Post liberation Buchenwald photograph

**StefanM** · 11-04-2013, 02:45 PM

A recent small find from KL Buchenwald.

Not sure whereabouts in the camp this was taken, there is a tower structure in the background but it does not look exactly like the camp entrance structure tiers but it could the acute angle in the photo that makes the structure look different, an enlarged view of the structure below:

The photo has a caption in Polish on the reverse:

"Na wiecznę pamiątkę i [illegible] miłe mi wspomnieniami najukochańszej Inie (?) ofiaruje" - Teo, Buchenwald Bloki ii

Roughly translates as:

"Theo gives this to my dearest Ina (?) as an everlasting souvenir of happy memories." Buchenwald Block 2

I assuming that these are freed Polish forced labourers rather than camp inmates as they do not have shaved heads, the women are in summer clothes and some of the men are in fatigue style overalls and wearing armbands but no camp functionary armbands.

Strangely, one of the men in the center of the group appears to be pointing a bayonet or knife at the man on his left....but in a joking manner!

Buchenwald Block 2
An extract of one of the Nuremberg Trail. A form prisoner is asked about tattooed skin in Buchenwald:
Witness Bachalowsky: In Buchenwald, human tattooed skin was placed in Block 2. This block was called the “pathological block”.

Surely not the same block ii as in the caption?

**CARL** · 11-06-2013, 11:12 AM

The Pathologie barrack bordered the western edge of the Appellplatz (roll call area), the remains of which are now found near to the memorial to murdered Sinti and Roma. No towers of any form where near enough to that barrack to show in the background of the image above. Attached below is an image taken from the Torgebäude (gate building), looking through the main entrance gate toward the site of the former barrack.

**CARL** · 11-06-2013, 11:41 AM

An image of recently arrived prisoners in 1940, being washed and shaved prior to barrack allocation. Note the chimney structure in the background.

**StefanM** · 11-06-2013, 11:54 AM

by CARL88

The Pathologie barrack bordered the western edge of the Appellplatz (roll call area), the remains of which are now found near to the memorial to murdered Sinti and Roma. No towers of any form where near enough to that barrack to show in the background of the image above. Attached below is an image taken from the Torgebäude (gate building), looking through the main entrance gate toward the site of the former barrack.

Thanks Carl, I am not sure the caption meant the photo was taken outside Block II but was related the sender and recipient to being in or working in the camp Block II. Maybe this is an UNRRA or DP work team in the photo but pretty counter-intuitive that Buchenwald would have been expressed as such an enjoyable time in any event?