“Samuel Crowell” writes from the United States, Monday, October 19, 1998:Thank you very much for the documents that you have been posting for the “historical community” and which are quite useful.
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⚠️ Historical Documentation Notice
Historical Documentation Notice
This document is part of a historical archive and is presented for scholarly research and educational purposes.
The content reflects historical perspectives and should be understood within its historical context.
Thank you very much for the documents that you have been
posting for the “historical community” and which are quite
useful. I would make two brief comments about two of the
documents:
(a) The document describing the single “gas oven” at Auschwitz on the basis of the 1944 interrogation demonstrates again a certain confusion in the mind of the Allies of what it is they are looking at. Most cremation ovens are “gas ovens” to the extent that they use heat generated by gaseous combustion of some kind: the “gas oven” described, “with chimney attached”, can be no more than this.
In the same way, cremation ovens per se are not evidence of criminality nor even planned mass murder (as we both know Nazi Germany were advocates of cremation for everybody: shortage of burial space, and, with an eye to India, perhaps a theoretical
“Aryan” justification.)
(b) The document quoting 30 eyewitnesses has them assembling at the Sauna where they spend the whole day being showered, and having their clothing deloused, every four weeks. As it happens the method of delousing employed at the Central Sauna involved steam and hot air, but of course other methods including microwaves, and gases of various kinds (Zyklon B, T-Gas, and
“Original”) were also used for this purpose.
However, if these prisoners were kept at the Sauna all day so that they and their clothing would be deloused, it is likely that their barracks was also being disinfested of disease-bearing insects, and the substance that was used for this purpose was usually Zyklon B. (See Diary of Dr. Joseph
Kremer, September 1, 1942).
It follows that Auschwitz
Birkenau would have been in great need of Zyklon during the
Spring and Summer of 1944, for purely hygienic purposes, and your document laterally supports this idea. Incidentally, the document also supports the idea that rumors of gassing were widespread at the camp.