The defeat of Germany under Stalingrad was the beginning of theend for Third Reich. Advancing Red Army troops, and opening second front line on the west, have closed Wehrmacht and Waffen SS soldiers in iron clench of the Allies. The people from occupied zones welcomed liberatiors with joy. Along with reclaiming next turfs from the hands of enemy, the world was just about to realize the magnitude of crimes commited by Nazis.
When Red Army troops entered the area occupied by KL Majdanek, they’ve seen the effects of 3rd Reich’s extermination policies. Pictures of Mikhail Trachman, documenting the size and cruelty of the crimes flashed around the world. Allied forces now had the awareness, of what they should expect in other camps. In January 1945 KL Auschwitz – Birkenau has been liberated, among the survivors were more than 700 children.
According to estimated data, during camp functioning, more than 232 000 children and youths under tha age of 18 were sent there. They consisted around 18% of 1,3 million deported to Auschiwtz – Birkenau. From the preserved documents we know, that in the camp 23 thousands of them were registrated, which is a bit above 5% of 400 thousand (400 000) people registered in camp.
In more than 90% of cases they were Jewish children from all over Europe, conquered by Germany, and also Gypsy children and those from Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. They were sent to the camp with their parents straight from demolished ghettos, also in German police and extraditional actions. Many Polish children arrived at the camp with transports after the Warsaw Uprising. Many children were born in the camp itself, sadly, most of them either died in a short time frm hunger and illnesses, or killed by german Capo or SS soldiers.
Fate for most of them has been decided at the Judenrampe, where they were sent to the gas chambers. It happened, that older children were sent to work, inter alia in coal mine Brzeszcze at the area of Jawischowitz subcamp, which our Foundation looks after today. Children were also chosen for pseudo – medical xperiments, which meant painful death. Most tragic fate met twins, by which Doc. Mengele was absolutely fascinated.
Presented exhibits are leftovers brought with deportation transports by the youngest victims of German national socialists extermination policies. Many items for children were also made inside the camp by the inmates. Presented exhibits are toys, cothing, personal items, medicines and other. They were found at the area of former KL Auschwitz – Birkenau concentration camp after its liberation in years 1945 – 1947. At that time, Auschwitz – Birkenau National Museum was not founded yet, and residues of the camp were slowly consumed by the surrounding society, coming to average, everyday life in a free, but completely destroyed country.
All of them are part of a private collection, afer which our Foundation takes merithorical and conservational care. They have been protected from further decay. All the time we are trying to accuire funds so we can apply proper conservation to them, and later display them on an exhibition in one of many buildings we manage. Everyone can help, hundreds of artifacts after Konzentrationslager Auschwitz await renovation.
Below we present: combs, shoes, toys, child case, hand-made card with teddy bear, medicines from Dutch transports and IG Farben Bayer factory, a cap, shirt with buttons signed “PARIS”, condensed milk can of French concern GUIGOZ made into a cup, and a potty.
Phot. S. Siwiec
