The autumn transports of 1943 (24 August to 16 November 1943)
Of the 8 deportation transports that left the Netherlands during this period, some suffered a similar fate. In this context, the following classification can be made for the treatment:
I). The transports of 24 August, 14 and 21 September 1943 (Westerbork-Auschwitz), of which, after selection upon arrival, the vast majority of men deemed suitable for work were taken to Monowitz-Buna and almost all of the remaining women were intended for experiments. These transports each carried around 1000 people.
The overview of the transport of 24 August 1943:
Children up to 15 years: .............. 121
Men 16 to 50 years: .................... 233
Women 16-50 years: ................... 263
Persons over 50 years: ................ 384
Total ………………………....………… 1001 deportees, of which 12 men and 16 women survived. What is also striking is the large number of surviving women from the transports of 24 August, 14 and 21 September 1943, which will be discussed in more detail when the individual transports are discussed.
The general rule also applies to transports during this period that young children (up to 15 years), mothers with children, pregnant women, as well as weak, sick and elderly persons (generally over ± 50 years) either immediately upon arrival or were killed by gassing after a stay of several weeks in so-called "quarantine".
The transports of August 24, September 14 and 21, 1943.
MEN.
Due to the employment of almost all men considered suitable for work on these transports in Monowitz and due to the fact that the personal details of the vast majority of these men appear in the preserved administration of the "Krankenbau" (hospital) there for the period 7 July 1943 – 19 June 1944 (see paragraph 2 of Chapter I), virtually all matriculates are known by name from this administration. Apparently almost all of them ended up in this "Krankenbau" at some point. Furthermore, either from the changes mentioned in the said administration or from later documentary data (concerning Auschwitz or other camps to which those involved in the great evacuation or earlier were transferred), the fate of these men, with a few exceptions, can be determined individually is known, when dealing with these transports there is no need to look further for general conclusions for determining the numbers and ages of those employed or their maximum lifespan. Unless the existence of the missing persons involved has (later) become apparent in camps other than Monowitz, they fall under the conclusions formulated in paragraph 3, sub I, of Chapter I.
WOMEN.
It appears from the copious testimonies that the women who were not selected for use in experiments during the selections held at Auschwitz upon the arrival of these transports (see Chapter I, paragraph 3, sub III), were immediately taken to Birkenau to are gassed. With regard to the women designated for experiments, reference is made mainly to the paragraph cited, and for the rest to what was communicated about these women during the treatment of the individual transports.
Concerns the transport of 24 August 1943...
The men are matriculated in 2 series, namely: from 139 708 to 139 884 (A to W) and from 141 817 to 141 826 (W to Z). This shows that almost exactly 187 men have been matriculated. At most, a single name with the initial A or Z could be missing from the series.
Of those 187 men, 12 survived:
a) 31 died in Monowitz and 0 survivors. –
b) 48 were taken from the Krankenbau Monowitz to Birkenau on known dates and 1 survivor
c) 58 ditto to Auschwitz and 5 survivors
d) 46 "entlassen" from the Krankenbau Monowitz (dates known) and 6 survivors
e) 2 letter writers about whom no other information is available – no survivors
and f) 2 unknowns – 0 survivors.
Letters were received from a total of 31 of these men from Monowitz or Auschwitz, namely: the last on 7 April 1944 from 30 men (sent 30 January 1944 from Auschwitz) and on 25 July 1944 from 1 man. Only 2 of these letter writers, referred to under e), are not known for further information, so that only for determining the fate of these 2 the conclusions regarding the letter writers must be taken into account (see the paragraph cited). The two men referred to under (f) are not even known by name; it only appears from the outstanding numbers in the matricule series that there have been 2 unidentified employees. They naturally fall, as nameless persons, into the large group of those who must be considered to have died on or around the day of arrival at Auschwitz (27 August 1943).
To the extent that nothing further is known about the other individuals who have not returned, they fall under the conclusions regarding the Monowitz cases (Chapter I, paragraph 3, subsection I).
According to witness statements, the number of women designated for the experimental blocks is 44;
The reconstructed fragment of the matricule number series runs from 55974 (A) to 56013 (V). The names of the others are known from the statements of these returnees, so that the dates of death can be determined in accordance with the guidelines given in paragraph 3, sub III, of Chapter I. Letters were received here in this country from 3 women who were among the survivors on 25-7-1944.
With regard to the "unknowns" referred to under f, no other conclusion is possible than to regard them as deceased on or around the day of the transport's arrival at Auschwitz on 17 September 1943 (compare the corresponding comment on the transport of 24 Aug 1943 above). For the remainder, insofar as nothing else is known about them individually, the conclusions regarding the Monowitz cases apply (Chapter 1, paragraph 3 sub 1).
According to unanimous witness statements, 100 of the women on this transport were designated for experiments. The reconstructed fragment of the matricule series runs from 62.463 (A) to 62.558 (Z).
An almost complete list of these women can also be compiled based on the statements of the 52 (!) survivors. Their dates of death can be determined in accordance with the conclusions in paragraph 3, sub III, of Chapter. I.
Letters were received here in this country (NL) from 7 women on 25 July 1944. These letters play no role in determining the fate of those involved, because further information about them is known from other sources.
Appendix II - Summary of the conclusions of the autumn transports of 1943.
Transports (from Westernbork): 24 Augusuts - 14 and 21 September 1943
MEN
1st. Individually, based on the administration of the "Krankenbau"Monowitz”, the time and place of death of the men belonging to the three transports mentioned above are determined:
A): died in the Krankenbau (dates known);
B): were taken from the Krankenbau to Birkenau (died there, no later than the day after the day on which they were written off from the administration);
C): were deported from the Krankenbau to Auschwitz (died there no later than the end of the third month after the date on which they were written off from the administration);
D): from the Krankenbau are "entlassen" (died during the evacuation on a date to be determined on the basis of the evacuation schedule drawn up by the Information Bureau), on the understanding that the "Entlassen", whose matricule numbers are in the "Number book" of Auschwitz without indication of a camp mutation or a "checkings" (V) sign, must be considered to have died no later than 29 February 1944.
2nd. The men belonging to the transport of 21 September 1943, of whom it is known or must be assumed that they were transported further to Warsaw, unless individually known otherwise, (see also Chapter I, paragraph 3, sub II ) is considered to have died there no later than 31 March 31 1944.
3rd. All other men belonging to the three transports mentioned above are, unless individually known otherwise, deemed to have died in Birkenau on or about 27 August 1943 (transport 24 Aug 1943); on or about 17 September 1943 (transport 14 Sept 1943); on or about 24 September 1943 (transport 21 Sept 1943)
WOMEN and CHILDREN (X)
(X): In this summary, "children" is defined as: children who were not yet 16 years old 3 days after the date of transport.
1st. The time and place of death of the women selected to undergo experiments will be determined individually on the basis of lists compiled by the Information Bureau from witness statements and official documents. Women belonging to this group who were removed from the experimental blocks to Birkenau are deemed to have died there at the latest at the time determined for the individual groups in paragraph 3, sub III, of Chapter I.
2nd. All other women belonging to the three transports mentioned above, as well as the children, are, unless individually known otherwise, deemed to have died in Birkenau, respectively, on or about: about 27 August 1943 (transport 24 Aug 1943); on or about 17 September 1943 (transport 14 Sept 1943); on or about 24 September 1943 (transport 21 Sept 1943)
Source: the archives of the Red Cross, Publication “Auschwitz IV” edited October 1953, Deportation transports to Auschwitz in 1943; autumn transports, pages 43 sub I, 44, 45, 46, 47, and 49 and the summary conclusions of pages 65, 66 and 67.