Jankiel Wiernik

[Wetzelrad]

Another quote from Kryptonim 'Zegota' that could prove useful to someone (p.106):

A separate branch of Żegota's propaganda influence was the publication, in cooperation with the Jewish National Committee, of brochures with a shocking and dramatic message. In 1943, an anthology of poetry entitled From the Abyss, written by Mieczysław Jastrun, Michał Borwicz, and others, was published. The following year (on the initiative of A. Berman and M. Arczyński), an authentic document from the Jewish extermination camp entitled A Year in Treblinka was published, written with shocking realism by the Jewish carpenter Jankiel Wiernik, who was one of the few to survive the hell of the Nazi execution site.

The word "propaganda" is not usually applied to Holocaust stories except by revisionists, so I found this significant. This book repeatedly uses the word "propaganda" in this manner.

Here we see Berman and Arczysnki are credited for "the initiative" of publishing Rok w Treblince. I would like to more about this "initiative" but the citation doesn't point anywhere.

You may also find interesting the photographs of forged and blank documents in Kryptonim 'Zegota', starting on page 295. No specific detail stands out to me as useful, but my overall impression is that these documents are quite crude and easy to duplicate or fake, in comparison to a Kennkarte, which is not pictured.

[Stubble]

That is solid gold Sir. Absolutely pay dirt!

[pilgrimofdark]

You may also find interesting the photographs of forged and blank documents in Kryptonim 'Zegota', starting on page 295. No specific detail stands out to me as useful, but my overall impression is that these documents are quite crude and easy to duplicate or fake, in comparison to a Kennkarte, which is not pictured.

Interesting. It might be the poor quality of the scanned documents and the scanned book, but they look fairly crude.

Also interesting is the "miracle escape" narratives surrounding the fake IDs.

"She survived 5 fake IDs" is the new "he survived 5 death camps" or "he survived 8 slave-labor-to-death camps."

Unfortunately, the papers did not always provide Aline complete protection. Numerous times she was arrested, managed to escape or be set free, and then go back into hiding.

- Illinois Holocaust Museum

From the Polish state archives, there seem to be two options to check if Wiernik was in Warsaw in May/June 1943.

1. Application paperwork to get the Kennkarte
2. Register of people who came and picked up their Kennarte

Both of these exist for other regions, but neither document for Warsaw seems to be digitized yet, or else it's under a record name that I haven't found yet.

Photos of Nowy Swiat 41 and Nowy Swiat 43 are available, though. Sort of interesting but tangential.

[Wetzelrad]

there seem to be two options to check if Wiernik was in Warsaw in May/June 1943.

Another option that may not have been fully explored is to check for any missed references to Wiernik or his alternate names (Nusyn, Kowalczyk, Smarzynski) in the documents we can access. I still half expect to find something this way.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there seems to be an almost three year gap in Wiernik's record. The war began in September 1939, and his activities went unrecorded until September 1943 when he reported being removed from his home in the ghetto in August 1942. From then until 1945 he was evidently very active in clandestine activities. What was he doing before then? What name was he living under?

Photos of Nowy Swiat 41 and Nowy Swiat 43 are available, though. Sort of interesting but tangential.

Are they actually separate buildings? I'm imagining two doors to the same building block, with a printing workshop somewhere in the middle.

I'm not going to recommend anyone actually devote the time to do this, but there is potentially something to be gained from mapping addresses to a street map to check for potential connections between people.

One possible scenario would be that he simply returned to Warsaw before June 1943 and then lied about being there in August because he wanted to include the dramatic Treblinka uprising in his story. That's pure conjecture on my part. But I could see a storyteller wanting to include that.

I've come up with another possibility. If the Germans read his first published account, they may have been told to be on the lookout for someone with an ID card dated shortly after May 28. This would have put "Smarzynski" right in the crosshairs. He or his comrades may have feared being discovered in this way. It would be a good incentive to change the date to something less proximate.

As of today I'm still not clear on whether there actually was a revolt on August 2nd or if it became consensus through plagiarization. It's safer to assume the former but I'm not sure it's true.

[pilgrimofdark]

Another option that may not have been fully explored is to check for any missed references to Wiernik or his alternate names (Nusyn, Kowalczyk, Smarzynski) in the documents we can access. I still half expect to find something this way.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there seems to be an almost three year gap in Wiernik's record. The war began in September 1939, and his activities went unrecorded until September 1943 when he reported being removed from his home in the ghetto in August 1942. From then until 1945 he was evidently very active in clandestine activities. What was he doing before then? What name was he living under?

I checked through the phone books, pre-war and during the war.

There are no solid connections that I could make.

His address/phone number are gone from the 1940 German directory, which only means he didn't have a registered telephone number anymore.

Photos of Nowy Swiat 41 and Nowy Swiat 43 are available, though. Sort of interesting but tangential.

Are they actually separate buildings? I'm imagining two doors to the same building block, with a printing workshop somewhere in the middle.

That's 41 on the left and 43 on the right.

I'm not going to recommend anyone actually devote the time to do this, but there is potentially something to be gained from mapping addresses to a street map to check for potential connections between people.

I poked around on this Online Ghetto Map. None of his addresses are that far from each other.

Wolynska 23: address in 1935-1939 phone directories
Elektoralna 13: Dom Chleba charity
Nowy Swiat / Neue Welt 41 & 43: subversive activities
Towarowa 28: address on Kennkarte

[Archie]

As of today I'm still not clear on whether there actually was a revolt on August 2nd or if it became consensus through plagiarization. It's safer to assume the former but I'm not sure it's true.

Reports about the revolt appear pretty early. Below are a couple examples from September. That inclines me to think the story of the revolt has some factual basis. This is also before the Oct 1943 revolt at Sobibor.
https://www.jta.org/archive/jews-in-dea ... d-barracks
https://www.jta.org/archive/polish-deat ... nd-reports

There's also a photo from a distance of the camp in smoke.
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/a ... a-uprising

I think there was a revolt, but I suspect Wiernik was not there for it. My hunch is he was already in Warsaw, as suggested by the ID card. He then heard about the revolt (which was reported as early as Sep 1943) and he took the liberty of passing it off as his own personal experience in his 1944 memoir.

[pilgrimofdark]

What is the first mention of the Treblinka revolt?

The earliest I find is Tydzien on September 4, 1943.

The Arson of Treblinka - In Treblinka No. 2, in addition to the SS and Ukrainian detachments (160 men), there was a special Jewish auxiliary group of 600 who assisted in the execution of Jews. On August 3rd, this group attacked the guards, disarmed them, captured the weapons cache, set fire to the buildings, and forced their way into the forest. During the fighting, approximately 200 Jews were killed. About 50 Germans and Ukrainians were wounded and killed.

- TYDZIEŃ: PISMO INFORMACYJNE KONWENTU ORG. NIEPODLEGŁOŚCIOWYCH. 4 September 1943. (page 11)
Link

The Konwent Organizacji Niepodległościowych (Convention of Independence Organizations, KON) was a clandestine group operating out of Warsaw.

Then the Kraj report of September 28 linked earlier by Wetzelrad.

Then on October 14, 1943, we have a report from an escapee, a "carpenter." This is different text than from Kraj, although much the same details.

Our five-man groups attacked the guard barracks, seized weapons, and began fighting. The fight lasted about 15 minutes, and the camp collapsed. We scattered in the forest. With the help and information of the peasants, I made my way to Warsaw!

- TYDZIEŃ: PISMO INFORMACYJNE KONWENTU ORG. NIEPODLEGŁOŚCIOWYCH. 14 October 1943. (bottom of page 12)
Link

Tydzien and Kraj were both published in Warsaw. KON, the publisher of Tydzien was a clandestine organization.

[Wetzelrad]

Then on October 14, 1943, we have a report from an escapee, a "carpenter." This is different text than from Kraj, although much the same details.

Our five-man groups attacked the guard barracks, seized weapons, and began fighting. The fight lasted about 15 minutes, and the camp collapsed. We scattered in the forest. With the help and information of the peasants, I made my way to Warsaw!

- TYDZIEŃ: PISMO INFORMACYJNE KONWENTU ORG. NIEPODLEGŁOŚCIOWYCH. 4 September 1943. (bottom of page 12)
Link

Incredible. It's the same as Kraj with only a few sentences removed and a few differences in the details:

• The date of his capture became August 28.
• The "lazaret" victims were "shot" instead of hit "with a blow".
• The date of the revolt became July 28.

It's time to make a table identifying all the differences between versions. I will also start calling them by separate names. Kraj is "10 months in Treblinka", Tdyzien is "11 months in Treblinka", and the famous version is A Year in Treblinka.

[pilgrimofdark]

Incredible. It's the same as Kraj with only a few sentences removed and a few differences in the details:

• The date of his capture became August 28.
• The "lazaret" victims were "shot" instead of hit "with a blow".
• The date of the revolt became July 28.

It's time to make a table identifying all the differences between versions. I will also start calling them by separate names. Kraj is "10 months in Treblinka", Tdyzien is "11 months in Treblinka", and the famous version is A Year in Treblinka.

It would also be a good idea to have the different variations as PDFs and transcriptions / translations on the CODOH website. It's getting hard keeping them straight.

Are we sure Franciszek Ząbecki is a reliable witness or a witness at all?

His first mention of the revolt that I can find is in September 1944, a year after it took place, and was in the context of an interrogation by the Deputy Military Prosecutor of the 65th Guards Army, Major of Justice Mazar of the Red Army.

[on the labor camp]

The Germans and guards who guarded the prisoners were always drunk. I know that they forced people to eat vomit, i.e., what they vomited on the ground while drunk, forcing the prisoners to lick the vomit off the ground with their tongues.

[on the extermination camp]

Some prisoners, not knowing where they had arrived, asked through the train window, "Where is the big city of Treblinka, where we are supposed to work in the factories." Others asked, "Where is the Treblinka prison colony, where we are supposed to get land and work."
...
I categorically assert that at least 3 million people were transported through Treblinka station to the death camp for extermination.
...
At first, trains carrying people arrived from Warsaw and other cities and towns in Poland. Later, alongside trains from towns in Poland, trains arrived from Germany, Greece, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and from cities such as Bialystok, Grodno, and Volkovysk.
...
The mass influx of transports of people ceased after the prisoner uprising that took place at the death camp on August 2, 1943.
...
I personally never visited the death camp, but from accounts by German railway workers, I know that a semblance of a station was created there. Signs were posted: "To Bialystok," "To Volkovysk," "Goods Ticket Office," "Railway Master," "Station Duty Officer," and others.

- From the Interrogation protocol of Franciszek Ząbecki, duty officer at Treblinka station in 1941–1944. Treblinka station, September 24, 1944.
Link

Then in December, 1945, he has more information on the revolt.

On 2 August 1943, the death camp was on fire between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. During that time, two shifts of Ukrainians from the camp were bathing in the Bug. All Jews escaped from the camp, carrying weapons from the arsenal they had broken into.

- On December 21, 1945, in Treblinka, Judge Z. Łukaszkiewicz questioned the person named below as a witness, without oath.
Link

The "Treblinka on fire" photo seems to be first referenced in his 1977 book, but not before then?

His ID looks different from others online.

Does that say it was issued on October 1, 1943?

Spoiler

Most of the ones online have two stamps, and the stamp says "Ostbahn" at the top, and the stamp has a different-looking eagle.

There are a ton of Ostbahn ID cards online and none of them look like his that I can find.

Example:

Spoiler

"Was there actually a revolt at Treblinka at all" probably needs its own literary history analysis.

[Stubble]

Looks like that Franciszek Ząbecki fella needs a thread.

Dude, you are a beast! Great work! I commend you!

Also, yes, date appears as 1.10.1943 on his funky looking card.

The eagle's wreath also appears to be out of round in addition to the clipped wings. It wouldn't surprise me to learn somebody carved the stamp out of wood...

Also, there are some artifacts of a second stamp if you look very closely at the top right corner of the photograph, then you can see some further artifacts on the paper, although, the outline is very poor, in part due to the quality of the image, and undoubtedly likely also in part due to the poor quality of the ink.

[Wetzelrad]

It's time to make a table identifying all the differences between versions.

Here is a very rough first version. I'll make a clean and pretty one that's nice for sharing at some later date, once I have all the info I want.



Related, has anyone come across a full text version or OCR of Rok w Treblince? I am surprisingly having difficulty finding one, and the OCR solutions I've tried are not accurate enough for my liking.

[Archie]

It's time to make a table identifying all the differences between versions.

Here is a very rough first version. I'll make a clean and pretty one that's nice for sharing at some later date, once I have all the info I want.



Related, has anyone come across a full text version or OCR of Rok w Treblince? I am surprisingly having difficulty finding one, and the OCR solutions I've tried are not accurate enough for my liking.

I don't have a transcribed version, but here's a scan of it that I will share in case it's better quality that the one you are using.
https://digipres.cjh.org/delivery/Deliv ... =IE2948516

I ran one test page through through GPT and it seemed to handle it pretty well. The LLMs are better than the traditional OCR because they have access to a large language corpus and can identify probable errors in the initial OCR transcription and figure out the most plausible corrections.

Spoiler

ROK W TREBLINCE

DROGI CZYTELNIKU!

Dla Ciebie jedynie przedłużam swój marny żywot. Dla mnie stracił on wszelki urok. Bo czyż mogę swobodnie oddychać i cieszyć się wszystkim, co natura stworzyła?

Bardzo często budzę się w nocy ze strasznym jękiem. Koszmarne widziadła przerywają mi tak pożądany sen. Widzę tysiące kościotrupów, wyciągających do mnie swe trupie ręce, prosząc o życie i litość. A ja oblany krwawym potem, czuję się niemocny pomóc. Zrywam się wtedy, przecieram oczy i cieszę się, że to jedynie sen. Życie me zatrute. Widma śmierci przesuwają się przede mną. Dzień, dzień i jeszcze raz dzień.

Wszystkich najbliższych złożyłem w ofierze. Sam prowadziłem na stracenie. Sam budowałem dla nich komory śmierci.

Dziś jestem bezdomnym starym człowiekiem. Bez dachu nad głową, bez rodziny, bez bliskich. Sam do siebie mówię, sam sobie odpowiadam. Jak jestem koszmarnie. Ze strachem przestępuję osiedle ludzkie. Zlaja im się. Na samotnika, przechyla się strach w twarzy. Gdy się przyglądam w strudzonem lustrze — strach zjawia się w mej twarzy. Czy jestem do mego wczoraj podobny? Nie. Poskokiem nie. Ochropnym, zamienianym, zniszczonym. Ale raz wciągnąłem duszę. Chcę i muszę. Jak kto widział zdarzenia i tragedie, które życie zburzyło w całości! Świat cały musi dowiedzieć się bezwzględnie, prawdę obnażyć. W imię ludzkości i pokoleń następnych. Właśnie mam być wasz sprawcą tego. W najmniejszej kropli potu i krwi i męki nie wolno wam tego zostawić — muszą pamiętać ci przed, którzy nadeszli po tobie.

To jest dla wszystkich oskarżenie. Również niech biorą tego wina ci, co milczeli. Aż do wszystkich narodów. Niech ludzkie słowo — Niech ludzkie sumienie oskarży ich. Jan cierpiał, prowadząc miliony na stracenie. Nie mogę zataić przed ludźmi. Bo prawda musi w całej swej pełni, tak jak ją widziałem, ukazać się i podać wierność. Smutek i rozpacz, męczarnie i ciszę obym widział, smutek i podjęte wierność. Smutek i cisza rozdzieranej przyzwoitości. Jedynie krótki sen przerywał mą udrękę.

Gdybym nie spisywał tego, co widziałem i przeżyłem — to nadeszłoby zmęczenie. Bo moje zmysły się zachwiały i nie oswajałyby się w tej rzeczywistości. Chcę, aby pozostało to, co było. Może wytrwam. Może potrafię śmiało się jeszcze kiedyś uśmiechnąć.

Może nastąpi to wtedy, gdy ukończę mą pracę i z nóg naszych spadną kajdany.

Było to dnia 23 sierpnia 1942 r. w Warszawie w czasie blokady. Byłem wówczas u sąsiadów i nie miałem możliwości powrotu do domu. Ze wszelkich wyjść do miasta świtały straży karne, które podejrzewano byliśmy w tym domu. W tym dniu nadszedł zapowiedziany wjeźdź Schäfführerów w getto. Towarzyszyło im ich żandarmów, który donośnym głosem krzyczał: „alle raus!” Na ulice wyszli. Schäfführer wykonywał swą pracę bardzo skrupulatnie, bez różnicy płci i wieku. Scharfrichter — egzekutor — ujrzał moją żonę i syna. Wziął ich oboje i prowadził. Zgrzytając zębami i złością.

Oglądał nas, sortował. Wzrok jego przesilając się groźnie wszystkich. Z sadystycznym uśmiechem patrzał na wielkie dzieło swej wielkiej ojczyzny.

Spoiler

A YEAR IN TREBLINKA

DEAR READER!

For you, I only prolong my miserable life. For me, it has lost all charm. For can I breathe freely and take joy in everything that nature has created?

Very often I wake up at night to a terrible wail. Nightmare visions break into my longed-for sleep. I see thousands of skeletons, stretching out their bony hands toward me, begging for life and mercy. And I, drenched in bloody sweat, feel powerless to help. I leap up, rub my eyes, and am relieved that it is only a dream. My life is poisoned. Phantoms of death pass before me. Day after day after day.

I have sacrificed all those dearest to me. I myself led them to their deaths. I myself built for them the death chambers.

Today I am a homeless old man. Without a roof over my head, without family, without loved ones. I talk to myself, and answer myself. How dreadful this is. I pass through human settlements in fear. People shrink away from me. A solitary man — terror flickers in his face. When I look at myself in a weary mirror — terror shows in my face. Am I still like the man I was yesterday? No. A shadow, ruined, destroyed. But once I have drawn breath again, I want and I must speak. Whoever has seen events and tragedies that destroyed life so completely! The whole world must learn the truth, laid bare. For the sake of humanity and generations to come. And I am to be the one to bear witness. In the smallest drop of sweat and blood and suffering you must not allow this to be forgotten — those who come after you must remember.

This is an accusation against all. And the guilt must fall also on those who kept silent. Upon all nations. Let human speech — let human conscience — accuse them. Jan suffered, leading millions to destruction. I cannot conceal it from people. For the truth must appear in all its fullness, just as I saw it, faithfully conveyed. Sadness and despair, torment and silence I beheld — sadness faithfully carried. Sadness and the silence of torn humanity. Only a brief sleep interrupted my anguish.

If I did not write down what I saw and endured — then exhaustion would overcome me. For my senses are shaken and cannot adjust to this reality. I want what happened to remain. Perhaps I will endure. Perhaps one day I will even be able to smile again.

Perhaps that time will come when I finish my work, and the shackles fall from our legs.

It was on the 23rd of August, 1942, in Warsaw, during the blockade. I was at my neighbors’ then and could not return home. All the streets were guarded by punitive patrols; they suspected that we were in that house. On that day the announced entry of the Schäfführers into the ghetto took place. A number of gendarmes accompanied them, one of whom shouted in a loud voice: “Alle raus!” (Everybody out!). People came out into the street. The Schäfführer carried out his work very meticulously, with no distinction of sex or age. The executioner caught sight of my wife and son. He seized them both and led them away, grinding his teeth in anger.

He looked us over, he sorted us. His gaze swept threateningly over everyone. With a sadistic smile he looked upon the great work of his great Fatherland.

[Denierbud]

A few people have said this here I think:
Adolf Berman likely commissioned/ordered Stefan Krzywoszewski to write A Year in Treblinka, and then Yankel Wiernik was given credit as the writer. Stories that try to hide that end up being farfetched: Wiernik goes to the home of Stefan Krzywoszewski after he escapes Treblinka.

Stefan KRZYWOSZEWSKI
KRZYWOSZEWSKI, Stefan, 1866-1950, writer, journalist; founder and editor 1906-33 of Swiat (The World); comedies of manners, farces, naturalist plays, novels and stories; memoirs Dlugie zycie (A Long Life, 1947).

This link no longer works but a long time ago I found the above here:
http://www.instytutksiazki.pl/index.php ... 5734c5929d

As Archie said the writing style fits Krzywoszewski, like on page one when Wiernik is looking at his reflection in a pool of water.

Here are some weird connections that a "Frederic Mafran" pointed out to me about 20 years ago:
A Year in Treblinka has the "shit master" story of a guy who had an alarm clock around his neck who timed people going to the bathroom.

Another such poor wretch was the so-called "Scheissmeister" [shitmaster]. He was dressed like a cantor and even had to grow a goatee. He wore a large alarm clock on a string around his neck. No one was permitted to remain in the latrine longer than three minutes, and it was his duty to time everyone who used it. The name of this poor wretch was Julian. He also came from Czestochowa, where he had been the owner of a metal products factory. Just to look at him was enough to make one burst out laughing.

And there's a movie called Sportowiec Mimo Woli (Sportsman In Spite of Myself) which is about lots of laughs when an owner of a metal products factory gets into sports. I believe it's the last movie to come out before WWII shut down the Polish film industry.

Sportowiec Mimo Woli had Jozef Galewski as art director who would have known Krzywoszewski -- it's likely why a character in A Year In Treblinka is named just "Galewski."

In the book "Death Camp Treblinka" edited by Alexander Donat (1979), Donat writes that Samuel Willenberg, a supposed Treblinka survivor sent Donat, a picture of Galewski (pg. 282.) and that picture bears a strong resemblance to the art director Galewski, I think same person but years apart and thinner when older. How could Samuel Willenberg (whose daughter, Orit, designed the Israeli embassy in Berlin) send Donat a picture of that art director? If they are the same person.

Having problems posting images.

[Stubble]

Dean? Dean Irebodd? Mr Cutlass Supreme?

DUDE! Hi! I appreciate your work greatly.

Image size on the forum natively is limited to something like 380kb. I have been using postimages.org. You upload the image and then select 'direct link' and it will host it for you.

No account needed or anything, just upload and go.

Example



Hope this helps.

[pilgrimofdark]

Image size on the forum natively is limited to something like 380kb. I use postimage.org. You upload the image and then select 'direct link' and it will host it for you.

I had some trouble uploading an image to the forum that was smaller than the size. Just showed a yellow warning sign, so I posted to postimage.org, based on Stubble earlier recommending it.

Regarding Franciszek Zabecki, I'm trying to find his book Wspomnienia dawne i nowe and unable to find a digital version. If anyone tracks it down, a link would be appreciated. I found a park named after him, though

In case anyone else can benefit from these. I OCRed them, then went word by word fixing them. Could still be errors, of course.

TYDZIEŃ: PISMO INFORMACYJNE KONWENTU ORG. NIEPODLEGŁOŚCIOWYCH. 4 September 1943.
Link - Earliest reference to the revolt (so far)

Transcription

Spoiler

Podpalenie Treblinki- W Treblince nr 2 poza oddziałem SS i Ukraińców (160 ludzi) była specjalna grupa pomocnicza żydowska w liczbie 600, która pomagała przy traceniu Żydów. Dnia 3.VIII grupa ta napadła na straż, rozbroiła ją, zdobyła magazyn broni, podpaliła budynki i przebiła się do lasu, W czasie w alki ok, 200 Żydów zginęło. Niemców i Ukraińców raniono, względnie zabito około 50.

Translation

Spoiler

The Arson of Treblinka - In Treblinka No. 2, in addition to the SS and Ukrainian detachments (160 men), there was a special Jewish auxiliary group of 600 who assisted in the execution of Jews. On August 3rd, this group attacked the guards, disarmed them, captured the weapons cache, set fire to the buildings, and forced their way into the forest. During the fighting, approximately 200 Jews were killed. About 50 Germans and Ukrainians were wounded and killed.

Kraj : agencja informacyjna. 28 September 1943.
Link - Anonymous Jankiel Wiernik v0.5

Transcription

Spoiler

Od żyda- uciekiniera z Treblinki, który przebył w tym obozie dzięki szczęśliwym zbiegom okoliczności okres około 10 miesięcy, otrzymaliśmy następującą relację, dotyczącą metod masowej likwidacji żydów w tej "fabryce śmierci".

Informator nasz zdołał uciec wraz z grupą około 2.000 żydów, po rozbrojeniu i wybiciu części straży obozowej oraz podpaleniu baraków. Część uciekinierów ocaliła swe życie. Będą oni jedynymi świadkami niemieckich zbrodni w Treblince.

"Zostałem pochwycony na łapance w ghetto warszawskimd n.22 VIII. 42 r. Transport nasz - jak nam powiedziano - przeznaczony jest naroboty na wschód. Jechaliśmy natłoczeni w wagonach pod strażą. Eskortujący nas Litwini odbierali pieniądze i kosztowności. Nie bardzo rozumiem, jak uwierzyliśmy wtedy w te roboty, gdyż były między nami kobiety i dzieci. Ale nikt nie przewidywał rzeczywistości. Dopiero, kiedy znaleźliśmy się na miejscu - otworzyły się nam oczy.

W obozie leżały dosłownie stosy trupów na ziemi. Rozsegregowano nas: "kobiety i dz^ieci na lewo, mężczyźni na prawo". Pieniądze', papiery, przedmioty wartościowe kazano oddać. Kazano nam segregować stosy ubrań, walizek, tobołów.

Po paru godzinach nadszedł transport z Międzyrzecza. Wzięto nas wtedy do wynoszenia trupów ż wagonów (w większości był to transport trupów). Bito nas wtedy nieludzko. Po ukończeniu tej pracy - posadzono nas w półkole i wycelowano do nas k.m-y. Kazano zmieniać miejsca, przechodzić na prawa, na lewo, wkońcu ok. 100 "ułaskawiono" na podstawie przypadkowego ugrupowania, resztę (kilkuset) wystrzelano. Skończyło się to około północy.

Od rana robota - segregowanie ubrań, pakunków itd. oraz zagrzebywanie trupów w maszynowo przygotowanych dołach. Trupy częściowo zgniłe, bywały wypadki, że ręka lub noga trupa pozostawała w ręce robotnika. 2 dni pracowałem przy trupach - potem jako fachów ca-cieślę wzięto mnie do budowania komór gazowych pod kierunkiem Ukraińców, Były już trzy - wybudowano 10 komór.

Procedura trucia wyglądała następująco: przybyłemu transportowi kazano się rozbierać do kąpieli i kierowano do komór. Stojący przy drzwiach Ukrainiec zachęcał wahających się, kłując bagnetem a opornych zabijał. Po kilkunastu minutach drugimi drzwiami wybierano trupy. "Kąpiele" trwały codzień mniej więcej do lutego. Poza komorami - zwłaszcza w stosunku do starców i chorych - stosowano "lazaret". Kierownik jego chodził w białym kitlu z czerwonym krzyżem. Skierowanych do "lazaretu" sadzano na ławkach nad długim rowem i strzałem zrzucano do rowu, Były również transporty z zagranicy. Oceniam liczbę trupów w obozie na około 3.000.000. Przeciętna długość życia robotnika wynosi 3 - 4 dni, czasem tydzień. Z mojego transportu pozostało około 40 osób, fachowców. Wielu popełniało samobójstwa. Były okresy - epidemie wieszań. Bo też sadyzm dozorców był nieludzki. Był Ukrainiec, który obcinał uszy, nos, wbijał gwoździe w odbytnicę... Nie można sobie tej rzeczywistości obozowej wyobrazić. Nawet się nie silę opisywać Panu, jakiś film tylko mógłby to wszystko zobrazować. Znęcali się również nad nami rodacy - kapńsie.

W lutym według pogłosek. - w obozie był Himmler, Rozpoczęto porządkowanie. Trupy wydobywano - palono. W tym też okresie urwały się masowe likwidacje. Budowaliśmy wieże obsęrwncyjne, ja nawet zostałem "zaszćzycony" obowiązkiem wybudowania domku w "stylu zakopiańskim" na rozkaz komendanta obozu. W tym okresie karmiono' nas trochę lepiej i nie dręczono tak bardzo. "Likwidowanie" grobów posuiało się naprzód, już około 3/4 grobów było zlikwidowanych. Nie mieliśmy złudzeń - wiedzieliśmy, że z chwilą, gdy ta robota się skończy - skończymy się również. Zaczęto spiskować. Fachowcyrzemieślnicy pracujący na terenie całego obozu byli łącznikami, grabarze nieraz przy oczyszczaniu trupów coś "skręcili". Pieniądze i kosztowności pozakópywane w ukrytych miejscach, kusiły Ukraińców. Dozorcę brano na "handel" i odwracano w ten sposób jngo uwagę.

W końcu maja byliśmy gotowi, ale termin odwołano. Piatki miały podzielone zdania (napad na wartę, likwidacja posterunków po uprzednim zwabieniu ich z wież, palenie, zrywanie zasieków). 28-ego o godz. 5.30 wybuchło nasze "powstanie". Szczegółów walki nie znam, gdyż główne zmaganie miało miejsce na terenie obozu II, gdzie nasze piątki napadły na baraki warty, pochwyciły broń i rozpoczęły walkę. Myśmy mieli tylko narzędzia. Walka trwała około 15 minut - obóz się rozsypał. Siekierą zabiłem ścigającego mnie Ukraińca, któremu się zaciął pistolet i za kolegami pobiegłem do lasów. W lesie rozproszyliśmy się. Korzystając z pomocy i informacyj chłopów, przedarłem się do Warszawy.

Życie moje osobiste rozbite, ale mam jedno pragnienie, które mnie daje siłę do życia: żeby prawda o Treblince nie przepadła.

Translation

Spoiler

From a Jewish escapee from Treblinka, who, thanks to a fortunate coincidence, spent approximately 10 months in this camp, we received the following account of the methods of mass extermination of Jews in this "death factory."

Our informant managed to escape with a group of approximately 2,000 Jews, after disarming and killing some of the camp guards and setting fire to the barracks. Some of the escapees survived. They will be the only witnesses to the German crimes in Treblinka.

"I was caught in a roundup in the Warsaw ghetto on August 22, 1942. Our transport, we were told, was destined for forced labor eastward. We traveled packed into guarded wagons. The Lithuanians escorting us took our money and valuables. I don't quite understand how we believed in these forced laborers back then, as there were women and children among us. But no one foresaw the reality. Only when we arrived did our eyes open.

In the camp, there were literally piles of corpses on the ground. We were segregated: "women and children to the left, men to the right." We were ordered to hand over money, papers, and valuables. We were ordered to sort piles of clothes, suitcases, and bundles.

A few hours later, a transport from Międzyrzecz arrived. We were then put to work carrying bodies from the wagons (most of them were transports of corpses). We were beaten savagely. After completing this work, we were seated in a semicircle and had machine guns aimed at us. We were ordered to change places, move to the right, to the left. Finally, about 100 were "pardoned" based on random groupings, while the rest (several hundred) were shot. This ended around midnight.

From the morning on, the work began – sorting clothes, packages, etc., and burying the bodies in machine-made pits. The bodies were partially rotted; there were cases where a hand or foot of a corpse remained in the worker's hand. I worked with the bodies for two days – then, as a carpenter, I was assigned to build gas chambers under the supervision of Ukrainians. There were already three – 10 chambers were built.

The poisoning procedure was as follows: the arriving transport was ordered to undress for a bath and directed to the chambers. A Ukrainian standing at the door encouraged the hesitant by stabbing them with his bayonet, and he shot the reluctant ones. After a dozen or so minutes, the corpses were removed through the other door. The "baths" lasted daily until roughly February. Outside the chambers—especially for the elderly and sick—a "lazaret" was used. Its director wore a white smock with a red cross. Those sent to the "lazaret" were seated on benches over a long ditch and shot into the ditch. There were also transports from abroad. I estimate the number of corpses in the camp at around 3,000,000. The average lifespan of a worker is 3-4 days, sometimes a week. About 40 people, specialists, remained from my transport. Many committed suicide. There were periods of epidemic hangings. The sadism of the guards was also inhumane. There was a Ukrainian who cut off our ears, noses, and drove nails into our anuses... It's impossible to imagine the reality of the camp. I can't even begin to describe it to you; only a film could depict it all. We were also abused by our fellow countrymen – the thugs.

In February, according to rumors, Himmler was in the camp. Cleanup began. Corpses were dug up and burned. During this period, mass liquidations ceased. We built observation towers, and I was even "honored" with the obligation to build a small house in the "Zakopane style" on the camp commandant's orders. During this period, we were fed a little better and weren't tormented as much. The "liquidation" of graves progressed; already about three-quarters of the graves had been liquidated. We had no illusions—we knew that the moment this work was finished, we would be finished too. Conspiracies began. Professional craftsmen working throughout the camp served as liaisons, and gravediggers often "scrapped" something while clearing the bodies. Money and valuables buried in hidden places tempted the Ukrainians. The caretaker was taken for a "trade" and thus his attention was diverted.

By the end of May, we were ready, but the date was canceled. The Fives were divided on their opinions (attacking the guard, eliminating the posts after luring them from the towers, burning them, tearing down the barbed wire). On the 28th, at 5:30 a.m., our "uprising" broke out. I don't know the details of the fight, as the main battle took place in Camp II, where our Fives attacked the guard barracks, seized weapons, and began fighting. We had only our tools. The fight lasted about 15 minutes—the camp collapsed. I killed a Ukrainian pursuing me with an axe, whose pistol jammed, and I ran after my colleagues into the woods. We scattered in the woods. With the help and information from the peasants, I made my way to Warsaw.

My personal life is shattered, but I have one desire that gives me the strength to live: that the truth about Treblinka not be lost.

TYDZIEŃ: PISMO INFORMACYJNE KONWENTU ORG. NIEPODLEGŁOŚCIOWYCH. 14 October 1943.
Link - Anonymous Jankiel Wiernik v0.8

Transcription

Spoiler

Zyd — uciekinier z Treblinki, który przebył w tym obozie okres około 10 miesięcy, opisuje „fabrykę śmierci".

Zdołał on uciec wraz z grupą około 2.000 Żydów po rozbrojeniu i wybiciu części straży obozowej oraz podpaleniu baraków. Część uciekinierów ocaliła swe życie. Będą oni jedynymi świadkami niemieckich zbrodni w Treblince.

„Zostałem pochwycony na łapance w ghetto warszawskim dn. 28.VIII. 942r. Transport nasz — jak nam powiedziano — przeznaczony jest na roboty na wschód. Jechaliśmy natłoćzeni w wagońach pod strażą. Eskortujący Litwini odbierali pieniądze i kosztowności. Nikt nie przewidywał rzeczywistości. Kiedy znaleźliśmy się na miejscu — otworzyły się nam oczy.

W obozie leżały dosłownie stosy trupów na ziemi. Rozsegregowano nas: „kobiety i dzieci na lewo, mężczyźni na prawo". Pieniądze, papiery, przedmioty wartościowe kazano oddać. Kazano nam segregować stosy ubrań, walizek, tobołów.

Po paru godzinach nadszedł transport z Międzyrzecza. Wzięto nas wtedy do wynoszenia trupów z wagonów (w większości był to transport trupów). Bito nas wtedy nieludzko. Po ukończeniu tej pracy posadzono nas w półkole i wycelowano do nas kaemy. 100 „ułaskawiono” na podstawie przypadkowego ugrupowania, resztę (kilkuset) wystrzelano.

Od "następnego rana robota — segregowanie ubrań, pakunków itd, oraz zagrzebywanie trupów w maszynowo przygotowanych dołach. Trupy częściowo zgniłe, bywały wypadki, że ręka lub noga trupa pozostawała w ręce robotnika. Jako fachowca, cieślę wzięto mnie do budowania komór gazowych pod kierunkiem Ukraińców. Wybudowano 10 komór.

Procedura trucia wygląda następująco; przybyłemu transportowi kazano się rozbierać do kąpieli i kierowano do komór. Stojący przy drzwiach Ukrainiec zachęcał wahających się, kłując bagnetem a opornych zabijał. Po kilkunastu minutach drugimi drzwiami wybierano trupy. „Kąpiele” trwały codzień mniej więcej do lutego. Poza komorami — zwłaszcza w stosunku do starców i chorych — stosowano „lazaret". Skierowanych do „lazaretu" sadzano na ławkach nad długim rowem i strzałem zrzucano do rowu. Były również transporty z zagranicy. Oceniam liczbę trupów w obozie na około 3,000.000.

Sadyzm dozorców był nieludzki. Był Ukrainiec, który obcinał uszy, nos, wbijał gwoździe w odbytnice...

W lutym według pogłosek — w obozie był Himmler. Rozpoczęto porządkowanie. Trupy wydobywano — palono. W tym też okresie urwały się masowe likwidacje. Budowaliśmy wieże obserwacyjne, ja nawet zostałem "zaszczycony" obowiązkiem wybudowania domku w stylu zakopiańskim na rozkaz komendanta obozu. W tym okresie karmiono nas trochę lepiej i nie dręczono tak bardzo. „Likwidowanie” grobów posuwało się naprzód, już około 3/4 grobów było zlikwidowanych. Nie mieliśmy złudzeń — wiedzieliśmy, że z chwilą gdy ta robota się skończy — skończymy się również, Zaczęto spiskować.

28 lipca wybuchło nasze powstanie. Nasze piątki napadły na baraki warty, pochwyciły broń i rozpoczęły walkę. Walka trwała około 15 minut, obóz się rozsypał. W lesie rozproszyliśmy się. Korzystając z pomocy i informacji chłopów, przedarłem się do Warszaawy".

Translation

Spoiler

A Jew who escaped from Treblinka, who spent about 10 months in the camp, describes a "death factory."

He managed to escape with a group of about 2,000 Jews after disarming and killing some of the camp guards and setting fire to the barracks. Some of the escapees survived. They will be the only witnesses to the German crimes in Treblinka.

"I was caught in a roundup in the Warsaw ghetto on August 28, 1942. Our transport—we were told—was destined for labor in the east. We traveled packed into guarded wagons. Lithuanian escorts took money and valuables. No one anticipated the reality. When we arrived, our eyes were opened.

In the camp, there were literally piles of corpses lying on the ground. We were segregated: "women and children to the left, men to the right." Money, papers, and valuables were ordered to hand over. We were ordered to sort piles of clothes, suitcases, and bundles.

After a few hours, a transport from Międzyrzecz arrived. We were then put to work carrying corpses from the wagons (most of them were transports of corpses). We were beaten savagely. After completing this work, we were seated in a semicircle and had machine guns aimed at us. 100 were "pardoned" based on random groupings, while the rest (several hundred) were shot.

From the next morning onwards, work began – sorting clothes, packages, etc., and burying the corpses in machine-prepared pits. The corpses were partially rotten, and there were cases where a hand or a leg of the corpse remained in the worker's hand. As a skilled carpenter, I was hired to build gas chambers under the supervision of Ukrainians. Ten chambers were built.

The poisoning procedure is as follows: the arriving transport was ordered to undress for a bath and directed to the chambers. A Ukrainian standing at the door encouraged those who hesitated, stabbing them with his bayonet, and killed those who resisted. After a dozen or so minutes, the corpses were removed through the other door. The "baths" lasted daily until roughly February. Outside the chambers—especially for the elderly and sick—a "lazaret" was used. Those sent to the "lazaret" were seated on benches over a long ditch and shot into the ditch. There were also transports from abroad. I estimate the number of corpses in the camp at around 3,000,000.

The sadism of the guards was inhuman. There was a Ukrainian who cut off ears and noses, and drove nails into rectums...

In February, according to rumors, Himmler was in the camp. Cleanup began. Corpses were unearthed and burned. During this period, mass liquidations ceased. We built observation towers, and I was even "honored" with the duty of building a Zakopane-style cottage on the orders of the camp commandant. During this period, we were fed a little better and not tormented as much. The "liquidation" of the graves progressed; about three-quarters of the graves had already been liquidated. We had no illusions—we knew that the moment this work was finished, we would be finished too. Conspiracies began.

On July 28th, our uprising broke out. Our fives attacked the guard barracks, seized weapons, and began fighting. The fight lasted about 15 minutes, and the camp collapsed. We scattered in the forest. Using the help and information of the peasants, I made my way to Warsaw.