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__Belzec Concentration Camp __

What was Belzec Camp?

//Belzec Camp was located in Poland, it was one of the first camps the Nazi's set up. Belzec was set up by a small town called Lublin in which many of the transports came from. This camp started as a labor camp in November 1, 1941. It started the gas chambers on March 17, 1942. The conditions in this camp were very bad and the Jews were treated brutaly. To picture what the camp looked like picture a camp with two sections with barbed wire fences surrounding the whole vicinity. Also set up inside the camp were four watch towers. Refer to the site below to get a better understanding of how the camp was set up.// [|click here] What were some of things the SS Officers would say to the Jews on their way to the "showers"? - //The SS Officers lied through their teeth while talking to the Jews. While on their way to the gas chambers inwhich they called showers the SS Officers would tell Jews, "All you have to do is breathe in deeply. That strenghthens the lungs. Inhaling is a means of preventing infectious diseases. It's a good method of disinfection." The Jews looked up to the officers that they could help them, therefore they listened and believed every word they said.//
 * By clicking the link it will show you the map of Belzec camp.**

Who was Kurt Gerstein? And, what did he have to do with Belzec? - //Kurt Gerstein was a SS Officer who in 1942 had become head of the Technical Disinfection Department. That department was responsible for improving the gas in the gas chambers. He left rare descriptions about the conditions in Belzec. Once the bodies were taken out of the gas chambers SS Officers Kurt Gerstein wrote "One could tell families even in death. They were still holding hands, stiffened in death so that it was difficult tear them apart to clear the chamber for the next load."//