A space called ‘Treblinka’ Mining information: Information cards

Mining information: Information cards Preparation: Print the slides at A5 size. Print or mount on to white card. Place the cards within an A5 envelope. Label this envelope ‘Information cards’. Give each student group the envelope as part of the ‘Mining information’ activity.

Treblinka In 1941, the Nazis built a labour camp near to the small Polish village of Treblinka. Treblinka was located in north-east Poland, around 100 kilometres from Warsaw. The labour camp was near a forest. It was open from the autumn of 1941. Among the first prisoners to arrive at the camp were around 1,000 Poles and Jews. These prisoners were used as slave labour, felling trees and working in a nearby quarry.

Treblinka II Treblinka II was located a few kilometres from the Treblinka labour camp. It was a remote location, surrounded by woodland. A rail spur was built which connected Treblinka II to the labour camp Treblinka I, and to the mainline railway. Construction work at Treblinka II began in late May 1942, under the direction of SS Obersturmführer Richard Thomalla. Once the main building work was completed, Dr Irmfried Eberl was appointed Commandant of the new camp. The first transport arrived at Treblinka II on 23 July 1942.

Himmler order On 19 July 1942 Heinrich Himmler visits Lublin. Whilst there, he issues the following order: ‘the resettlement of the entire Jewish population of the General Government be carried out and completed by December 1942.’

Notice at Treblinka II Jews of Warsaw for your attention! You are in a transit camp from which you will be sent to a labour camp. As a safeguard against epidemics you must immediately hand over your clothing and parcels for disinfection. Gold, silver, foreign currency and jewellery must be placed with the cashier in exchange for a receipt. These will be returned to you at a later time upon presentation of the receipt. For bodily washing before continuing with the journey all arrivals must attend the bathouse.

Deportations ‘Since July 22, a trainload of 5,000 Jews has departed daily from Warsaw via Małinka to Treblinka. (...) Heil Hitler! Yours faithfully Dr Theodor Ganzenmüller, Secretary of State for Transport

Transport Order no. 243, 27 August 1942 ‘...In order to facilitate special evacuation trains activity without malfunctions, Treblinka train station will be closed to normal passenger traffic from September 1 until further notice.’

A space called 'Treblinka'