1. A space called ‘Treblinka’
The chaos of genocide and evolution of the Holocaust

2. Looking and seeing What are you looking at? What can you see?
What is happening in these pictures?
What does it suggest about this space called ‘Treblinka’?
Explain to students they will be exploring what happened in a particular space during a particular period in history before dividing the class into an even number of small groups. Give each group a number, and both ‘Schöne Zeiten’ envelopes. Instruct those with an odd number to open only envelope A and those with an even number to open only envelope B. Explain students should work through the questions on slide 2 of the PowerPoint, recording their conversations on a large piece of paper bearing the word ‘Treblinka’ in the middle of it.
Invite feedback from the class, beginning with envelope A and then moving to envelope B. For the moment, do not confirm nor deny whether students’ ideas are correct. You might collect comments onto a class spidergram or mind-map. Once complete, allow groups to open the envelope they have not yet examined and ask the class what provisional ideas and unanswered questions they have about this place called ‘Treblinka’. Some students may have queries about the origin and purpose of the photographs they have been looking at, and be confused by the words ‘Schöne Zeiten’: this is not a problem, but refrain from revealing who took these images and why at this stage.

3. Examining traces What are these ‘traces’?
What do they tell us about their owners?
What further information do they give us about ‘Treblinka’?
Suggest so far little is known about the people who inhabited this space – even those shown in the ‘Schöne Zeiten’ photographs. Why were they here? Where did they come from? What did they do whilst they were at ‘Treblinka’? Introduce the idea that clues may be found by examining material and physical traces of the past which remain today.
Provide groups with the envelope marked ‘Traces’. As they examine the material, instruct them to discuss the questions on this slide. They could continue recording their findings on their large sheet of paper.
As you ask groups to share their conversations with the class, question what earlier ideas these ‘traces’ have helped to confirm or refute, and what new queries they provoke.
During the course of this feedback, work through the following three slides.

4. This Nivea tin was among a number of artefacts discovered on the surface in the camp waste pit area. It has German text on it and is believed to date to 1938.
The tin, like all of the other ‘Traces’, provides more clues about some of the people who at one time moved within and through the space called Treblinka. A degree of caution is needed about the inferences we make from this , of course; we also need to be prepared to adjust our conclusions as and when we encounter more evidence and acquire greater contextual information.
Do not reveal what the object is or where it was found immediately. Instead, collect reflections and ideas from students , encouraging them to consider:
Who may have owned this object? What gender may they have been; can we say anything about their social background, personality or interests.
What happened to its owner? Why might they have had this on their person; what is suggested by its survival.
Why do we have it today? Was the object left intentionally; what is its value or use for us.

5. This collection of hair clips comes from a large cache unearthed during excavations around the old gas chamber building. As with the Nivea tin, do not reveal this information straight away. Instead, use the questions accompanying the previous slide as a template for co-ordinating feedback. To augment discussion ask:
What do the hair clips suggest about the number of people who moved in and through Treblinka?
How do we explain why so many hair clips were discovered? In what circumstances or situations would women no longer need hair clips?
Does the discovery of hair clips mean only women moved in and through Treblinka?

6. These tiles were among a number found in the area of the old gas chamber building. Some were found in situ, others fragmented and scattered. They were coloured yellow and orange, bearing a Star of David on their underside.
As with the previous two slides, refrain from revealing precisely what these objects until you have collected students’ initial ideas. To structure feedback, pose the following:
How are these objects different from other ‘traces’ they have been examining? Students should identify that unlike other objects, the tiles are not personal possessions but instead speak to and of some sort of physical structure.
What are these objects? Students may initially refer to them as bricks, whereas in fact they are not. This difference is important, for tiles tend to be used within a space to add covering or adornment.
Where do tiles tend to be found? You should expect to students to offer suggestions like roofs, kitchens, and bathrooms – these are not wholly irrelevant remarks, but should prompt ideas about what kind of room or building they are likely to have come from.
What is distinctive about these tiles? Most, though not all students, will recognise the Star of David; accordingly, they are likely to conclude the room or building the tiles come from was either built by or for Jewish people. In coming to this conclusion they will in a sense be correct, though of course not fully aware of the true nature of the building the tiles originate from. Do not at this stage add this context: instead, recount the ideas students have shared about this slide and what further information it has given about Treblinka. End by reiterating the importance of need to be marry the claims we make about the past to the evidence we have available. The tiles, like the other traces, need to be further contextualised.

7. Mapping a space What do we learn from these maps?
What earlier ideas and thoughts do they confirm?
What new information do they provide?
What do you notice about these maps?
Recap the distance students have so far travelled: beginning only with the name ‘Treblinka’ and a few images, they have discovered some of the features of this geographical space, and unearthed through material traces some information about the people who once moved within it. As well as formulating hypothesis and tentative ideas they have also generated questions – questions which, you could suggest, may be answered by utilising one of the techniques human beings have developed to make sense of the world around them: namely, maps.
Give each group the envelope marked ‘Maps’. Explain each map should be examined in turn, and then viewed as a collective. Use the questions on this slide to orientate students, and as a means of coordinating feedback. As the class exchanges ideas, press students to account for the differences between the maps and whether this is problematic.
As you reveal the origin of each map, float the idea that they reflect different perspectives, from different times, for different purposes. This does not invalidate them, but confirms we need to consult multiple perspectives when trying to construct the past.

8. Mining information
Open the envelopes marked ‘Information cards’, ‘Accounts’ and ‘Profiles’. Mine these sources for information which will help you answer the following key questions:
What took place at Treblinka between 23 July and 27 August, 1942?
What was ‘reorganization’, why was it deemed necessary, and what did it lead to?
Allow students to reflect on how the maps have developed their knowledge and understanding of the space called Treblinka. Although they can now put together quite a detailed picture of the physical features of this camp, and from there make inferences and draw provisional conclusions as to what took place, there remains some degree of uncertainty and conjecture. Emphasise this is partly because students have not as yet positioned ‘Treblinka’ into a temporal context.
Explain to students their task is to try and reconstruct the early history of the Treblinka death camp. More specifically, they will need to ‘mine’ a selection of source material in order to answer the key questions on this slide. Give students the envelopes marked ‘Accounts’, ‘Profiles’ and ‘Information cards’.
Co-ordinate class discussion by taking each of the key questions in turn. Refer to the Lesson Plan for further guidance and information.

9. Höfle Telegram
Move students towards thinking about the outcomes of reorganisation. Most will probably recognise this led to greater efficiency and a higher rate of killing, but conceptualising this reality remains difficult.
Display the slide – you might also distribute printed copies of this slide. After a few moments, collect ideas about the nature of the Höfle Telegram: what might be its purpose? What do the various numbers and letters refer to?

10. Höfle Telegram
12. OMX de OMQ ? ? State secret! To the Reich Security Main Office, for the attention of SS Obersturmbannführer EICHMANN, BERLIN [...rest missed...] 13/15. OLQ de OMQ State secret! To the commander of the Security Police, for the attention of SS Obersturmbannführer HEIM, KRAKAU. Re: 14-day report Operation REINHARD. Reference: radiogram from there. Recorded arrivals until 31 December 42, L 12761, B 0, S 515, T totaling Situation [ ... ] 31 December 42, L 24733, B , S , T 71355, totaling SS and police leader of Lublin, HOEFLE, Sturmbannführer.
Guide students through the telegram, displaying this slide and using the Additional Information to help you. The communiqué raises a host of questions – from issues related to Allied knowledge and response, through the measures of secrecy employed by the perpetrators, and out on to the centrality of Operation Reinhard to the Holocaust. It also powerfully demonstrates how deadly Treblinka had become in just a matter of months.

11. A space called 'Treblinka'
Acknowledgements
Lesson plan and materials created by Andy Pearce
© Andy Pearce, 2014.
Artwork adapted from a design by Cheryl Lowe
Photographs shown on slides 4, 5, 6 credited to and used with kind permission from Caroline Sturdy Colls/Centre of Archaeology, Staffordshire University.