Oberaufseherin Elisabeth Volkenrath
Statement of Elisabeth Volkenrath, SS Oberaufseherin
Dużo miejsca na blogu poświęcam teraz Irmie Grese i procesowi załogi obozu Bergen-Belsen. Ale uświadomiłam sobie, że warto zwrócić uwagę na Elisabeth Volkenrath, która także była sądzona w czasie tego procesu i również otrzymała na nim wyrok skazujący na śmierć. Elisabeth Volkenrath jest ważna z kilku powodów: przede wszystkim od września 1944 roku pełniła funkcję głównej nadzorczyni (Oberaufseherin) obozu kobiecego w Birkenau, tym samym zastąpiła na stanowisku Marię Mandl. Po drugie: ze względu na wysokie stanowisko służbowe, Volkenrath była tak naprawdę najważniejszą nadzorczynią, jeśli chodził o oskarżenia dotyczące zbrodni w obozie Auschwitz. Po trzecie: to Elisabeth Volkenrath została powieszona jako pierwsza kobieta-zbrodniarka i w ogóle pierwsza osądzona, skazana i powieszona osoba, mająca status nazistowskiego zbrodniarza wojennego. Tak więc ze wszystkich powojennych egzekucji nazistowskich sprawców, można powiedzieć, że to właśnie nadzorczynie obozowe zmarły jako pierwsze w wyniku śmierci przez powieszenie!
Elisabeth Volkenrath często pojawia się na archiwalnych fotografiach z procesu oraz z czasu aresztowania, już na terenie obozu Bergen-Belsen, a następnie w areszcie w Celle. Kilka jej zdjęć, również portretowych, można znaleźć w kanadyjskiej kolekcji Petera Claphama w Canadian War Museum w Ottawie.
Po prawej: Elisabeth Volkenrath po aresztowaniu (z białą opaską)
I am 26 years of age and come from Schönau near Badlandeck, Silesia. I am a married woman, my husband being in the SS, and I have not heard of him for a long time. Before being called up into the SS I was a hairdresser. In 1939 I was called up to work in a munitions factory and on 1st October, 1942, was transferred to the SS I never actually became a member of the SS; we merely wore the uniform and became supervisors at concentration camps.
On joining the SS I was sent to Ravensbrück, where I became an Aufseherin and was taught how to treat prisoners. We were told that we were not to talk to prisoners and our job was to take them to work and see that they didn't’t escape. I later went into the concentration camp at Ravensbrück, where I worked under SS woman Langefeld and Kommandant Koegel. In March, 1942, I was transferred to Auschwitz where I remained until 18th January, 1945. I then proceeded to Bergen-Belsen where I arrived after a long train journey on 5th February, 1945.
On arrival at Auschwitz I was placed in charge of a working party sewing clothes. I later was placed in charge of the parcels department where Red Cross parcels from families were received for the prisoners. I always made it my duty to see that the parcels were delivered and those prisoners that worked under me can say that this is true. On 20th September, 1944, I took over a working camp in Auschwitz consisting of a cobbler’s shop and tailor’s shop which were run for the benefit of the prisoners. I remained at this post until the camp was cleared. Whilst I was at Auschwitz the Kommandanten of the camp were Kommandant Hoess, Liebehenschel and Baer. On the women’s side there were SS women Langefeld, Mandel and Drechsel. Kramer was the Kommandant at Birkenau from from June or July, 1944, to December, 1944.
Źródło: Gedenkstätte Bergen-Belsen
I often heard about the gas chamber from prisoners but I never actually saw it although from the distance I have seen the crematorium. I have been present when selections were made from prisoners by the SS Doctors of those unfit to work. These people were all sent to Block 25 and to my knowledge they were never seen again. Obersturmführer Müller always told us that these people were being sent away to recuperate. Whilst I was at Auschwitz the camp was visited by Himmler and he saw the conditions that existed there.
I have always been very strict, but have never murdered anyone. I have boxed the ears of girls if they did anything wrong but anything I did was always on orders from Lagerführerin Mandel and Drechsel. It was on the orders of Kommandant Kramer that girls were brought to the office and made to make 'sport'. It was conducted by Camp Altesten. This was a punishment for being in possession of things they should not have and consisted of running round the room, bending their knees and generally doing physical exercises. I have always tried as far as possible not to forget that I was a woman and a human being. I was never present when this took place and it only happened once in Block 2.
The many deaths at Belsen were caused by lack of food and overcrowding. Prisoners were marched from other camps to Belsen with little or no food and arrived in an exhausted condition. I mentioned this to Kramer and Vogler. Kramer told me about the 20th March, 1944, that he made a report about the camp and as a result at the end of March, 1945, it was inspected by Pohl, Hoess and Verwirttungschef Burge and also Dr. Lolling who was head of all doctors in Germany. Due to this inspection temporary barracks should have been built and a start was made in the women’s camp at the end of March.
I know things have been bad in these camps but they were also bad for us and we could do nothing about it. We were punished the same as the prisoners by money being stopped, up to 5 marks by Kramer, and confinement to Camp on orders from Berlin, and kept almost the same as the prisoners ourselves. It is true that I have had to make prisoners on Appell hold their hands above their heads but it was always on orders from others; this happened in Auschwitz on instructions from Mandel and Drechsel.
It is my opinion that the man most responsible for the conditions at Auschwitz was Hoess as he was in charge of all camps in this area. Reichsführer Himmler is, of course, responsible for all concentration camps. At no time did I see any orders in writing relating to concentration camps.
On arrival at Belsen I did not work for the first six weeks at all owing to the fact that I was ill. I then took charge of all SS women and received my orders direct from Kommandant Kramer.
Signed Volkenrath, Elisabeth.
Źródło: Peter Clapham Collection, Canadian War Museum
Certified that I have accurately translated the above statement from German to English and have read it over to Elisabeth Volkenrath in German, the said Elisabeth Volkenrath having signed it in my presence.
Signed H.H. Alexander.
Deposition of Captain Alfred James Fox, D.A.P.M. 86 S.I.S. Special Investigation Branch, Corps of Military Police, stationed at Ostend, sworn before me Major Geoffrey Smallwood (Major Legal Staff), an Officer of the Staff of the Judge Advocate General to the Forces.
On 19th May, 1945, I visited Celle prison where I saw Elisabeth Volkenrath. I spoke to her, through the above named interpreter, and she intimated that she wished to make a signed statement. I have recorded her statement which is attached and which she signed in my presence.
Signed A.J. Fox.
Sworn by me Captain Alfred James Fox this 21st day of May, 1945, at Belsen Camp, before me, Major Geoffrey Smallwood.
*
Chciałabym przy okazji zwrócić uwagę na ważne miejsce na wystawie stałej w Miejscu Pamięci Bergen-Belsen. Jeśli tam będziecie - warto znaleźć czarny regał z dużą ilością segregatorów i przejrzeć dokładnie ich zawartość. W segregatorach znajdują się krótkie biografie oraz kopie dokumentów dotyczących osób z personelu SS obozu Belsen. Dokumenty są najróżniejsze: akty małżeństwa, dokumenty służbowe, przepisy i regulaminy obozowe, legitymacje personalne, wyciągi z kont oszczędnościowych, dokumenty procesowe z Lüneburga, a także pisma urzędowe i egzekucyjne zbrodniarzy skazanych na śmierć.
Zobacz też:
Komentarze
Prześlij komentarz