 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
THREE SS MEN
Photo taken at the SS compound. From left to right: Oberhauser, Jirmann and Franz. In the background a "Trawniki man" is guarding beside the sentry box. |
 |
TRAWNIKIS AT BELZEC CAMP ENTRANCE
From left to right: Trautwein, Samuel, Rosenholz, unidentified, Kunz, two other unidentified men. Photo: Regional Museum at Tomaszow Lubelski Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 |
BELZEC CAMP ENTRANCE
It's clearly visible how primitive the fence was. The extermination camp should only remain until all Jews of its catchment area would have been exterminated. According to Michael Tregenza this fence belonged to the Belzec labour camp. The man wearing a hat could be the Romany "king" Kwiek. Photo: GFH |
 |
MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH WORK COMMAND
A rare photograph showing some Jews in the sorting compound of the death camp, taken around or after October 1942, when the first women were selected from the transports to work in the camp. |
 |
SORTING BARRACKS
Image created by Konrad Wawryn. Click on the photo for enlargement |
 |
RUDOLF KAMM AT BELZEC
SS-Scharführer Rudolf Kamm standing in front of the sorting barracks, his "working place" in the camp. |
 |
ERWIN FICHTNER AT BELZEC
Fichtner in front of the office. On the right the armory building. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 |
UKRAINIAN IN FRONT OF THE MILL
A Ukrainian guard in front of the Belzec mill. See the comparison with the todays mill. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 |
SS STAFF MEMBERS POSING BEHIND THE KOMMANDANTUR
Camp Commander Christian Wirth resided in this house. Today a garden is behind the building. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 |
THE KOMMANDANTUR IN 1942 AND 2002
The outer appearance of the building didn't change much since the 1940ies. Today a Polish family lives in it. Click on the photo for enlargement. 2002 Video |
 |
WIRTH IN BELZEC
Christian Wirth in the center, Johann Schwarzenbacher on the left, Lassmann on the right. |
 |
WIRTH'S CAR AT BELZEC
In the background you can see the Belzec railway station. |
 |
SS HOUSE 2002
The former SS house is still to be seen in 2002. No major changes have been made by the owners since WW2. |
 |
BELZEC STATION
Belzec station in 1942. Click on the photo for enlargement, and for a view on the station in 2001. Photos (1942): Tregenza Collection |
 |
FIRE BRIGADE EXERCISE IN 1943
In 1943 the Belzec fire brigade practised an action to prevent major damage in course of an air-raid by Soviet planes. One year later there was no chance to save the station. |
 |
AIR-RAID ON BELZEC STATION
On 5 July 1944, a Soviet plane hit an ammunition train standing at the station. The ammunition blew up, the whole station was destroyed. Click on the photo, for enlargement. Photo: Tomaszow Lubelski Regional Museum |
 |
RUDOLF GÖCKEL
Belzec station master in front of the locomotive shed. Witness Rudolf Reder stated: " ... About noon the train reached the Belzec station. It was a small station. Little houses stood around it. The Gestapo lived in these little houses. Belzec was on the Lublin - Tomaszow line, fifteen kilometers from Rawa Ruska. At the Belzec station the train reversed from the main line onto a spur that ran another kilometer, straight through the gate of the death camp. Ukrainian railroad workers also lived near the Belzec station, and there was a small post office. An old German with a thick black mustache got into the locomotive at Belzec - I do not know his name but I would recognize him in an instant; he looked like a hangman. He took command of the train and drove it right to the camp. It took two minutes to get to the camp. For the whole four months I would always see that same bandit..." "Belzec" by Rudolf Reder, p.118 Photo: Tregenza Collection |
 |
LOCO SHED #1
Locomotive shed at Belzec station. This building was used to store the clothes of murdered Jews. The clothes were stored here before being shipped to DAW Lublin. |
 |
LOCO SHED #2
Locomotive shed at Belzec station. Interior. |
 |
"STIFTUNG HACKENHOLT"
W. Rutherford's drawing of the Belzec gas chambers, called "Stiftung Hackenholt" ("Hackenholt Foundation"). Click on the photo, for enlargement. |
 |
GASSING PIPE
Gassing pipe used in the Belzec gas chambers. |
 |
BELZEC ARMORY 2002
The complete building is still visible in 2002. |
 |
BELZEC BAKERY 2002
The bakery delivered up to 1000 loaves a day to the death camp. It was located outside the camp in Belzec village. The loaves were carried by horse and cart. The baking took place in the cellar, now used as storeroom. |
 |
BAKERY WELL
The bakery well in front of the house is still visible in 2002. |
 |
BAKERY CELLAR
The cellar of the former bakery is a storeroom now. The room is narrow and it is hard to believe that here 1000 loaves a day have been produced. |
 |
BAKERY CELLAR EXIT
Behind the door the staircase went to daylight. The Jewish girls, forced to work in the cellar, rarely came upstairs, only for spending the nights in a simple summerhouse in front of the bakery. Ukrainian guards stood at the entrance of the property. |
 |
WITNESS GISELA GDULA (NEE NATYNA) IN JULY 2002
Gisela Gdula, a witness living in the former SS bakery building, testified about three young Jewish girls who were forced to work in the bakery cellar in order to make the breads for the camp. On the left her neighbour, the former mayor of Belzec village. On the right Michael Tregenza, Belzec investigator. |
 |
DEATH CAMP GARAGE 2002
The foundations of the SS garage were still visible in 2002. |
 |
DEATH CAMP GARAGE / INSPECTION PIT
The inspection pit of the former SS garage was the last remaining visible building within the former death camp in 2002. |
 |
REMNANTS OF A WATCHTOWER
At the western corner of the former camp two remnants of posts from a watchtower are still visible in 2004. The posts obviously had concrete foundations. Click on the photo, for enlargement. |
 |
GAS CHAMBERS AREA 2002
After the camp was dismantled, the Germans planted trees over the extermination site. Today thin wood covers the upper part of the camp where the gas chambers have been. According to Peter Witte a Polish source mentioned that the gas chambers were located at the site of the old memorial. |
 |
SORTING YARD 2002
The ARC team visiting the former death camp in 2002. |
 |
LETTER FROM BELZEC
Click on the photo for enlargement. |