Sobibor - Holocaust Propaganda And Reality - Unity of Nobility ...

150 J. GRAF, T. KUES, C. MATTOGNO, SOBIBÓR
chambers of the first structure, which he describes as a “solid brick
building:” 443
“The new six-room gas chamber building had a corridor that ran
through its center, and three rooms on either side. The entrance to
each gas chamber was from the corridor. The three gas chambers
were the same size as the existing one, 4 × 4 meters. The killing capacity
of the gas chambers was increased to nearly 1,300 people simultaneously.
With the renewal of the extermination activities in Sobibór,
in October 1942, the new gas chambers became operational.”
According to Novitch, the five new chambers measured 4 × 12 meters
each with an individual capacity of 70 to 80 victims. 444 No source is
provided for this description, though, and it does not match any known
witness statement. 445 Louis de Jong speaks of six chambers with a total
capacity of “about 500 people.” 321
In the English language edition of his Sobibór study, Schelvis asserts
that the first gas chambers were built of wood, 446 while the new ones
were housed in a brick building, 447 implying that the first structure was
demolished completely. Schelvis does not state anything about the
number or size of the new chambers, but finds it sufficient to quote the
Hödl testimony mentioned above – as well as Kurt Gerstein’s and Rudolf
Reder’s statements regarding the alleged gas chambers at Beec!
Rückerl writes in his summary of the Hagen verdict: 448
“A group of construction workers from the Lublin head office, directed
by the defendant L.[ambert], partly tore down the old gas
chamber building and replaced it with a new and larger building of
solid materials having twice the number of chambers. Each cell had
a floor area of 4 by 4 meters and a clear height of 2.20 meters.”
The same verdict states that the first building contained three chambers,
449 so that the new chambers numbered six in total. No dimensions
for the building itself are given, but based on the number and size of the
chambers we may conclude that it measured approximately 13 × 10 m,
allowing for a 1.5 meter wide central corridor and 20 cm thick walls.
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
Y. Arad, op. cit. (note 49), p. 31, 123.
M. Novitch, op. cit. (note 39), p. 26.
The number of chambers is possibly derived from the 1947 Main Commission report, cf.
chapter 2.3.2.
For more on this issue see chapter 8.4.
J. Schelvis, op. cit. (note 71), p. 103.
A. Rückerl (ed.), op. cit. (note 36), pp. 172f.
Ibid., p. 163.