Sympathy for Jakob Kirchhof Group 11, 19. March 2014

In 1924, my mother gave me this picture of the German Gate in Metz. She told me, that it was built in the 1300s. This is the only picture that I still have from the Alsace-Lorraine. We do not have any photographs of the house in which Otto, Jens, Lotte, Katja, Marius, and I were born.

“For the Fatherland”— Because we lived in the Alsace-Lorraine, we saw bad times during the Great War. There was the hope, that we could avoid conflicts with the French. That is why Otto was sent to the Eastern Front. My father kept this piece of propaganda, and I really wanted it. When we learned, that Otto had died, my father gave the picture to me.

Lotte saved so much money, that she could afford a camera. She let me take a couple photographs. Though our time in Munich is only occasionally happy, I always love the Hofgarten. I will miss the beautiful flowers, the lights, and the Munich air when I am in the SS-TV.

The bell tower in Marienplatz is one of the most beautiful buildings in Munich. When I was a boy, Marienplatz was my favorite place. My mother told me, that the bell tower tells the story of a marriage— Duke Wilhelm V with Renata of Lorraine. Knights from Bavaria joust with knights from Lorraine, but the Bavarian knights always win. Now I know, why my father hated the bell tower from the start.

My comrades in front of “Station” Treblinka. I cannot remember their names. Names are not so important anymore. I see the rank, that is displayed on the collar of their uniforms. Photography is strongly forbidden here, but I think that this photo is innocent enough.

The lupines that we planted over Treblinka II. They bloomed in May of 1944— there were so many different colors: yellow, purple, pink. When I close my eyes, I see these flowers. They appear so beautiful, but I know how ugly they are in reality.

Petra took this photograph and sent it to me in a letter. We saw bad times in the Great War and we saw even worse times during this war. There were so many bombing raids. I was very surprised, that our house remained unharmed.

Before I left Treblinka, I took this photograph. When I arrived back in Munich, trains could bring me to tears. I can never forget, what happened in the train to Munich.

But I shall still hold on to I found this map when I moved in with Katja. I wish I never kept it. But I shall still hold on to it. When I confess to my war crimes, my photographs and my maps will be useful. They should, at least, convict me.

My sister, Katja, has always loved to draw. When I knew, that I would be sent to Poland, Lotte gave me her camera. But Katja said, “Please let me draw you, you look so handsome in your uniform.” I was moved to tears, when she gave this to me. If I only knew, what would happen, what I would do…