Kula Columns

[Stubble]

How were they secured to the floor? There is no corresponding mark for any type of fastener.

If they weren't secured to the floor, how did they remain intact?

Also, why were they used? Why not just pass out zyclon discs at the door, telling the inmates they were soap, and to wait for the water? Then, just not turn the water on?

So, how is it? How did they anchor these kula columns?

https://codoh.com/library/document/kula ... revisited/

I've got to say, CODOH is quite the resource. I spit balled this issue earlier today along with the cyanide issue in the other thread I started and after I posted both threads, I got a wild hair and I ran a search on CODOH. These articles resulted from each search.

Kind of disappointed I'm not treading new ground, but, reassuring people have looked at these issues with common sense free of preconception.

[Nessie]

Description of the columns by Michal Kula.

https://www.zapisyterroru.pl/dlibra/sho ... nt?id=3894

"The locksmith’s workshop was responsible for manufacturing, among other things, fake showers for the gas chambers and net posts to dump the contents of the Zyklon cans into the gas chambers. They were about three-meter tall posts with a square cross-section (about 70 cm). Such a post was made of three nets placed one inside the other. The outer net was made of wire (3 mm in diameter), strengthened on square timbers (50 mm by 10 mm). Such square timbers were placed in all corners of the post. They were joined on the top and on the bottom with the same square timber. Each mesh in the net was about 45 sq mm. The second net was constructed in the same way and placed inside the first one, about 150 mm apart. Each mesh in that net was about 25 sq mm. In the corners, the two nets were connected with iron bars. The post was empty inside, made of a thin zinc sheet, whose cross-section was about 150 sq mm. It had a cone-shaped ending on the top and an even, square base on the bottom. Square metal bars were soldered onto thin posts made of sheet metal, about 25 mm from the edges of the post. A finely meshed net (one mesh was about 1 sq mm) was spread on the metal bars. The net ended at the base of the cone. From there upwards, it transitioned into a sheet metal frame that reached the top of the cone. The contents of the Zyklon can were dumped from above onto the distribution cone. That allowed for an even distribution of the Zyklon on all four walls of the post. After the gas had dissipated, the whole middle post was taken out and the silica was removed. The air ducts of the gas chamber were hammered into the walls of the chamber. The vents were covered with zinc sheets, which had circular holes in them."

[Stubble]

Ok, now, how were they anchored? There's no sign of any anchor being employed. If they were not anchored, how did they stay in place?

[Nessie]

Ok, now, how were they anchored? There's no sign of any anchor being employed. If they were not anchored, how did they stay in place?

It is not clear how they were anchored. Kula refers to square timbers and metal bars in the corners. It would be simple to use them to attach the columns to the floor and ceiling. It seems more likely than not they would have been anchored.

What is the evidential conclusion from not knowing?

[Stubble]

I can't even.

That's ridiculous....

I have no words.

[Nessie]

I can't even.

That's ridiculous....

I have no words.

Go on give it a try, what is the evidential value of not knowing how the columns were secured, or even if they were secured? I am going to presume you think it is evidence Kula is lying and there were never any such columns inside the Leichenkeller. If so, how does the missing detail from his testimony prove lying?

[Hektor]

The Kula Column Canard turns out to be a rather ridiculous cop out to get around the pesky issues of Zyklon B, which it btw. doesn't..... The handling won't work, the device may cause more problems than it can solve... And then there were plenty of better solutions available....

[Nessie]

The Kula Column Canard turns out to be a rather ridiculous cop out to get around the pesky issues of Zyklon B, which it btw. doesn't..... The handling won't work, the device may cause more problems than it can solve... And then there were plenty of better solutions available....

How does your opinion prove Kula was lying about gassings? Or do you accept it is just your opinion and you cannot prove he lied?

[blake121666]

3 mm = 1/8 inch.

And 45 mm = 1.77 in.

So the outer wire mesh was of 1/8 inch diameter steel round bar with 1.77 inch square mesh. I wouldn't call that "flimsy" but I suppose one MIGHT be able to damage it.

[blake121666]

Here is what Van Pelt quoted in his report for the Irving trial:

https://www.hdot.org/vanpelt/

Among other things the metal workshop made the false showers intended for the gas chambers, as well as the wire-mesh columns for the introduction of the contents of the tins with Zyklon into the gas chambers. These columns were around 3 meters high, and they were 70 centimetres square in plan. Such a column consisted of 6 wire screens which were built the one within the other. The inner screen was made from 3 millimeter thick wire, fastened to iron corner posts of 50 by 10 millimeters. Such iron corner posts were on each corner of the column and connected on the top in the same manner. The openings of the wire mesh were 45 millimeters square. The second screen was made in the same manner, and constructed within the column at 150 millimeters distance from the first. The openings of the second were around 25 millimeters square. In the corners these screens were connected to each other by iron posts. The third part of this column could be moved. It was an empty column with a square footprint of around 150 millimeters made of sheet zinc. At the top it was closed by a metal sheet, and at the bottom with a square base. At a distance of 25 millimetres from the sides of this columns were soldered tin corners supported by tin brackets. On these corners were mounted a thin mesh with openings of about one millimeter square. This mesh ended at the bottom of the column and from here ran in the [Verlaenderung] of the screen a tin frame until the top of the column. The contents of a Zyklon tin were thrown from the top on the distributor, which allowed for a equal distribution of the Zyklon to all four sides of the column. After the evaporation of the gas the whole middle column was taken out. The ventilation system of the gas chamber was installed in the side walls of the gas chambers. The ventilation openings were hidden by zinc covers, provided with round openings.

I think he means angle iron by "iron corner posts". So a 50x50x10 angle (in mm) - which would be a 2x2x3/8 in inches.

One can then assume appropriate anchor bolts were used through holes in these angles.

EDIT: On rethinking this he probably is not saying angles there. He simply does not inform us how these columns were anchored. I'd use angles and anchor bolts into the concrete.

[blake121666]

BTW, right after the quote I gave above from Van Pelt's report, Van Pelt says:

The wire mesh columns had been totally dismantled after the cessation of gassings and before the demolition of the crematoria, and no remains were found. Yet the dismantling crews had not been able to remove the ventilation system as they were a structural part of the walls, and consequently had overlooked to remove the zinc covers mentioned by Kula. They were dislocated when the demolition squads dynamited the gas chambers, but six of them were retrieved in the rubble of crematorium II and sent for analysis in the forensic laboratory in Cracow. The laboratory report noted that these were covered with a thin, white-coloured and strongly smelling deposit. The laboratory retrieved 7.2 grams of the deposit and dissolved it in water. Sulphuric acid was added to this solution, and the resulting gas was absorbed in an absorbent material. This was divided in two and subjected to two different tests, each of which revealed the presence of hydrocyanide. [310]

[310] Report 15 December 1945 signed of the Forensic Laboratory at Cracow, signed by its Director Dr.Jan Z. Robel, added as Appendix 12 to: Cracow District Commission for the Investigation of German War Crimes, “Protocol on the Machinery of Mass Extermination of Humans in Birkenau,” 26November 1946, transl. Roman Sas-Zalaziocky, in Republic of Austria, Ministry of Justice, Case 20 Vr3806/64 (Ertl/Dejaco), Landesgericht für Strafsachen, Vienna, file ON 264, 393g (r) to 393h (r).

Someone had brought up this matter on another thread. It looks like cyanide residue was found in the ventilation duct covers. What about the ducts themselves?

[blake121666]

I found an article about Van Pelt's "recreation" of kula columns:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/15/arts ... hwitz.html



Here's another







His outer mesh looks smaller than 1.77 inch to me.

[Stubble]

I understand your reasoning Blake, but the problem still exists that the basement floor is extant and there are no penetrations, specifically no penetrations that would correspond to the proposed location of the columns.

So, they had to be anchored in a way that would leave no trace.

[Nessie]

I understand your reasoning Blake, but the problem still exists that the basement floor is extant and there are no penetrations, specifically no penetrations that would correspond to the proposed location of the columns.

So, they had to be anchored in a way that would leave no trace.

How do you know that the Leichenkeller floor is extant?

[Stubble]

Because you can go look at it. Hell, you can get on maps, swap over to satellite view and take a peak. There are various photographs and videos of it taken by many different people.

The roof is collapsed, but, the floor is right there.