Prof. Andrzej Kola, "I Badania archeologiczne terenu byłego obozu zagłady Żydów w Sobiborze w 2001 r" ("1st Archaeological Research of the Former Jew Extermination Camp at Sobibor in 2001"), in: Przeszłość i Pamięć. Biuletyn Rady Ochrony Pamięci Walk i Męczeństwa Nr. 4 (21) z 2001 r, pages 115 to 123.
Translated into English by Katarzyna Piotrowska.
Documents and Materials
1st Archaeological Research of the Former Jew Extermination Camp at Sobibor in 2001
Archaeological research of the site of the former Nazi extermination camp at Sobibor, with similar methods used as in the camp at Belzec, was carried out by a team of archaeologists from Nicolas Copernicus University of Torun, under the supervision of ‘Rada Ochrony Pamieci Walk i Meczenstwa’ (Council for safeguarding the remembrance of struggle and martyrdom) of Warsaw.
The works were scheduled after the archaeological reconnaissance was held under the supervision of OPWiM in autumn 2000 at Sobibor.
The results of previously mentioned archaeological reconnaissance (analyzed at a special meeting in Warsaw -5/11/2000- under the supervision of the OPWiM Chief General) let us indicate the range of archaeological research conducted at the area of former extermination camp. Its layout as well as the location of mass graves is currently completely unreadable, due to its entire demolition by Germans in 1943 (after the historically famous prisoners’ escape of 14 October 1943). The aim of this archaeological research is to reconstruct its layout in order to be able to remember the victims of Holocaust accurately and profoundly, including development of the accurate plan of commemoration. Another important issue is to find real life objects belonging to Jews from all over Europe who were brought to Sobibor to die (for the Sobibor’s local museum, branch of Leczynsko - Wlodawskie Lake District Museum in Wlodawa) Objects that could prove their misery there as well as the extermination itself. Because of very little information about functioning of this extermination camp, only archaeological research can provide us with at least some information about it.
It is known, that in its organizational layout, the camp at Sobibor was divided into 3 areas: Sobibor I, II, and III. In 1943, Sobibor IV was being prepared but its purpose is still not clear. From the sources we have (e.g. from the prisoners who escaped), it is known that camps I and II were serving as bases for variety of works, i.e. forest agriculture. These were also serving camp III, which was the extermination camp.
According to research program of the former camp, the archaeological research was supposed to lead to the total exploration of former camp area. In order to do it, we needed a map of entire camp’s area, to be able to locate different cultural structures. In the investigation held after the war, area was said to be 58 hectares. However, in reconnaissance of its topography, we could assume that in fact it was a smaller area. 63 hectares are scheduled for the research, measuring NS -900m and WE - 700 m (hectares for documentation are numbered from I to LXIII). SYTUACYJNO-WYSOKOSCIOWA map was used in the research on 1:1000 scale, made by Przedsiebiorstwo Produkcyjno-Przemyslowe EXPOL in 1991 in Lublin, and updated in spring 2001 by Wojewodzkie Biuro Geodezji i Terenow Rolnych in Lublin, branch in Chelm, manufactured in Mlodawa. The map was updated for the purpose of archeological research held under supervision of OPWiM.
The archaeological reconnaissance let us assume what the size of the camp was before the actual research was held. Basing on little information about infrastructure of camps I and II, it was found out that they were situated in the area of today’s town, west from today’s train station at Sobibor, as well as west from still existing railway (bocznica) - Sobibor I. North of it, there was camp II, situated at the area of today’s field- where wood was worked until the late 90s. (camp Sobibor II). The area, as it is now, didn’t have any trees. Up north, according to some of the sources, little further out from the camp II, there was camp III – the actual extermination camp at Sobibor. There was a wall of trees isolating it from camp II. Because of lack of witnesses and traces, we don’t have any information about its planning. There was a gas chamber (or chambers), barracks for German, Ukrainian and Jewish workers as well as barracks where all the Jewish confiscated belongings were kept. There was a hairdresser’s and mass graves of over 200 thousand victims – as it is commonly acknowledged. Moreover, the available sources say that there was a train pushed by the prisoners, leading from railway ramp in camp I area, through II camp up to camp III. It was used to transport sick and exhausted Jews brought to the camp. The exact route is still unknown. Camp IV was supposed to be established east from camp III.
The program of archaeological research held at Sobibor in 2001 was divided into 2 phases – spring and autumn one. During 6 week spring research period – from 17 IV to 9 VI – camp’s structures were being archeologically examined – starting from the assumed camp III area. In year 2000, as part of sample archaeological research, near to the victims’ tragedy memorial built in the 60s, mass graves were found in a few archaeological exams. Following the traces, in 2001 it was decided to continue the research in the area of discovery. The reconnaissance was made by archaeological excavations with manual, geological drills with diameter of a drill bit of around 65mm. Because of the vast area that was to be examined, it agreed to excavate on the knots of 5-metre net, giving more detail to the positive drills (i.e. in the areas of cultural drills being registered – e.g. relicts of the households or graves). Considering the above, at least 400 drills were to be done in the areas of consecutive hectares. In the second phase of research, from 19 VIII to 13 X, the reconnaissance of the camp was continued with the same method. At the same time, archaeological excavations of previously located, chosen archaeological structures from the first phase were being made.
In the spring phase, 4 hectares of the former camp III area were completely examined (i.e. hectares: XVII, XVIII, XXIV, XXV). In every one of them, 400 basic drills were made, with extra drills made in the areas of cultural interference locating relicts of anthropogenic structures. In this phase, they were divided into graves (usually obvious for the interpretation) and according to its natural STRATYGRAFICZNA interference, traces of a different kind of ground change, deriving from human influence. Their interpretation can only be possible by excavating. In hectare XVII, 90 extra drills were made. In hectare XVIII – 76 drills, XXIV – 18, and in XXV – 21. Altogether, 1805 drills were made in spring phase in the area of 4 hectares. Among those, in 1107 drills, there was found natural (without any anthropogenic interference) STRATYGRAFICZNY layout, where under existing layer of humus (on average 0 – 30 cm), yellowish, natural sand was found (Archaeologically speaking - CALEC – name of that kind of sand). Traces of graves were found in 128 drills. They are located in 7 vast areas, which we can assume to be holes with the remains of the murdered. The graves were up to 4 meters deep. Only in one case, the bottom of the grave (grave no 3) was 5.80 meters below the surface. The most obvious body burning was found in the bottom layers of those graves, where layers of burnt bones were found with 40 – 60 cm of thickness.
The general characteristic of graves
Grave no 1 is located in the north - eastern part of hectare 17, just west from the memorial to victims. The site was excavated by 27 drills. Horizontally, it measures 20 x 20 m and is up to 4.30 m deep. It was a body burning grave.
Grave no 2 is located in the western part of the hectare 17, south from the memorial. It was excavated by 28 drills. Horizontally its shape is irregular, measuring at least 20 x 25 m – with its longer side in NS position – and with depth up to 4 metres. It was a body burning grave.
Grave no 3 is located in the south- western part of hectare 11 and north - western part of hectare 17. It was excavated by 17 drills. Horizontally, it's irregular, measuring around 20 x 12 m - with its longer side in NS position. The biggest part of the grave is located under north - western part of the memorial. It’s up to 5.80 m deep. In bottom layers, the grave is bony, with human remains in wax- fat transformation. The upper layers are a mixture of burnt body remains with layers of lime stone, sand and charcoal. The northern part of the grave is located near to northern part of the grave no 4. The more precise location of the graves requires additional research.
Grave no 4. It’s a grave with significant size, located in southern part of hectare 11, as well as northern and central parts of hectare 18. It was excavated by 78 drills. Horizontally, in NS position, it measures 70 x 20-25 m with the depth of around 5m. In bottom layers the grave is bony, with human remains in wax- fat transformation. The upper layers are a mixture of burnt body remains with layers of lime stone, sand and charcoal.
Besides the above interference, found in the surface of the ground of four hectares of the camp, the additional – numerous ones – were found spread all over the surface of the camp. The majority of those are located nearby the mass graves, mostly towards south-western and south-eastern direction. Their thickness varies, also their cultural background. Those relics, as well as the previous ones, need further archaeological research.
During the penetration of the camp (basing on information taken from the locals) another well, made of concrete rollers was located north-eastern from memorial. After it was partially uncovered, the upper side of its highest roller was found at the depth of around 2.20 m to the existing surface. It’s measuring 180 cm in its external diameter, with the roller height of 0.80m and wall thickness up to 18cm. It was completely filled with sand. In the drill done around it, water was found at the depth of 5m. Well with similar parameters is still used near the existing building, house of the former commander, in the area of former camp 1.
Grave no 5. It’s not a very vast grave, located in the north-western part of hectare 18. It was excavated by 7 drills. Horizontally, it's irregular, measuring at least 10 x 12 m, with its depth up to 4.90 m. In its bottom layers the grave is bony, with human remains in wax-fat transformation. In the upper layers – burnt body remains.
Grave no 6. It’s located in the central part of hectare 18, south from grave no 5. It was excavated by 22 drills. Horizontally, it’s irregular, measuring at least 15 x 25 m, with its depth up to 3.05 m. In its bottom layers the grave is bony, with human remains in wax-fat transformation. The upper layers - burnt body remains.
Grave no 7. Location of body burning activity, measuring at least 10 x 3 m, with its depth up to 0.90 m, in the central part of hectare 18, around 10-12 m south from the southern side of grave 4. The vast majority of burnt body remains were found in 6 drills. Around, vast ground transformation of an uncertain genesis. Only because of the burnt body remains found, the structure was thought of as a grave. In order to state the function of the place more accurately, further archaeological research needs to be conducted.
In 569 drills interference of ground surface were found. The majority of it is located in the grave area, especially in the spaces between the graves. To state their origin would only be possible with further archaeological research. Considering the location of it (grave areas), we can assume that among those are relics of the camp-hold, related to victims killings. Those could be e.g. relics of the gas chamber or traces of a different activity in the grave area, e.g. the ground transformations could have occurred following the movement of bodies or burnt remains. Probably further archaeological research could provide us with more information about their origin.
The second majority of ground interference is located in the central and southern part of hectare XXIV. Horizontally, it was shaped as a prolonged rectangle, measuring around 60-70 x 10m, with its longer sides in NS position. In southern and northern parts the interference was clearly wider. The sponginess of the interference was similar in most of the drills and measured 1 – 1.20 m, as well as its cultural background of a sandy decay. At this stage, we can assume that we are dealing with rather uncertain kind of buildings, it could have been e.g. one of the barracks, described by people who survived Sobibor.
Another location of interference found in the surface of the ground, which tells us about a possibility of a significant building being located in that area, was found in the central part of hectare XXV, around the actual asphalt square in memorial to Sobibor victims. The interference is found from here in south- eastern direction that is along the existing alley, leading from the road, up to the memorials. It takes up an area of around 40 x 30m. In the northern part of that area, concrete well remains were found, dating back to the days of camp’s activity. It’s made of rollers, 100 cm in diameter with the sides of 10 cm thickness, whereas the top of the highest situated roller is currently located around 80 cm below the asphalt surface of the square. The well was completely covered with sand.
Significant recurrence of surface interference is also located in the western and south - western part of hectare XVII, around grave no 2. As in the previous cases, further archaeological research could provide us with more information about their origin.
In autumn research phase, drilling was continued in former camp area. In two months, additional 5 hectares were excavated. The research of two hectares, located beside the spring research area, was made first (potential southern part of former camp 2 and probably aside camp 3 - hectares XXXI and XXXII). 400 basic drills were make there, located - alike in spring research - on knots of 3-metre net. Research was conducted on consecutive 2 hectares, along southern side of previous ones, moving it 100 m east (hectares XXXIX and XL). 400 basic drills were made here as well, according to previous rules. It is thought that area covers at least part of former camp 2. Hectare XLVIII was the last for research to be conducted on. It is located in (south) 100m lane, 100m east of hectare XL. 400 drills (sondazowych) were made here as well.
During autumn research, far less surface interference was found. They are also much more spread here. The majority was found in hectare XXXI, which is further, southern area of interference, spreading from central and southern areas of hectare XIV. In hectare XXXII only isolated interference was found (in 12 drills altogether), in hectare XXXIX on the other hand, it was found in only 5 drills. Far more interference of the surface ground was located in hectares: XL (in 60 drills) and XLVIII (in 77 drills). The majority of it is located in northern and eastern parts of hectare XL. In hectare XLVIII, they are spread irregularly in its entire area. The above takes up however the area of former camp 1, with its large organizational density, also after liquidation of camps in 1943. All the above places are waiting for archaeological verification of their functions.
According to the programme, in the second phase of this year’s archaeological research held in Sobibor, extra research of areas with more density of anthropogenic structures was conducted. Central parts of hectares XXIV and XXV were chosen for the research.
Exploration started with items registered at hectare XXV, acres 53, 54, 63, 64. This is south - western region of the corner of existing memorial to camp (asphalt square with two monuments), located half way from the road to symbolic memorial in camp 3. Archaeological dig was made here, measuring 5.5 x 5.0m (dig1/01). It was later on widened from northern side by dig 1a/01, measuring 4.0 x 1.5m, eastern side by dig 1b/01, measuring 5.0 x 2.0 m, and western side by dig 1c/01 measuring 1.75 x 0.5m. Next archaeological dig, 2/01 previously measuring 3.2 x 3 m, was located north from north-western corner of the square. To understand discovering structures better, it was widened from western side by dig 2a/01 measuring 3.0 x 1.0 m and eastern side by dig 2b/01, measuring 2.0 x 0.5m. Next dig in the area (measuring 2.3 x 2.1m) was situated in the area of the well located in the centre of acre 35, spreading around the asphalt surface of the square (dig 3/01). The last dig in this year’s session, measuring 4.0 x 3.5m (dig 4/01), was located in the ground surface interference, just north from north-western corner of the square, in the centre of acre 33 of this hectare, 1 m south and east away (dig 4a/01), as well as south by dig 4b/01, measuring 4,5 x 2.0m. The widening touched the surface of the square.
In the central area of hectare XIV, in the place of high density of surface layers, spreading from north towards south, up to northern part of hectare 31, a dig on the edge of acres 36, 37, 46 and 47 was done, measuring 13.0 x 3.0m (dig 5/01). It was cutting (in WE position) through archaeological structures located by drills. In following digs, it was widened by additional areas towards north: 5a/01, (measuring 10.0 x 2.5m), 5b/01 (7.0 x 2.5m), 5c/01 (8.0 x 2.5m), 5d/01 (8.0 x 5.0m), and 5e/01 (10.0 x 6.0m). The last dig, because of unexpected cultural density of layers, was widened towards west by dig 5f/01 (4.5 x 3.0m), towards east by dig 5g/01 (5.0 x 2.0m), and towards north by dig 5h/01 (6.0 m long and 2.0 and 1.0 m wide). Starting from the main 5/01 dig it was also widened towards south by additional digs: 5i/01 measuring 7.5m ( 6.5m ) with width of 6m (4.5m), dig 5k/01, 6.5 2.0m, dig 5l/01, measuring 7.5 x 5.5 m with additional part measuring 4.0 x 2.0 m, with western part attached to digs 5j/01 and 5k/01. It was also widened by dig 5l/01, measuring 9.5 x 7.7m, with additional parts from north-western side 2.0 x 2.0m and from eastern side 3.5 x 1.0m. Following the windings of archaeological exploration, one big research dig was made, irregularly shaped, located in hectare XXIV, acres: 17, 26-28, 36,37,46,47, 56, 57, 66 and 67.
The outcome of the archaeological research
Object A
(Hectare XXV, acres: 53,54,63,64. Digs: 1/01, 1a/01, 1b/01, 1c/01)
A relict of a small building, probably of a little, wooden barrack with some interior elements made of bricks. The building had a cellar up to 2.50 meters beneath the ground level. Horizontally, in the ground area, it measured around 4.5 x 4.5 meters; in the areas beneath the ground level: 2.75 x 2.75 m. The building was completely deconstructed from its wooden elements. It’s remains are cultural, archaeological structures deriving from the inside of the cellar, such as sand mixed with remains of bricks, cement, iron elements of walls, ceilings and doors – hooks, nails, planks, screws, door hinges and handles, metal sticks of different kind, e.g. the one we use for the fire place. Some of the bars (as bricks) are clearly half-fabrics (?). 4 SZAMOTOWE bricks were found as well. Those structures are seen clearly in the sandy parts. Among the numerous relicts found at the site, others were: a pair of glasses and lenses, metal drill, sander, metal saw, metal part of the shuffle, jars, an inkstand, perfume bottles, combs, pieces of hair pins, etc. From the depth of around 80 – 90 cm towards the surface, there was a pile of coal stone. It was formed as a 10 – 15 cm layer, taking the area of around 1.5 x 1.5 m. Next to it, in the north-western part, much bigger quantities of coal were found, 300 – 400 kilos, reaching down to 2,20 m.
Those inventory records let us interpret the function of the building. The quantities of coal, together with adequate quantity of wood (forests), tell us that it was not meant to heat. Numerous bricks and cement (including SZAMATOWE bricks), are giving us arguments for the existence of the smithy here. Quite numerous semi manufactured articles of metal bricks, as well as some of the metal tools found (sander, saw, drill), let us assume that the smithy was located here. If the assumption is correct, the coal could have been used for the works in the smithy. In the days of its functioning, the coal might have been located in the ground area, and only after demolition of the building, it moved down to the cellar, creating a pile of the layer, which in its layout is gradually falling at the north – western wall up to the centre of the room.
Object B
(Hectare XXV, acres 23, 33. Digs 2/01, 2a/01, 2b/01)
The remains of a smallish building, probably wooden, completely demolished, with its inside deep in sandy ground up to 1.3 m. Horizontally, in its ground level, it measured around 4.0 x 3.5 m. Its lower part shortened to 3.5 x 3.2 m. The interpretation of relicts marked as object B, is quite problematic. In the relict structures of the object – in a form of sandy decay mixed with uncertain organic parts, there aren’t any elements that could help us to identify its function or construction undoubtedly (e.g. bricks, PAPA, nails or traces of planks). Judging by the layout of relicts we can assume it to have been a smallish barrack with not a very deep cellar or a building half- located in the ground. On the contrary to object A, among its relicts many objects belonging to the victims or Jewish workers of the camp III, were found. Most of those were only partial, such as: glass parts of dishes, bottles and metal soap trays, empty tins, pieces of leather shoes, parts of buckets, and many more metal objects in a very advanced decay. Some of the better preserved objects were taken into reconstruction for the future exposition. These were 73 fragments of female combs, 12 fragments of hair pins, 46 fragments of glasses, 19 glass lenses, 11 perfume bottles, 19 carbine (Mauser) and pistol shells, 3 Polish coins, a toothbrush, 2 necklaces, 9 rubber ends of walking sticks, 4 fragments of scissors, 2 locker keys, etc. 12 pairs of false teeth and fragments of torch batteries were found there as well.
Object C
(Hectare XXV, acre 35. Dig 3/01)
In the depth of around 40-45 cm below the asphalt, where the cement well was located, there was started an archaeological dig, measuring horizontally 2.3 x 2.1 m. The dig was being excavated until the depth of 95 – 100 m, uncovering – at the depth of 50 m – the upper part of the first remaining cement CEMBROWINA of the well. It was noticed that while building the well, only the sand from its interior was taken out. Hence the following exploration was taken only in its interior not in the area of the dig. The depth of 5.00 – 5.10 m was reached. The exploration had to be stopped here because of the sudden leak of ground waters, of which traces started appearing at the depth of around 3, 60 m. They didn’t make it till the end of the well then. 7 cement spherical parts of well were revealed measuring 110 cm on the outside, 90 cm in the inside and with its height of 70 cm. In the construction of the well, the first, surface part was missing. The well was covered with sandy structures, probably at the times of memorial works in the 60s, and then covered with asphalt layer in the 80s. Until now, it is the only known well with water in the area of camp III.
Object D
(Hectare XXV, acre 33. Digs 4/01, 4a/01, 4b/01)
Trace of a small, wooden building, of a rectangular shape measuring around 5.2 x 3.0m. Alike building , after which relict called object B remained – located right to the north from object D, here as well all the wooden elements of construction were demolished. From the archaeological relict structures we can assume that there was a little cellar or it was situated half above the ground with its depth up to around 1, 50 m. At this stage of exploring camp III not much can be said about its function. What attracts attention are numerous objects found in its cultural layers – most probably belonging to victims, such as: false teeth, glasses and a glass lens, fragments of combs and hair pins, fragments of mirrors, fragments of plastic cigar holders, soap trays, underwear buttons, a spoon, fragments of a razor, empty bottles of perfume, belt buckles, knives, fragments of scissors, a razor blade. Several Mauser and Mosin shells were found there, as well as pistol shells. From the construction of the building, numerous, very damaged, metal objects were found.
Analyzing the planning of objects A, B and D, what attracts attention is their regular layout in the line alike NS. In this part of the camp other, vast traces of anthropogenic changes were found, suggesting existence of other objects of not very certain kind. The well – object C – located here, can suggest a possibility of households belonging to the crew of camp III (maybe of a Jewish origin), being involved in actions related to extermination of victims. This could be possibly explained by following archaeological research of this area.
Object E
(Hectare XXIV, acres 17, 26-28, 36,37,46,47,56,57,66. Digs 5/01, 5a-l/01)
Object E is a relict of a long, wooden barrack, of a length only partially uncovered – around 60m, and width of 6m. Its longer side is situated in a NS line. Despite much widening of a research dig on its southern part, its end on this side wasn’t uncovered. Judging from the drilling trials, towards south, it could be taking space of 20-25m more. In its northern end, it was closed with a smaller barrack, attached to it, measuring around 14.0 x 4.0m. The trace after both, completely demolished barracks can be clearly seen in the sandy ground of forest. Currently it’s filled with darker, sandy structure of mixed humus, containing rather unknown organic structures. Some parts of object E are deepened in the ground on an average depth of 70-80cm from the surface, having horizontal layout. Only in a few places the dig was deepening down to 120-130 cm. Both barracks were made of wood. While researching its relict structures no traces of bricks or cement were found but numerous traces of wood coal were found, as well as pieces of burnt wood and wooden sticks. In couple of places, mainly in the middle parts of the barrack, traces of former pillars were found in a sandy surface. We can assume then that wooden construction of the barrack was held by pillars, slightly above the surface, (around 60, 70 cm). Moreover, in some parts of the relict structures of the barrack, below the regular line, some shallow digs were found, going down to 30-60 cm in the ground. Its function remains uncertain. These had oval shape with a diameter of 50 cm (no. 5) up to 110cm (no. 1), with maximum depth of around 60 cm (no.3) – see the plan of object E. In the relict structures of smaller barrack (in the north-western part of object E), directly on the sand, two enormous wooden planks were found, each 210 cm long, situated 90 cm deep in the sand. There was a continuous chain of holes covering its outside part, with diameters of 5-6cm each. In some of the holes there were still wooden pegs placed. Those blocks, coming from the structure of the barrack, happened to be placed there in the time of demolition of the building. Two pillars were found in the sand next to the planks, in the depth of around 40cm (no. 7 and 8).
In the cultural layers of object E, numerous objects belonging to the victims or to camp III’s crew were found. The objects started appearing directly below the surface of humus and were located in all the archaeological structures of object E. Those were: hair pins and combs, different kinds of buttons, glasses and a case for it, spoons, forks, table knives, scissors, metal boxes, belt buckles, SPRZACZKI, lighters, fragments of shaving razors and razor blades, envelopes and parts of watches, cufflinks, empty bottles and medicine packages, relicts of mirrors, etc. What attracts attention is an enormous pile of machine gun bullets (Mauser Mosin) – around 1830 pieces, found in the central part of the smaller barrack, covering the area of only a dozen of square meters. All the pieces shot to the ground, hence deformed. 9 pistol bullets, 3 MOSIN bullets and 1 pistol bullet were found here as well. In this barrack then, lying people were being shot to, probably sick and weak ones.
In the light of above findings, a question appears: what was the function of that enormous barrack? In its northern, attached part (smaller barrack), undoubtedly, people were shot. The enormous pile of bullets found, let us think that shots were aimed at people lying down, otherwise (when shot diagonally), bullets having left the body would have been shattered.
As it is commonly known, the main way of killing people in German extermination camps, was the gas chamber. So it was in the camp III of Sobibor, as all the testimonies say, of prisoners (of camps I and II), who managed to survive. Can object E be a relict of a gas chamber? At this stage of research we cannot be sure. The distance from the barrack to the nearest massive grave is only around 60m, to the centre of the mass graves area – 100m. That was the distance then, that the bodies of people shot at the northern part of the barrack had to be carried about. It could have also been the case with the victims of gas chambers, providing these were situated in the barrack. We have to remember though, that in the area of mass graves, numerous relicts of camp buildings were found in archaeological trial drills, which need archaeological verification. Maybe those hide the relicts of gas chambers. It seems, in the light of current research, that such a big barrack, the relict of which – still not fully identified – is called object E, could rather have a function of a undressing room where victims clothes and belongings were organized. Above hypothesis needs further verification through following research of camp III’s structures, besides the graves.
During systematic drill research at Sobibor, very detailed lustration of the areas of above research was held as well. That way, many other objects from the times of its functioning were found, such as: aluminum mug (with following written on the bottom: Garant Pure Aluminium, Made in Czechoslovakia, ¼, with a sign of an elephant), big metal spoon, iron artificial leg, missile, big shells and Mauser bullets, as well as Mosin and pistol bullets, Polish and German coins, etc.
Interesting results came up after observing trees of former camp area. More detailed research was held in the north-western and western parts of the assumed area, some research was held in the inside areas. Many of the trees were still carrying traces of a barbed wire, sometimes in several rows- from the bottom one, several cm above the ground area, until the upper one – 180-200cm. Those were the remains of camp fences. There was a research held on trees containing the remains of wires. In some of the trees the evidence of wires can be seen in its damaged bark, in others the wire occurred under the surface of bark so it could have only been confirmed with metal detector. Remains or traces of a wire were altogether found in over 100 trees. Based on that evidence, the lines surrounding the camp from the north-western and western part may have been uncovered, in hectare X (on 5 trees), IX (8), XV (29), XXII (18), XXIX (12), XXXVI (6), XLIII (12), XLIV (8), and LI (5). In north- western part, in a distance of 400 m, 3 lines of those fences were detected. Similar wires were found on the trees of inner parts of the camp, what can suggest outlining the inner parts, probably between camps I, II, and III. The research aiming to locate other trees containing this kind of traces should be continued.
Torun, 2001.
Acknowledgments
In the research, held under the command of the author of above report, took part: as the full time team members, archaeologists: mgr. Mieczyslaw Gora, employee of Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum of Lodz, mgr Danuta Baran, Ryszard Kazmierczak and Wieslawa Matuszewska-Kola from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of UMK, and seasonally, archaeologists: mgr. Wojciech Szulta from IAiE UMK, and mgr Dominika Sieminska and students of archaeology of UMK – Inga Gluszek, Slawomir Gronek, Rafal Muszytowski, Krzysztof Rybka, Michal Sieminski, and Zbigniew Wieczorkiwski. The communication and transport during the whole expedition was provided by drivers from UMK- Leszek Kieszkowski, Roman Dombrowski and Wieslaw Krajewski.
Maps:
