The Nizkor Project: Remembering the Holocaust (Shoah)

Shofar FTP Archive File: camps/auschwitz/starotska.001


Archive/File: camps/auschwitz starotska.001
Last-Modified: 1994/07/14

Testimony of Stanislawa Starotska (quoted in "The Belsen Trial". In
that trial, BTW, SS personnel and former inmates of Auschwitz who 
were later transferred to Belsen testified).

---------------------------------
p. 418:

Q. How was the Appell [roll-call] for selection for the gas chamber run?

A. The doctor was present and he chose weak and sick people instead of
   healthy ones. My part was exactly the same as during the other 
   parades. I had to keep order and see that everything was all right.
   I never helped the staff of the concentration camp during the 
   selection for the gas chambers.

p. 421:

Q. How did the SS behave towards the prisoners at Auschwitz?

A. The prisoners in Auschwitz were treated very badly, and beaten on 
   every occasion. They had to work very hard, the accommodation was 
   very bad, they had lice and other diseases, and dogs were set on 
   them. Almost all the Blockfuehrer [block leader] in the camp carried 
   sticks which they used, and some of the Aufseherinnen [wardresses] 
   has sticks, some cellophane whips, and others dogs. Some had nothing.

 .
 .
 .

Q. When these Jews began to realize that they were being selected for
   the gas chamber did a lot of people begin to try and run away and
   get hysterical?

A. Some of them tried to run away and others tried to hide themselves,
   or tried to avoid being examined by the doctors. Those who tried to
   run away or hide were brought back again to the same place and
   sometimes were beaten.

p. 422:

Q. You say that sometimes the factories sent some prisoners back again
   who were completely exhausted from work. I suppose it was only a 
   question of time before these people found their way into the gas
   chamber?

A. It was not even a question of time; they were sent direct from the
   platform to the gas chamber.

p. 423:

Q. When the prisoners were being marched past the doctor, did you stand
   behind him taking the numbers or did you go round the parade and 
   take the numbers afterwards?

A. Prisoners marched past the doctor and then he would point out one of
   those wretched people and say "that man can be taken to the gas 
   chamber". At that moment the Blockfuehrer would take the man and
   bring him to the left side and tell me to write down the number as
   he was for the gas chamber.


Home ·  Site Map ·  What's New? ·  Search Nizkor

© The Nizkor Project, 1991-2012

This site is intended for educational purposes to teach about the Holocaust and to combat hatred. Any statements or excerpts found on this site are for educational purposes only.

As part of these educational purposes, Nizkor may include on this website materials, such as excerpts from the writings of racists and antisemites. Far from approving these writings, Nizkor condemns them and provides them so that its readers can learn the nature and extent of hate and antisemitic discourse. Nizkor urges the readers of these pages to condemn racist and hate speech in all of its forms and manifestations.