Deportation periods in 1943
Apart from the "Sobibor period" (2 March to 20 July 1943), two deportation periods can be distinguished in 1943, namely: the period from 11 January to 2 February 1943, during which 9 transports left directly for Auschwitz, namely 8 from Westerbork and 1 from Apeldoorn (for brevity to be called "Spring Transports 1943"), and the period from 24 August to 16 November 1943, in which 8 transports left directly for Auschwitz, namely 7 from Westerbork and 1 from Vught (called simply "Autumn Transports 1943").
Of the 8 deportation transports that left the Netherlands during this period, some suffered a similar fate. In connection with this, for the handling of the transport of 16 November 1943, it can be stated that after selection on arrival, the men deemed suitable for work were kept in "quarantine" for 4 weeks and then the majority were put to work in the coal mines of Janina and Fürstengrube or for work in the vicinity of Auschwitz-Birkenau, while very few women who survived the selection were also designated for work in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The 8 autumn transports each had around 1000 people and, with the exception of the Vught transport of 15.11.1943, show relatively little difference in their overall composition. The transport of November 16 consisted of 166 children up to and including 15 years old; 281 men aged 16 and 50; 291 women aged 16-50 and 257 people over 50 years old. A total of 995 people, of which 16 men and zero women ultimately survived from this transport.
The general rule also applies to these 8 autumn transports that young children (up to 15 years old) mothers with children, pregnant women, as well as weak, sick and elderly persons (generally over ± 50 years of age) were killed by gassing either immediately upon arrival or after a stay of several weeks in so-called "quarantine".
The Transport of November 16, 1943
A): Men
Upon arrival of the transport at Auschwitz, a selection immediately took place, during which, according to witness statements, 200 to 300 men (the most exact figures speak of 260 and 275 men) were selected for employment. These figures correspond to the total number of matriculated persons according to the reconstructed fragment of the number series, which runs from 163804 (B) to 164068 (W) and therefore includes 265 selected persons.
The age limits taken into account during the selection are stated differently, namely: "up to 50 years" and "between 16 and 40 years", while the ages of the 24 known selected persons vary from 16 to 43 years. According to the transport list, the number of men in the age group 16-50 years was: 281, 16-45 years: 250 - and 16-40 years: 208.
Since the figure of 281 is closest to the number of selected persons according to the witness statements and also to the known number series, it can be determined that the selection limit must have ranged from 16-50 years.
The explanations regarding the further fate of the selected persons vary considerably. All that is certain is that they were all first kept in "quarantine" for about 4 weeks (during which time only 2 or 3 men died), and that they were then divided into work groups, with contingents being sent to Janina and Fürstengrube, and another part was employed in Auschwitz/Birkenau. Except insofar as witness statements or official documents individually reveal something about the fate of those involved, it is not possible to determine who was assigned to each individual group. It is not even possible to determine approximately the strength of individual groups, because estimates in this regard vary too widely.
However, the average lifespan will not deviate from that of those employed in the transport of 15 November 1943 discussed above, since the persons involved stayed in the same camps under the same conditions. In connection with this, it could also be concluded for the present transport that the selected men, barring individual determinations, had died no later than 31 March 1944. In connection with the above, the place of death can only be indicated: in or in the vicinity of Auschwitz, or in the Janina and Fürstengrube camps
B): Women
None of the women from the transport in question returned. According to statements by the men, only very few women (one speaks of 3 or 4, another of at most 10) have survived the selections. Female survivors of the transport of 15 November 1943 state that all women from the transport of 16 November 1943 were immediately taken to the "crematorium block" and then gassed.
In this context it could be concluded that all women and also the children of this transport, unless individually apparent otherwise, were killed by gassing on or about the day after their arrival at Auschwitz, i.e. on 19 November 1943.
Summary of the conclusions of the transport of 16 November 1943 from Westerbork
Men
l e . All men mentioned in the transport mentioned as belonging to cousins, who had reached the age of 16 on the day after their arrival at Auschwitz (i.e. on 19 November 1943), but were not yet 51 years old, will, unless individually known otherwise, deemed to have died in or in the vicinity of Auschwitz/Birkenau, or in the mine area of Janina and Fürstengrube, no earlier than 7 December 1943 and no later than 31 March 1944.
2nd. All other men belonging to cousins mentioned in transport are, unless individually known otherwise, considered to have died in Birkenau on or about 19 November 1943.
Women and children
All women and children mentioned in the transport mentioned to have belonged to cousins are, unless individually known otherwise, considered to have died in Birkenau on or about 19 November 1943.
Source: abridged version from the Publication “Auschwitz part 4”, Deportation transports in 1943, published by the Dutch Red Cross in October 1953. Autumn transports, page 5 ff.; Chapter III, pages 43, 44, 45 sub 3; p. 61 et seq. and Appendix II, from p. 65.