Buchenwald framed liberation (graphic)to victims..

[Dean]

I have had two original photos from the liberation of KZ Buchenwald for a while now and decided to do some research. Both pics have "Buchenwald" written on the back. I didn't realize until later that the US soldier had a paratrooper M1 carbine. Then I looked even closer, he has an SS dagger on his belt! Then I was looking at other images from the liberation on google images.. There are several pics of the same spot but different angles. Judging from the other images , my pics were taken looking at the front of the crematorium. Behind the cart are a stack of poor souls.

There are even popular images of a senator looking at it. After reading several books on the camp I realized why the surviving inmates looked so healthy while there were skeletons in a heap. I then knew they must be sonderkommando, or basically , corpse detail. They would get extra rations for helping with disposal of the bodies. At first I was wondering how someone could do this to their fellow man.

When I read up on it, they did whatever they could to survive. Nobody could know what they would do in that situation. I found a Buchenwald political prisoner patch and put it in the frame along with a few notes describing the scene . I got the description from The Center of Holocaust and Genocidal Studies...it was from another angle of this series of photos.these are unpublished images.
R.I.P. to the. Fallen.
Dean

[Dean]

Can you guys see the SS dagger in his belt?
Also, here's a few books I've read on the subject:

-Edit-
The last book, "piepel" is actually from auschwitz now I think about it...not much different in content though..

[CARL]

Yes Dean, the dagger is visible. As I have stated earlier, these images were certainly taken outside of the Krematoria facility at Konzentrationslager Buchenwald. I have attached a modern image for comparison.

Regards,

Carl

Note: Sonder was used within concentration camp language to hide the true meaning of various actions. For example, Sonderbau, or "special building", was used to describe the Häftlingsbordell (inmates' brothel).

[Dean]

Thanks for the added info. The building definitely looks the same. My great grandfather liberated a KZ but he didn't mention which one. He was 101st ,506th, band of bothers. He said in his memoirs he made the SS commandant stand on a heap of bodies for three days , then he shot him.

[CARL]

Today, two reproductions stand near the crematorium facility. On the left is the Hänge-Pfahl (hanging post), with the replica cart visible to the right of the attachment.

Re: Sonderkommando

Although Sonderkommando members did survive, it is known that very few from any of the concentration camps actually made it to liberation. Their names were at the head of the list for execution when camp staff evacuations were planned, for obvious reasons. The fact that some prisoners appear in better condition will often be due due to their prior work posting within indoors facilities, such as the various workshops that were present at many of the camps. The difference between a workshop placement and forced labour as part of a quarry Kommando was often life and death. Access to extra food, or the right connections, was also possible for some of the more fortunate inmates.

[Dean]

Yes, quite true regarding the indoor workers, such as the cooks, potato peelers,cobblers,Taylors...etc..
Or even block chiefs , block orderlies ,Kapos, camps seniors and clerks..but they were much hated and probably were killed by the inmates! Ludwig Tiene , the camp senior at KZ auschwitz was a notorious child rapist and murderer even before the war and especially when in The camp. His exploits are outlined in the book' Pieple' I showed above.
Dean.

[CARL]

At 3:15pm today, it will be exactly 68 years since the liberation of KL-Buchenwald. The clock on the Torgebäude (Gate building), visible in the attachment shown below, forever displays the time.

[StefanM]

Did the patch come with the photos?

[CARL]

Today marks the 69th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald.

[Dean]

Thanks Carl, for the memorium post.

Stefan , no unfortunalely the patch did not come with the two photos, but it is from KL Buchenwald, according to the sales description when I purchased it. I can see why one would think they are a group but I later added it and the description as a visual aid and such..
Thanks,
Dean