Belzec and Majdanek Tour

Belzec.

For many years the site of the camp remained completely forgotten. On its site grew forest planted by Germans.

In the 50's of the twentieth century in its area was built up a sawmill.

It was only in 1963, when built the first monument but without the information that it was a camp for the extermination of Jews.

Monument was built, because at that time in Germany continued the investigation and process against eight former SS men.

Only one of them was convicted to four and a half years in prison.

Bełżec still remains one of the most forgotten extermination camps.

Majdanek. Building of crematorium.

Right next to it, at November 3, 1943, Germans carried out the action "Erntefest" (in German: "Harvest Festival").

Only on this day killed about 18 400 Jewish prisoners from Majdanek and other camps in Lublin.

The victims were forced to strip naked in the barracks on the field number V, and then to pass to the pre-dug trenches.

There SS threw them on the ground, or on the corpses previously killed people, and shot them in the back of the head.

The sound of gunfire and screams of murdered were jamming by bouncy music.

Majdanek. Monument to Struggle and Martyrdom in Majdanek.

It is intended to symbolize the boundary between two worlds

- the world of living and free outside the camp and placed behind the gate the world of the dead and tortured.

The use of the symbol is referenced to the gates of Hell from Dante's Divine Comedy.

In the jagged and seemingly incomprehensible final form of the monument, an artist wanted to see the block of smothered, crushed human bodies.

Majdanek.

The prisoners wore striped uniforms and wooden clogs, which did not protect them from the weather.

Even during the most cold, did not issued additional clothing, and for trying to protect themselves from the cold by tucking sweatshirts in a trouser or increasing a collar threatened with severe beating.

Food rations were beggarly.

Breakfast consisted of a cup of grain coffee.

Dinner with a liter of watery turnip soup.

Supper with a cup of coffee and 15 decagrams of bread with sawdust.