Polish Institute of Source Research in Lund Sweden Date of the protocol: Trelleborg, 25th April 1946 Protocol no.: 277. Witness' family & given names: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Places of internation Born on 22nd Feb 1926 Time period Placed in: Prisoner data Notes from / to (triangle, number, letter) Birth place: Warszawa From: - , to: 27 July RADOM Political prisoner, Ghetto and camp 1944 Profession: School pupil From: 27 July 1944, AUSCHWITZ No. A - 24766 Concentration camp to: 1 Nov 1944 Nationality: Polish From: 1 Nov 1944, to: RAVENSBRÜCK Concentration camp 22 Nov 1944 (forced labour) Citizenship: Polish From: 22 Nov 1944, MALCHOW to: 26 Apr 1945 Religion: Mosaic / Jewish Parents names (F/M): Dawid / Lea Last residence in Poland: Radom Present residence: Leaving for Poland, to Sosnowiec The testimony consists of 5 pages of handwritten text and covers the following main items: (see next page) Page 1 of 5 Polish Institute of Source Research. Trelleborg, 25th April, 1946 Lund University Testimony by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, born 22nd February 1926 in Warszawa, school pupil ____________________________________________________________________________ Institute assistant interviewing/at the protocol: Luba MELCHIOR, (Translation from Polish: Jan Tuszyński)1 RECORD OF WITNESS TESTIMONY no. 277 nd MRS: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Born: 22 February 1926 in: Warszawa Profession: School pupil Religion: Mosaic / Jewish Parents 1st names: Dawid, Lea, Last place of residence in Poland: Radom Current place of residence: leaving for Poland, to Sosnowiec Having been informed of the importance of truthful testimony, the consequences of false testimony and her responsibility to tell the truth, the witness has made the following statement: I was interned in the following places: from: - to: 27th July 1944; as a political prisoner, in Ghetto and camp in Radom from: 27th July 1944 to: 1st Nov 1944; concentration camp AUSCHWITZ wearing number A-24766. from: 1st Nov 1944 to: 22nd Nov 1944; concentration camp RAVENSBRÜCK from: 22nd Nov 1944 to: 26th April 1945; MALCHOW. ____________________________________________________________________________ Asked whether in connection with my imprisonment, my work in the concentration camp, I do have any specific information about camp organization, the camp regimen, inmates’ work conditions, treatment of prisoners, medical and pastoral care, sanitary/hygienic conditions, and also any specific events in all aspects of the camp life, I do testify the following: My testimony consists of five pages of handwritten text describing: 1. RADOM – initial restrictions, dislocation, “small Ghetto”, Arbeitslager, concentration camp, evacuation of the camp. 2. AUSCHWITZ – selections, gas chambers, crematories, nutrition. Adapting of some to the camp conditions – functionaries. Line-ups, transportations. 3. RAVENSBRÜCK – reception, line-ups, transportation. 4. MALCHOW - General description, gun powder factory, camp organization, change of conditions after transport arrival from Auschwitz, changes in camp management. Nutrition, punishments, sanitary conditions, break in work. Liberation. ____________________________________________________________________________ The war found me in Radom. Germans marched in Radom 8th September 1939, starting then their gory activities. Revisions, bloody “actions”, round-ups to forced labour, limitations in every life sphere (marking Jews with white armbands with David star on, on the right arm of outdoor cloths) allowed us no moments to relax. On 25th of April 1944, the Ghetto was established, fencing us completely from the exterior world. Having all gathered, allowed German comfortable execution of all pre-prepared actions. After a year there evacuation took place, when they displaced from Radom 19000 Jews; (only) 1 Translator’s notes are in cursive, enclosed in parenthesis 2(5) Translation from Polish by Jan Tuszyński 2012-10-02 Polish Institute of Source Research. Trelleborg, 25th April, 1946 Lund University Testimony by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, born 22nd February 1926 in Warszawa, school pupil ____________________________________________________________________________ 3000 having special permits managed to avoid that terrible inferno. The first bigger evacuation followed a number of various “actions”, at which unarmed (innocent) people were mercilessly murdered. Those remaining were placed at the little Ghetto, which become a forced labour camp (Arbeitslager). All had to work (all the time) until liquidation of the camp to move it over out of town. The (new) camp had a character of the concentration camp. It was camp called “Szkolna” (placed at the Szkolna street (School street)). On 27th July 1944, this camp was (finally) liquidated; forcing 3000 persons to march 105 km, without even a slice of bread and a drop of water. Those not capable of wandering – of toil and exhaustion – were without any compassion executed in nearby ditches and woods. For trying to escape from marching column or for trying to get a drop of water, guards shut purposefully through hands and legs. After 8-days stop-over in Tomaszów, I was separated from my brother and my father, and transported to notorious AUSCHWITZ, the tomb of millions of people from all Europe corners. My stay in AUSCHWITZ was a course of torments and suffering. Standing selection of not enough fit persons, of not suitable age, hourly line-ups at frost or hot sunshine or heavy rain – punishments for not committed offences, by hourly kneeling or flogging, harassment from block- guards or Aufsehers, terrible accommodation and lack of clothing and nutrition. But the worse was a standing vision of threat of death by gassing and incineration at the crematorium. From my camp (B2b) we could see four burning day and night crematory chimneys, the sky in flames. One could in air smell burning bones. Going to bath, I have seen often lorries full of naked people, behind which the gate of the crematory closed for ever, (all) covered with thick curtains. We could hear then horrifying human screams, who in their last moments of convulsions wanted to survive. Thousands of people, not aware of their horrible lot, perished that way, often in double suffering when in case of too low gas dosage were burned half alive. The starvation was as well terrible. Daily ration of bread was maximum 16-17 dag bread and half a litre soup. The hunger forced us to so called “organizing” (managing) by picking up food from boilers carried out to blocks. One could pay for that often with life. Myself I have seen beating of a young Dutch girl to death. Some of the prisoners , depending on their resourcefulness, arranged to float on the surface. Some of those used their resources to arrange for bigger soup and bread ratios, for underclothes and cloths. It happened most often on expense of those weaker who could not defy the fate. The most terrible and most eager executioners of German orders, often in most extreme form, were block- /dormitory leaders from Slovakia. Forgetting that they could share the lot of humiliated comrades, they motivated Lagerälteste to punishments. They were merciless at the line-ups where weak women fainted from the exhaustion in the hot sunshine. It happened to me several times. I fell down at the line-up – block leader revived me by beating and forced me then to stand up. In the meantime transports were sent deep into Germany and after four months I was send there as well, to RAVENSBRÜCK. Prior to the transport there was selection, carried through by the infamous dr. MENGELE, who by one finger gesture condemned to death or life. Minute revisions were carried out. Bathing afterwards belonged to the worst moments of the camp life: naked in front of Germans, hair cutting and artificial air draft (to dry?). Lisol (chemical) used for 3(5) Translation from Polish by Jan Tuszyński 2012-10-02 Polish Institute of Source Research. Trelleborg, 25th April, 1946 Lund University Testimony by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, born 22nd February 1926 in Warszawa, school pupil ____________________________________________________________________________ body disinfection burned out our eyes. Dressed then in dirty and lice infested rags, of any size, we completed the picture of the bottomless misery. After the bath we were dumb and divided of any feelings. Transports were carried through in cattle cars – 70 to 80 persons in each – crowded tight, not able of any movement. As being excited, fighting and quarrel blow up, calmed down by guards’ rifle butts. There were no possibilities to take care of our physiology, occasionally only they let us out of cars where we relieved our need on the full view of the guards. Our only nutrition was bread with no water. We were travelling so 3 days. We arrived to RAVENSBRÜCK in the night time. We were led to the tent, laying rest of the night on stone, dirty floor. Then as usual revisions followed, gynaecological examinations in search for gold and valuables. We were bathed and redressed and led on the quarantine block. 3- weeks period in RAVENSBRÜCK was worst because of 5 hours line-ups, during which we prayed to die. After the quarantine we were transported over to MELCHOW. There were two camps in MELCHOW. We arrived to the new one, not yet inhibited, but arranged at that time. The accommodation was good, hygienic conditions as well, nutrition at that time acceptable. We worked in the gun powder factory, 8 kilometres from the camp. That road was arduous, still worse because of our heavy, huge clogs, where snow in a winter time made marching impossible. 12 hours work shifts – day and night – with long, over hourly march before (and after), together with line-ups ruined our health. Positive was relatively good treatment, general order in the camp and non corruptible camp management. After arrival of (the next) transport from evacuated AUSCHWITZ everything changed. Up to that moment, rations of 1000 persons, were distributed to 3500 persons, there at least half stolen to be sold. Camp management was replaced – Lagerführer searched for brilliants, allowing those having it to manage in the kitchen. It affected our health and our self esteem. Bread rations were minimal and bread itself often mouldy not for eating.. Then half a litre of watery soup – over the months without salt.