Herr chief engineer Prüfer that
with each visit he brought a new explanation for the reasons for the
collapse of the chimney lining.
During his last visit but
one, in the presence of the Commandant, he gave as the reason the
great stresses caused by firing individual furnaces [while leaving
the others cold], which was not taken into account in the
plans.
In the opinion of the Zentralbauleitung, this was in
fact probably the main reason, and would be taken into account in
the new Topf & Sons plans, in which the different rates of
expansion of different parts of the lining would be allowed for by
having openings such that they could slide with respect to one
another.
Herr engineer Koehler declared during this
conversation that the overloading of the chimney installation was
the most important cause of the damage.
Since it had not been
possible to completely settle the question of liability, Herr
engineer Koehler for Messrs Robert Koehler, Myslowitz and Herr chief
engineer Prüfer for Messrs Topf & Sons (subject to consultation
with his superior) declared their agreement, in the interests of
further good relations, to each assume 1/3 of the total extra cost,
provided that for its part the Bauleitung was prepared to assume a
similar sum. This total cost was provisionally estimated at 5,000
RM.
With this settlement, the reconstruction of the chimney
lining in Krematorium II, POW camp BW 30, is considered to be
finally settled. |
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| Read and approved |
| SS Second Lieutenant (Specialist) |
| SS Major | |
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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and operation
of the gas chambers
Jean-Claude Pressac
© 1989, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation |
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