Records of the War Refugee Board

A.K.A. War Refugee Board Report, 1944 – 1945

No. 1

THE EXTERMINATION CAMPS OF AUSCWITZ (Oswiecim)

and BIRKENAU

in Upper Silesia.

FOREWORD

Two young Slovak Jews — whose names a will not be disclosed for the time being in the interest of their own safety — have been fortunate enough to escape after spending two years In the concentration camps of BIRKENAU, AUSCHWITZ, and LUBLIN-MAJDANEK, where they had been deported in 1942 from SLOVAKIA.

One of them was sent on April 13, 1942, from the assembly camp of SERED directly to AUSCHWITZ find then to BIRKENAU, while the other was sent from the camp of NOVAKY to LUBLIN on June 14, 1942, and, after a short stay there, transferred to AUSCHWITZ and, later, to BIRKENAU.

The following report does not contain everything these two men experienced during their captivity, but only what one or both together underwent, heard, or experienced at first hand. No individual impressions or judgments are recorded and nothing passed on from hearsay.

The report starts with the story of the young Jew who was removed from SERED. The account of his experiences in BIRKENAU begins at the time the second Jew arrived there and is, therefore, based on the statements of both. Then follows the individual narrative of the second Jew who was tent from NOVAKY to LUBLIN and from there to AUSCHWITZ.

The declarations tally with all the trustworthy yet fragmentary reports hitherto received, and tha dates given with regard to transports to various camps agree with the official records. These statements can, therefore, be considered as entirely credible.