Historic Sites

During the Holocaust several death camps were established by the Nazis in Poland, one of which was Treblinka. Virtually nothing remained after it was obliterated by the Nazis and only sketchy information could be obtained regarding the camp’s features. 

The model maker consequently had to collate all available snippets of information about Treblinka’s features which then culminated in a substantial research report. On this information a revised approach was proposed and based on this, the model was built. 

Although a certain level of detail was attempted, it must be stressed that an exact picture will never be able to emerge of what the death camp actually looked like and the model simply tries to convey the size and approximate layout. A certain amount of artistic freedom was therefore applied. 

See also the CASE STUDY Case Study on this site as well as the Laponder Model on the ARC website.

CONCEPT: Model of historical death camp site, Treblinka. Responsible for in-depth research with resulting research report. The research for the layout of the camp was done with the aid of overlays generated on computer  etc. 

CLIENT: First model for Cape Town Holocaust Centre, second model on display at the ‘Gisozi Genocide Memorial’ in Kigali, Rwanda. Note: The model maker was initially commissioned in 1998 to reconstruct a Treblinka model at the Cape Town Holocaust Centre. Due to his research on that model he was commissioned to do more in-depth research (which including visiting the site in Poland) and construct the up-to date Rwanda model as it appears on the ARC website.

MEDIA: Mixed:  Wood, Styrene, ABS plastic, cardboard, paper etc.

SIZE: 150cm x 130cm

SCALE: 1:400

RESEARCHED AND CREATED: First model - 1999, second model 2004.

Treblinka Deportation Yard

About 800 figures constructed out of pins etc were placed around the camp. Here it depicts the victims arriving at the Deportation Yard.

Treblinka Fence

The fencing of Treblinka was camouflaged with pine branches. To simulate this hessian strands were dyed green and glued on the fine mesh. Also the ± 600 pine trees in the model had to be custom made. Here a sombre view of the Extermination Camp

Treblinka Extermination Area

Scene in the Extermination Camp. The excavators were construed from a contemporary photographs (taken in the Treblinka death camp) and then built from scratch.

Treblinka Excavators

Details of excavators (Check the model builder’s grubby claws for scale). The cabin is only 8 mm high and human hair was used to simulate the excavator’s cables (not in the photo).











© Peter Laponder 2006