1. Sympathy for Jakob Kirchhof
Group 11, 19. March 2014

2. 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.

3. “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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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…