Hermann van Pels in Auschwitz I
Hermann van Pels passed selection after arrival, but was sent to the gas chamber a few weeks later during a subsequent selection. He probably died there on 3 October 1944.
After their registration, the men, including Hermann van Pels, were sent on foot to Auschwitz I, also called Stammlager, which was located about 3 kilometres from Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz II).[1]
Fritzi Frank stated that Otto Frank, together with Hermann van Pels and Fritz Pfeffer, had to do heavy labour in the Aussendienst (outside the camp) laying streets.[2] In the process, Hermann van Pels is said to have injured his thumb on one occasion to such an extent that he could no longer work and was therefore given Zimmerdienst. When there was a selection, this proved fatal for him and he was taken away to the gas chamber.[2]
Fellow prisoner Fritz Simon, in a statement shortly after the war for the Dutch Red Cross, named Hermann van Pels as one of those who were temporarily unable to work because of an injury and had been given a few days' exemption from work for this reason: 'Blockschonung'. When there was a selection, these persons were then selected and transported to Birkenau for gassing.[3] This is where Hermann probably died on 3 October 1944.
Footnotes
- ^ Nederlandse Rode Kruis (NRK), Den Haag, Collectie Westerbork en de reconstructie van de lotgevallen na WOII, 1939-2007: Verklaringen van o.a. Max Frankfort (inv.nr.1257), Abraham Hakker (inv.nr.1264) en Aron Leyden van Amstel (inv.nr.1277).
- a, b Anne Frank Stichting, Getuigenarchief, Frank-Markovits, Elfriede: Interview met Fritzi Frank-Markovits (september 1992) afgenomen door Dienke Hondius en Dineke Stam.
- ^ NRK, Collectie Westerbork en de reconstructie van de lotgevallen na WOII, 1939-2007, inv.nr.1293, Fritz Simon, 13 augustus 1945. Meerdere getuigen, zoals o,a, Max Frankfort (inv.nr.1257), en Philip de Jong (inv.nr.1268), noemen een selectie in oktober onder personen die Blockschonung hadden.