The area of the ruins which gives the building its name is the area where the crematorium ovens were located above ground. Crematorium II functioned from March 1943 through November 1944 where it is suspected that several hundred thousand people were burnt. Towards the end of the war, to remove the evidence of their crimes, the camp authorities ordered the demolition of the furnaces and crematorium building in November 1944. On January 20, 1945, the SS blew up whatever had not been removed.
As you approach the ruins of crematoria II from Hauptstrasse b the area of the ruins where the ovens were located is the first part you see. This part of Crematorium II is a large part of the ruins. Below is a selection of videos of the ruins were the crematorium ovens were located.
The first video was taken in 2009 and shows the front view of crematoria where the ovens were located.
In 2013 I returned to Birkeneau with my Nieces and took the following videos of the area where the ovens were located at crematorium II:
Hi Mark, Hope you're having a good time. You've not mentioned which camp crematorium 11 is.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Mark.B