David Thompson wrote:
The allegations of lampshades, etc. are supported by photographic evidence.
I think that a little more precision is required here.
There is photographic evidence that pieces of tattooed skin, shrunken heads and lampshades were put on public display on the grounds of the Buchenwald concentration camp after it was handed over to the United States Army by the Communist prisoners who had taken charge after the flight of the German staff.
The pieces of tattooed skin were later tested and found to be of human origin. German documents reveal that the concentration camps were directed to collect specimens of tattooed skin from deceased prisoners and forward them to the Concentration Camp Inspectorate at Oranienburg.
As for lampshades and shrunken heads, the photographic evidence simply shows that they were in existence on a certain day in April 1945, at a certain place. It says nothing about their origin.
The lampshades may well have been found in the living quarters of the camp staff who had fled. But to my knowledge no tests were ever performed on them, so the allegation that they were manufactured from human skin remains totally unproven.
Shrunken heads are not unique, and many speciemns may be found in anthropological museums. They derive in most cases from South America or Melanesia. There is nothing to prove whether the shrunken heads photographed at Buchenwald were manufactured in the camp as alleged, or taken from some anthropological collection.
As I said, more precision about what photographic evidence actually shows is required.
Finally, with regard to the use of skin taken from Jews, all I can say is that I have been advised not to eat calamari in kosher restaurants.
