THE RUINS OF LEICHENKELLER 1 (GAS CHAMBER)
OF KREMATORIUM II |
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Photo B:
[Photos and assembly by the author] |
| North/south view of the concrete ceiling of Leichenkeller 1 of Krematorium II. On the right is the first central supporting pillar, which pierced the ceiling when the room was blown up and now stands alongside the central supporting beam. In the center is the emplacement of the second dummy shower. On the left the remains of one the battens to which the upper ventilation duct was fixed (one of the staples attaching it to the ceiling is visible). |
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Photo b':
[Photo by the author]
Northeast/southwest view of part of the ruins of Krematorium II. In the foreground is the furnace room, with Leichenkeller 1 behind it. The opening allowing access to the space below the part of the collapsed roof supported by the second pillar is at the far end, eastern side, where a hump can be seen. |
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Photo b":
[Photo by the author,]
Northeast/southwest view of the south wall and collapsed roof of Leichenkeller 1. In the center is the first supporting pillar, which has pierced the roof. On the right is a concrete slab with a metal handle, often taken for the cover of a Zyklon-B introduction column, but which is in fact a sewer manhole cover. There are no bluish patches on the bricks of the south wall, the sign of prolonged use of hydrocyanic acid found in the disinfestation gas chambers, because the toxic gas was in contact with the walls only fleetingly in homicidal gassings, not for long periods as with disinfestation. |
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Photo b"':
[Photo by the author,]
North/south view of the western part of the ceiling of Leichenkeller 1, with the south wall at the far end. Upper left, the hole in the ceiling is assumed to be one of the Zyklon-B introduction openings, but the positions of the two holes that can be seen today do not correspond to those of the U.S. Air Force photograph taken on 25th August 1944. The reason for this as yet unexplained difference could well be simply that the roof shifted considerably when dynamited. |
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