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Subject: Belzec: Location of Mass Graves (VI)
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camps/aktion.reinhard/belzec/Archeological_Report/Tregenza_VI.98
Last-Modified: 1999/08/09

"VI. LOCATION/INVESTIGATION OF MASS GRAVES
April - June 1998

"Grave No. 7. Initially located in October - 1997 in the vicinity
of symbolic tomb No. 4. Dimensions determined as 30 m. x 14 m. The
symbolic tomb lay just to the right (S) of the grave. Carbonized
pieces of wood and fragments of burnt human bones mixed with dark
grey ash were found to a depth of 5 m.

"Grave No. 8. Of similar dimensions to grave No. 7, but a 12 m.
long arm of this grave projects 20 m. to the SW. Contains burnt
pieces of human bones and fragments of carbonized wood.

"Grave No. 9. Located immediately behind symbolic tomb No. 1, next
to the NE fence, measures 10 m. square and contains burnt human
remains and pieces of carbonized wood mixed with grey sand.

"Note: the surface soil around graves 7, 8 and 9 consists of a thin
layer of grey sand containing a large quantity of crushed pieces
of burnt human bones.

"Grave No. 10. One of the largest mass graves in the camp, lies 15
m. N of the monument/mausoleum and measures 25 m. x 20 m. At depth
4 m. a 80 cm thick layer of human fat was found below which lay
unburnt human remains and pieces of unburnt large human bones. The
drill core brought to the surface several lumps of foul smelling
fatty tissue still in a state of decomposition, mixed with greasy
lime.

"Grave No. 11. A smaller grave than any hither-to discovered (with
the exception of grave No. 2), measures 11 m. x 9 m., located
immediately adjacent to the NE corner of the monument/mausoleum. A
few fragments of burnt human bones mixed with innumerable small
pieces of carbonized wood were found at a depth of only 1.90 m.

"Grave No. 12. Located immediately to the N of grave No. 10 , is an
L-shaped grave with the foot, measuring 20 m., lying to the W and
the stem, 28 m. in length, pointing N. A small number of pieces of
unburnt human bones were found at depth 3 m. mixed with grey sand
and innumerable small fragments of carbonized wood. This layer
extended to a depth of 4.40 m

"Grave No. 13. The smallest grave discovered in the camp, measuring
only 5 m. x 5m. and 4.80 m. deep. Located next to the W fence, it
contains a mixture of burnt human remains and pieces of carbonized
wood mixed with grey sand.

"Grave No. 14. The largest grave in the camp, it extends beyond the
N fence into the area of the adjacent sawmill. The section within
the fence is an irregular zig-zag on the S side measuring 65 m. x
30 m. at its widest point E - W, and 8 m. at its narrowest.
Contains burnt pieces of human bones and fragments of carbonized
wood mixed with grey, sandy soil to a depth of 3.10 m.
Originally, grave No. 14 could have measured ca. 70 m. x 30 m.

                                                         [Page 18]

"Grave No. 15. Another small grave, measuring 12 m. x 7 m. Situated
adjacent to the S side of grave No. 14 it contains a mixture of
pieces of burnt human bones, fragments of  carbonized wood and
grey sand.

"Grave No. 16. Also located adjacent to grave No. 14 and
immediately E of grave No. 15. Measuring 20 m. x 8 m. it contains
a mixture of burnt fragments of human bones and carbonized wood to
a depth of 4.10 m.

"Grave No. 17. Situated next to and S of graves 12 and 16, measures
16m. x 8 m. and is 3.50 m. deep. Contains a mixture of pieces of
burnt human bones, carbonized wood and grey sand.

"Grave No. 18. Lies next to the S edge of grave No. 15 and measures
15 m. x 10 m. and contains the same mixture of burnt pieces of
human bones, carbonized wood and grey sand.

"Grave No. 19. Located within the area formed by graves 14, 15, 18
and 20, and close to the SW corner of grave 14. Measuring 14 m. x
8 m. it contains the mixture of grey sand, burnt pieces of human
bones and carbonized wood to a depth of 3.50 m.

"Grave No. 20. In the form of a long trench at the W end of grave
No. 14 and is the last one at the N end of the group of 18 graves
along the N fence. In the same manner as its neighbour, grave No.
14, it also extends beyond the N fence into the area of the
adjacent sawmill. The section within the fence measures 28 m. x 10
m. and reaches a depth of 5 m. At depth 4 m. there was found a
dental bridge with four false teeth (2 amalgam and 2 white
plastic). Originally, grave No. 20 could have measured 30-35 m. x
10 m.

"Grave No. 21. One of the smallest graves, measures only 7 m. sq.
Situated in the forested S part of the memorial area, midway
between graves 5 and 7, it is also unexpectedly shallow, being
only 1.70 m. deep and contains pieces of burnt human bones and
fragments of carbonized wood mixed with grey sand.

"Grave No. 22. Also situated in the forested S part of the memorial
area, in the shape of an inverted 'L', close to the NE corner of
grave No. 6. Measuring 27 m. on the long (E) side and 10 m. on the
S side, it contains pieces of burnt human bones and fragments of
carbonized wood mixed with grey sand to a depth of 3.60 m.

"Grave No. 23. Also one of the smaller graves, measuring 10 m. x 7
m., and located between graves 6 and 21. Contains burnt human
remains to a depth of 4.20 m.

"Grave No. 24. A narrow trench near the N fence and next to the E
corner of grave No. 14. Contains burnt human remains to a depth of
4.80 m.

"Grave No. 25. Located immediately to the E of graves 12 and 14,
measures 14 m. x 8 m. and contains a mixture of burnt human
remains, including corpses and skeletons, to a depth of 3 m. Below
this level there is a 1 m. deep layer of waxy fat and greasy lime.
A foul odour was released when the drill penetrated the layer of
corpses and the drill core withdrew lumps of decaying fatty tissue
and large pieces of bone.

"Grave No. 26. Another small grave, 9 m. x 9 m., and located
immediately next to the E edge of grave No. 25. Contains a mixture
of burnt human remains to a depth of 4.20 m.

"Note: the soil above and around graves 25 and 26 is covered with a
layer of innumerable small fragments of burnt human bones and
small pieces of carbonized wood.

"Grave No. 27. One of the smaller graves, measures 10 m. x 4 m.,
and situated close to the N end of grave No. 25. Contains burnt
and unburnt human remains. The top layer consists of burnt human
bones and carbonized wood beneath which there is a layer of grey,
waxy lime. The bottom of the grave contains not completely
decomposed human remains mixed with putrid smelling greasy human
fat. (Cf. graves 10 and 25).

                                                         [Page 19]

"Grave No. 28. One of the smallest graves, measuring only 6 m. x 6
m. Located between grave 27 and the N fence, it also contains
burnt human remains beneath which there is a layer of grey, greasy
lime. The bottom of the grave, at depth 4.90 m, is lined with
putrid smelling greasy human fat. (Cf. graves 10, 25 and 27).

"Grave No. 29. Measures 30 m. x 10 m. in the form of a big trench.
Located just to the NE of grave 26, its E corner is immediately in
front of symbolic tomb No. 1 and contains pieces of burnt human
bones mixed with fragments of carbonized wood and grey sand.

     "Note: the ground between this grave and grave 26 to the NE is
     covered with a layer of innumerable fragments of burnt and
     crushed human bones mixed with grey sand. Graves 12, 15, 16,
     19, 24-26 and 29 lie partly beneath the six grass-topped
     tiers bearing the urns intended for the 'Eternal Flames'
     
"Grave No. 30. Located in the N angle between graves 26 and 29,
measures 10 m. x 4 m. Contains pieces of burnt human bones and
fragments of carbonized wood mixed with grey sand to a depth of
3.80 m

"Grave No. 31. Similar in size to grave No. 30, measures 10 m. x 6
m. Situated next to the N fence between graves 28 and 29, this
grave also contains a mixture of burnt pieces of human bones,
fragments of carbonized wood and grey sand.

"Grave No. 32. Situated close to the N corner of the memorial site
between graves 9 and 13. Measuring 15 m. x 5 m. it contains the
mixture of pieces of burnt human bones and carbonized wood mixed
with grey sand beneath which there is a layer of grey, greasy lime
and a foul smelling layer of human fat containing decomposing
human remains: the drill core brought to the surface pieces of
skull with skin and tufts of hair still attached. At the bottom of
the grave, at depth 4.10 m., lie a large number of unburnt human
bones. (Cf. graves 10, 25, 27 and 28). The path to the small gate
near the N corner of the memorial area passes over the S end of
the grave.

"Grave No. 33. A small, shallow grave measuring only 5 m. x 5 m.
and 2.80 m. deep. Located in the extreme NE corner of the memorial
site, it contains tiny fragments of burnt human bones mixed with
small pieces of carbonized wood and grey sand." (Tregenza, pp. 17-19)


                             Work Cited

Tregenza, Michael. Report on the Archeological Investigation at the
   Site of the Former NAZI Extermination Camp in Belzec, Poland, 1997-98.
   Lublin, 1998


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