Belzec extermination camp

When most people think of the holocaust, the gates of Auschwitz is usually the first image that pops into most peoples minds. Some people think the Auschwitz was the first or only camp but this was not true. Auschwitz was not even open to be used in the Final Solution of the Jewish problem. It was originally used for Poles.

Layout of Belzec


Poland had the largest number of Jews, 3.3million. It mad sense financially to have the camps there. Also the Nazis were not particularly worried about the Polish population since they had a history of being anti-Semitic.

The three operation Rheinhard camps are Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka II. (The other Treblinka camp being a concentration camp for Poles.) Camp commanders and personal were recuited from those who had assisted in the killings of mentally handicapped. Other guards were known anit-Semites. Instead of Zyklon B, the Operation Rheinhard camps used Carbon Monoxide that was pumped from trucks.

Jews being deported to their deaths at Belzec

Tank of Carbon Monoxide that was used to murder Jews.

Belzec was the first camp and opened in April 1940. It was located in Galicia in southern Poland. Its purpose was specifically the murder of all who had the misfortune of being sent there. Around 500,000 Jews were killed in Belzec along with Gypsies, Soviets, Poles and a few others. Belzec was open for less than a year but reopened for three months in 1943. Belzec was the model camp for the other two operation Rheinhard camps.

When Belzec closed, the special commando unit who were in charge of disposing of the bodies were shipped to Sobibor and gassed there. Unlike all the other extermination camps, except fot Chelmno, there was no revolt at Belzec. It was known for its brutality and prisoners were discarded of every three months usually.

There are only 3 known survivors from Belzec, Rudolf Reder and Chaim Hirszman. The other was later recaptured and deported to another camp where he perished.

Rudolf Reder