The Nazis were proud of the efficiency of their death camps.

by Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis and Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

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Sentenced To Death

Jews Being Sent To The Gas Chambers
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

 

Those who were selected for "death" went to the barracks. They were told they were going for "de-lousing." They entered big chambers. Hoess, the Commandant of Auschwitz, was a model of efficiency. He developed chambers that could "process" 2,000 people at a time. At one point, Auschwitz was killing 20,000 people a day.

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Burning Corpses

Burning Corpses of Hungarian Jews In Large Pits
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

 

The gas would usually kill within five minutes. Afterwards, they would take out the bodies, check for gold, and then the corpses would go to the crematoria.

Those ovens were going day and night. The doors literally melted off the hinges.

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The Ovens

Ovens Used For Burning Corpses
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

With perfect efficiency, everything was used. Everything was saved – even the hair for stuffing coats and mattresses, and the ashes for fertilizer.

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Mothers And Children

Mothers Comforting Children Prior To Gassing
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

 

NOTE: The Jews always had to pay for everything. If someone’s father or brother was carted away to the camps, he would get a postcard informing him that he died of a heart attack, and if he would kindly send 3-1/2 Marks, they would send his ashes.

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Published: Wednesday, December 31, 1969
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Visitor Comments: 6

(6) racquel, January 10, 2012 1:10 AM

horible

this is soooo sick i cant believe a person could do that.thank u soo much i have a report on the holocaust and ur website helped alot.

(5) Axel, March 2, 2009 9:59 PM

Oh my...

I can't even imagine how they managed to kill so many innocent people. espesialy in one day. 20,000?! Thats sick.

(4) Jack, February 24, 2008 1:26 PM

This is just sick and cruel and discusting

(3) zach, January 28, 2008 6:46 PM

Time machine

WOW!

I have had enough about hearing this! On top of my life goal of making millions and donating over half of it to charities, i now have a new goal!

Im gunna build a time machine...go back to the 1930's save the Jews and kill off the nazi's...

Did i mention...

I hope that nazi's BURN IN HELL!!!

(2) Rebecca Leannne, March 20, 2007 3:27 PM

hurtful, scarce, horrid, illeagal, and cruel

The Holocaust, was such an awful time in life. People were murdered, and beaten.People would stand in line, excited, thinking they will soon go home, but throught the things they dont know, they will walk into a room, and be murdered. Just by reading the book, i cry. To realize how sad, and horrible, those times were, to be seperated from family, and dieing a painful death. And yet here I stand today, unknowing how they felt, and not being murdered as they were, I feel as if I have been blessed, to be alive, and pray for those who lost there's.
Rebecca Leanne

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About the Author

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis studied biology and geology at Northern Illinois University. In addition, he spent time as a deep-sea diver in the oil fields in the North Sea between Scotland and Norway and has circumnavigated the seas of the world in a sailboat. Rabbi Ellis received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah where he is a senior lecturer at the Discovery and Essentials programs.

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky received his BS from Cornell with a major in Communication Arts and a minor in Archeology, and did post-graduate work at UCLA in the field of Desert Plants and Natural History. Prior to moving to Israel, he worked in the field of Urban Ecology including several years as a landscape designer in Beverly Hills. Rabbi Silinsky received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He currently teaches at the Yeshivat Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

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