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The Holocaust and the Neo-Nazi Mythomania
© 1978, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation
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in March 1942. It was on June 11 that Eichmann met in
Berlin with his representatives in France (Dannecker), in Belgium and in
Holland to inform them (XXVI-29) that Himmler had given the order to deport for
the work at Auschwitz important quantities of Jews from these three countries
(128). This operation was curiously
explained by the impossibility for military reasons of deporting the Jews of
the Reich to the "zones of operation" during the summer. One would say that it
was necessary to justify the decision to begin the deportation from the
countries occupied in the West, while the deportation of the Jews from the
Reich and from the Protectorate was not yet ended. Let us add that in spite of
Eichmann's explanation, the deportation from the Reich continued during the
summer and the autumn of 1942, more precisely to the regions of Riga and Minsk.
In the instructions given by Eichmann on June 11, 1942, on the
deportations from the western countries, the rigour with which the age limits
for deportable Jews were set – sixteen to forty five – seems
astonishhing [sic]. It was in addition rather rapidly annulled. This limitation
which Eichmann designated as essential underscored that the deportation was to
be undertaken for the strictly economic reasons of labour. One would say that
Eichmann in the RSHA had received the order from Principal Office of Economic
Administration of the SS, to which the Inspection of the Concentration Camps
belonged, and which was primarily interested in the economic exploitation of
the internees. Eichmann apparently transmitted the order such as he had
received it. But the age limits were soon extended again, even before the
series of deportations from the countries in question had really begun. In
particular, the deportation of children of all ages was accepted by the RSHA,
this in response to steps taken by Dannecker from his post in Paris.
Eichmann had indicated at the meeting held on June 11, 1942, in Berlin
that 10% of persons unfit for work could be accepted in the transports of
deportees. When the convoys began to reach Auschwitz, the people arriving were
in their very large majority considered as unfit for work; and they were killed
in the gas chambers that Hoess had prepared in conformity with the order
received from Himmler in 1941.
At Auschwitz an average of 80% of the
Jewish deportees were thus immediately liquidated. The rest represented the
Jewish concentrationary labour strongly desired by Himmler; it largely
disappeared, more or less rapidly by the mortality due to the living and
working conditions in the camps and the work commandos. The employment of this
rest was nevertheless an important factor in the economic plans of the SS, the
realization of which was being pursued by Himmler with Pohl, Chief of the
Principal Office of the Economic Administration of the SS. But the weight of
the 80% immediately liquidated showed that the deportation of the Jews was
being effected primarily for their extermination.
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The Holocaust and the Neo-Nazi Mythomania
© 1978, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation |
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