Treblinka Perpetrators

[Eddy Marz]

For example, they were so lazy they even neglected to record the noble and courageous Treblinka revolt.

I'm not certain that this was because of laziness. I think it was more a question of embarrassment. The revolt, including the one at Sobibor (14th October 1943), probably precipitated the closing of the AR camps which had already been scheduled to happen at about the date that it did (4th November 1943 - according to Globocnik's letter to Himmler from Trieste).

[trespasser07]

Was there any reason that a revolt did not occur in Belzec? Where the security measures better or where the prisoners more isolated from each other etc?

[Eddy Marz]

Was there any reason that a revolt did not occur in Belzec? Where the security measures better or where the prisoners more isolated from each other etc?

The set up in Belzec was pretty much the same as in Sobibor and Treblinka, seeing that these last two were organized on the Belzec model - Belzec, in Suchomel's words, 'war das Studio' (Lanzmann's 'SHOAH' interview). Belzec was, proportionally, the most lethal of the 3 AR camps, particularly during Wirth's period as Kommandant (December 1941-August 1942), and there were only 2 survivors. Besides, Belzec stopped its killing activity at the end of december 1942 - seven months before Treblinka which officially closed down in November 1943, although the last months were spent excavating and burning bodies and dismantling the buildings

[trespasser07]

Good point Eddy I forget that Belzec was shut long before Treblinka and Sobibor. What do you believe would have been Wirth's fate had he survived the war? The lack of witnesses at Belzec meant most of the staff at the trial were aquitted.

[Eddy Marz]

There was a long search for Wirth because for quite some time after the war no-one gave any testimony as to his death. If I'm not mistaken, the first to do so was in the 1970's and was Franz Stangl in his interviews with Gitta Sereny; he told her "I saw him dead" and added that he (and some others) thought that his own personnel had killed him (which of course is wrong). Anyway, his 2nd (and last) tomb was discovered in Costermano as late as 1988. What would have happened to him ? I doubt he would have gone unnoticed, even in hiding. He would obviously have been tried and executed if caught, but he could also have committed suicide - as he was well aware (and ready) of the fact that AR personnel were obvious targets for a KdF clean out precisely because of their knowledge of the whole operation. Besides, Wirth was quite connected both to the KdF and Himmler regarding the whole AR (and T4) setup, and therefore too dangerous to be kept hanging around...

[trespasser07]

It would have been interesting, also the case with Hackenholt. I have found this link don't know if it has been posted before, it is by Michael Tregenza who has studied Belzec and it's camp staff extensively. It explains Hackenholt's carrer and what possibly happened to him after the war.

Here it is;

http://www.mazal.org/archive/documents/ ... enza01.htm

Thanks Eddy

[Eddy Marz]

Yes, I know this document; I was in touch with Tregenza a few times about 5 years ago. Pity he still hasn't had his research on Belzec and Wirth published in English - but he's also a bit of a weirdo.

[trespasser07]

Is he thinking of publishing it in the future? I am sure it is interesting he should allow access to it.

[Eddy Marz]

I fear he never will :roll: He's been threatening to do so for the past ten years but to no avail. Some say that he can't find an english publisher but it's a mystery to me how the only (probably) world expert on Christian Wirth wouldn't be able to. There must be more to it...

If you're ever in Lublin, and if you read Polish, you can get your hands on it easily enough :

- Tregenza, Michael : «Christian Wirth a pierwsze fasza Akcji Reinhardt » in « Zeszyty Majdanka » Vol. 14 – Pantwowe Muzeum na Majdanka, Lublin 1992.

- Tregenza, Michael : « Christian Wirth: Inspekteur der SS-Sonderkommandos Aktion Reinhardt » in « Zeszyty Majdanka » Vol. 15 - Pantwowe Muzeum na Majdanka, Lublin 1993.

[trespasser07]

It's a shame as i think it would be very insightful. I have read somewhere that he was also in contact with Kurt Franz (whilst in prison) regarding what type of diesel engine was used at Treblinka.

[Eddy Marz]

I didn't know about that. But I entirely disagree with him concerning Kurt Gerstein.

[trespasser07]

I have no info on Gerstein Eddy, was he involved with the SS Institute for Hygiene? All I know of him is delivering Zyklon B that was never used.

[Eddy Marz]

I have tons of info on him. He was at the center of my research.

[trespasser07]

Has anyone any info on August Miete?

[Eddy Marz]

August Willhelm Miete
SS–Oberscharfuhrer
SS n° - Unknown
Born 1st November 1908 in Westerkappeln/Kreis Tecklenburg.

Until May 1940 worked at his parents mill and farm. He was interested in becoming a settler in the East and inquired about it at the Agricultural Chamber. He was drafted to this chamber in May 1940, and became a caretaker of a large property which included a mental clinic. After eight days he was posted to Grafeneck euthanasia centre, where he stayed till the autumn of 1940. From there he was posted to Hadamar euthanasia centre, under construction at the time. He remained there until the summer of 1942.

In summer of 1942 he was ordered to Berlin and from there was transferred to Aktion Reinhard in Lublin. At the end of June 1942 he was posted to the Treblinka death camp, where he served until November 1943.

Miete was one of the most violent SS men in Treblinka, in charge of the Lazarett, where he killed without compassion. He was nicknamed by the Jewish prisoners – Malakah Ha-Moves (Yiddish for Angel of Death), and Krummer Kopf (Crooked Head).

Miete killed the prisoner Meir Berliner, who had stabbed the SS-man Max Biala. Miete carried out wholesale selections for the Lazarett, during the typhus epidemic in the spring of 1943, and personally took them to the Lazarett where he shot them.

After Treblinka he was posted to Trieste, and after a short time to Udine. In the autumn of 1944 from Udine, to Upper Italy attached to a demolition unit.

Miete was arrested and detained in Dusseldorf- Derendorf prison from the 27th May 1960. Tried in the First Treblinka trial of 1965, Miete was sentenced to life imprisonment, and he died in prison.