The State Museum Of Auschwitz-Birkenau & Remember.Org Present

Birkenau Krematorium II

You are Inside the collapsed roof of Birkenau Krematorium II. As the Russian army drew closer the Nazis, in an effort to hide their crimes, blew this up, and also Krems III and V.

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Birkenau Krematorium II Videos - 2

You are Inside the collapsed roof of Krematorium II at Birkenau.

As the Russian army drew closer the Nazis, in an effort to hide their crimes, blew this up, and also Krems III and V, ample proof they were well aware they had committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

As you scroll you will notice the steel shoring. This is used to hold the original brick in place.

Past the pile of bricks is again, BIa, the women’s camp. Sometimes women would be brought here for gassing along the path, visible here on the other side of the bricks.

“Located outside the fencing around the barracks at Birkenau, the crematoria in a certain sense constituted a separate complex of equipment for mass destruction.

Crematoria II and III had their own barbed-wire fencing with two gates leading into the grounds of Crematorium II, and one to Crematorium III.

Trees and bushes planted around them formed a green belt (“Grüngürtel) that camouflaged them from unwelcome eyes, above all those of the prisoners in nearby barracks.”*

Krematorium II Surrounding Area Video

The first view is of the rear of the women’s camp, BIb. Scrolling right is a sewage treatment cistern.

Scroll further to the right, this is what Remains of Krematorium II as the SS blew it and the underground gas chamber up as the Russian Army approached; in an obvious and futile attempt to hide their crimes.

Scrolling further right, you can see a portion of the Memorial.

Scroll still further to barely make out the ruins of Krematorium III on the other side of the ramp.

Moving on you can see the barbed wire fence posts of the ramp.

“Crematoria II and III had their own barbed-wire fencing with two gates leading into the grounds of Crematorium II, and one to Crematorium III.

Trees and bushes planted around them formed a green belt (“Grüngürtel) that camouflaged them from unwelcome eyes, above all those of the prisoners in nearby barracks.”*

* Franciszek Piper, 2000. Auschwitz 1940-45, Volume III. Oswiecim: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. p.164

All photos and videos are Copyright Alan Jacobs and Remember.org.

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