German historian Susan Willems speaks fondly of the survivors she has met over the decades: “Many of them were like beloved grandfathers to me. Of course, we lost many of them, and it is my duty to continue and be their witness.” .
There will be no political speeches by international leaders at the gates of death, and no Russian presence because of the full-scale war launched against Ukraine almost three years ago, although the camp was liberated by the Russian-dominated 60th Army, the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front.
Vladimir Putin attended the 60th anniversary; Now he is not welcome.
The decision of the Nazis to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe in extermination camps in early 1942. Six were built in occupied Poland: in Chelmno, Bielcek, Sobibor, Treblinka, Maddanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Treblinka was much smaller than Auschwitz, and yet 800,000-850,00 Jews were killed there in a much shorter period.
Heinrich Himmler, supreme commander of the dreaded SS, and camp commandant Rudolf Höss, who oversaw the expansion of the Auschwitz complex to build a second camp at Birkenau for industrial killing.
By the end of 1942, there were four separate gas chambers and crematoria.
