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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and Operation
of
the Gas Chambers © | |
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| Drawing 932(p) |
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| BAULEITUNG DRAWING 932 |
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The first drawing, 932 (p) [Polish] comes from
the PMO Archives, BW 30/01, neg. nos. 17079 and 20818/3
The second drawing, 932 (r) [Russian] comes from
the "October Revolution" Central State Archives in
Moscow.
Krematorium [Birkenau Krematorium II, BW 30],
scale 1:100
Entwurf für das Krematorium / Project for the
Krematorium
Schnitte / Cross-sections
Grundriß vom
Untergeschoß / Basement plan
Drawn on 23/1/42 by SS Sergeant
Ulmer,
checked on 28/1/42 by SS Second Lieutenant Dejaco and
approved on 28/1/42 by SS Captain Bischoff
[The date
7/7/42 followed by unknown initials above the identification block
on 932 (p) would appear to be of civilian origin (the Huta civil
engineering firm perhaps)] |
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Translation of inscriptions:
(from left to right and top to bottom) |
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| - |
Betonboden / concrete
floor |
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Siphon / Siphon |
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Pfeilerfundamente / Pillar
foundation |
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Isolierung /
Damp-proofing |
| - |
LEICHENKELLER 2 / CORPSE
CELLAR |
| - |
2 Absetzgrube / drainage
ditch |
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13 Steigungen / 13
steps |
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GANG / CORRIDOR |
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Zum Kanal / To sewer |
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Entlüftungskanal / air
extraction duct |
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LEICHENKELLER 3 / CORPSE CELLAR
3 |
| - |
Rutsche / [Corpse]
chute |
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LEICHENKELLER 1 / CORPSE CELLAR
1 |
| - |
SIEHE DECKBLATT ZEICHNUNG NR
1311! /
SEE CORRECTION SHEET DRAWING 1311! |
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VORRAUM / VESTIBULE |
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Aufzug / Corpse lift
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Entlüftungskanal / air
extraction shaft |
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Entlüftungskanal / air
extraction duct |
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Nicht unterkellert / Without
basement |
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Nach stat. Berechnung /
According to static calculations |
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Schornstein /
Chimney |
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Rauchkanal / [Underfloor] smoke
flue |
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Ofenfundamente / Furnace
foundations |
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Kontrollschacht / Inspection
manhole |
| - |
Klargrube / Cesspit |
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| Drawing 932 is now the best known of all the
Krematorium II drawings. Widely published by both the traditional
historians (Georges Wellers) and the revisionists (Robert
Faurisson), it is presented as evidence or counter-evidence,
depending on the thesis supported, without any valid comment or
serious study. In fact, drawing 932 contains no “criminal
traces” indicating the final purpose of Krematorium II, whose
apparent “normality” here would seem to support the revisionist
argument. |
| Drawing 932 is made up of three parts:
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| - |
In the center, the foundations, with no basements, of the
furnace room and the north wing containing the waste incinerator.
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On the right (east), the foundations, with no basements, of the
fuel store and other ancillary rooms; |
| - |
On the left (west, the basement or “cellar” part of the
Krematorium, with the corpse chute serving the three underground
morgues originally planned. |
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The date of 21/l/42 is that of the original version,
but cannot be accepted for this version. for the semi basements,
Leichenkeller 1 and 2, as shown here could not be built on the site
in the main camp for lack of space.
This drawing is
therefore most probably a second version of the basement area of the
planned Krematorium, redrawn to suit the new site in Birkenau, no
doubt in April 1942. The only difference between this and the
original version of January 1942 drawn for the main camp would
be: |
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| 1. |
An increase in the area of the
two Leichenkeller originally planned [letter of 22nd October 1941,
no. 715?/41 Ho], explicable by the camp originally planned for
10-30,000 prisoners being increased to take a planned 100-150,000 or
even more; |
| 2. |
Leichenkeller 1 and 2 now
planned as semi-basements instead of full basements, because of the
high water table in Birkenau; |
| 3. |
creation of a third underground
morgue, Leichenkeller 3. |
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| The numbering of the three Leichenkeller, 1, 2, and 3
is not explained in any known German document. Judging by their
arrangement around their source of supply, the corpse chute, and the
ventilation shown on drawing 932, it is reasonable to suppose that:
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| a) |
Leichenkeller 3 was to be the
reception morgue, where the prison numbers of the corpses would be
recorded; |
| b) |
Leichenkeller 2 was to be
temporary storage for newly arrived and recorded corpses awaiting
cremation (delay of 3 or 4 days); |
| c) |
Leichenkeller 1 was to take
corpses several days old, beginning to decompose and thus requiring
the room to be well-ventilated, to be incinerated as soon as
possible. |
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| There is nothing on this drawing that indicates the
future “special”use of this Krematorium. Quite the contrary, it
looks a perfectly “normal”, though very high capacity, incineration
facility. The arguments against Krematorium II having been planned
from the outset as an instrument of extermination are as
follows: |
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| 1. |
No access stairway from the
exterior to the future undressing (Leichenkeller 2) [this absence is
particularly visible on 932 (r), where the Soviets have tried to
rectify the defect by adding some steps in the center of its west
wall, which is incorrect, the actual location being more to the
north]. What is more. the Krematorium was actually built
without this stairway [photos neg. nos. 286 and 20995/493
for Krematorium III] which was added later;
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AUSCHWITZ:
Technique
and operation
of the gas chambers
Jean-Claude Pressac
© 1989, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation |
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