ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
In 1995 I discovered that my father and uncle were victims of Nazi medical experiments. Dr. Carson Phillips of the Neuberger Holocaust Centre in Toronto found documents showing their names on a July 1944 selection list in the Auschwitz archives.
This and the following letter demostrate the dispassionate and mechanical approach of the engineers and SS officials involved in the logistics of mass murder.
Translation:
[Top left: Rubber stamp of the Topf management secretariat, dated 6th December 1941, with the initials of the directors: LT for Ludwig Topf and ET for Ernst-Wolfgang Topf, and the inscription for reply and replied on]
Erfurt, 6th December 1941
To Messrs
Ludwig and Ernst Wolfgang Topf
Inside the house
Dear Messrs Topf,
As you know, I designed both the 3 muffle and 8 muffle cremation furnaces, and this using mainly my free time—at home.
These furnace constructions pioneer the way for the future and I venture to hope that you will grant me a bonus for the work involved.
Heil Hitler!
Kurt Prüfer
On the order of LT/ET,
150 RM paid 24/12/41
[Initials]
(Braun), agreed
? must discuss
T
[Manuscript] SS Second Lieutenant (Specialist) Kirschnick!
Copy
29th January, 1943
Correspondence register no 22250/43/Bi/L
Subject: Krematorium II. State of construction
Reference: SS-WVHA telegram 2648 of 28/1/43
Enclosure: 1 Inspection Report
Head of Amstgruppen C
SS Lieutenant-General and Waffen SS Major-General
Dr Ing (Engineer) Kammler
Berlin Lichterfelde West
Unter den Eichen 126-135
Krematorium II has been completed but for minor details, thanks to employing all available forces, despite enormous difficulties and freezing weather, using day and night shifts. The furnaces have been lit in the presence of Herr Chief Engineer Prüfer of the firm responsible for their construction, Topf & Sons of Erfurt and they function perfectly. Because of the frost, it has not yet been possible to remove the formwork from the ceiling of the corpse cellar. This is of no consequence, however, as the gassing cellar can be used to this end [i.e. a morgue].
Because the wagons are blocked, Messrs Topf & Sons have not been able to deliver on time the ventilation and air extraction installations as required by the Bauleitung. These will be fitted as soon as they arrive, so that it is probable that the installation will be entirely ready for service on the 20th February 1943.
Please find enclosed a report by the inspecting engineer of Topf & Sons, Erfurt.
Head of the Auschwitz Waffen SS and Police
Central Construction Management
[Signed] Bischoff
SS Captain
Distribution:
1 SS Second Lieutenants Janisch and Kirschneck
1 Registration
For Archives
[Signed] Pollok
SS Second Lieutenant (S)