Arthur R. Butz – The Hoax Of The Twentieth Century

Supplement 5: Vergasungskeller
An early version of this supplement appeared in the Journal of Historical Review,
vol. 16, no. 4, July-Aug. 1997, pp. 20-22.
Veteran revisionists recognize that an outstanding small problem has been the
“Vergasungskeller” that was evidently in or near Crematorium II in the Birkenau
part of the Auschwitz camp.
Crematorium II (and its mirror image Crematorium III) had two huge underground
morgues, Leichenkeller 1 (LK 1) and LK 2, and a smaller morgue LK 3.
LK 1 and LK 2 were simple concrete morgues in which bodies were simply laid
on the floor. See Fig. 33. Essentially everything said here concerning Crematorium
II should be presumed to hold also for Crematorium III. With one exception
to be noted, nothing said here applies to Crematorium I (in the Stammlager part of
the Auschwitz camp, rather than Birkenau, and taken out of service in July 1943).
Apart from remarks near the end about the work of Samuel Crowell, nothing said
here applies to Crematoria IV or V at Birkenau.
A letter to SS headquarters Berlin, from the Auschwitz construction department,
dated 29 January 1943, when the construction of Crematorium II was nearing
completion, reports that frost prohibits removal of the formwork for the ceiling
of the “Leichenkeller” (without specifying which of the three is meant) but
that this is unimportant, since the “Vergasungskeller” can be used for that purpose,
i.e. as a morgue. The document had the number NO-4473 at the Nuremberg
trials. Specifically, NO-4473 reads:
“The Crematorium II has been completed – save for some minor constructional
work – by the use of all the forces available, in spite of unspeakable difficulties,
the severe cold, and in 24 hour shifts. The fires were started in the
ovens in the presence of Senior Engineer Prüfer, representative of the contractors
of the firm of Topf and Sons, Erfurt, and they are working most satisfactorily.
The formwork for the reinforced concrete ceiling of the Leichenkeller
could not yet be removed on account of the frost. This is, however, unimportant,
as the Vergasungskeller can be used for this purpose.
The firm of Topf and Sons was not, on account of the unavailability of rail
transport, able to deliver the aeration and ventilation equipment on time, as
had been requested by the Central Building Management. As soon as the aeration
and ventilation equipment arrive, the installing will start so that the complete
installation may be expected to be ready for use by 20 February 1943.
A report of the inspecting engineer of the firm of Topf and Sons, Erfurt, is
enclosed.”
When NO-4473 is interpreted with the help of some documents reproduced by
Pressac, 678 it is shown that the “Leichenkeller” is LK 2. Pressac believes that the
678
J.-C. Pressac, Auschwitz: Technique and Operation of the Gas Chambers, Beate Klarsfeld Foun-
443