SOBIBÓR - Holocaust Handbooks

148 J. GRAF, T. KUES, C. MATTOGNO, SOBIBÓR
we have spoken of above and which required amounts of fuel and burning
times far in excess of the fresh carcasses.
This signifies that the cremation of the 80,000 corpses reportedly
unearthed would have taken much longer and would have required
much more wood than the cremation of the 89,000 fresh corpses.
Furthermore climatic and weather conditions slowing down the cremation
process must be taken into account as well, in particular days of
rain, snow, and frost during the winter months.
5.3.9. The Ashes
The human body contains about 5% ash, 405 similar to the ash content
of cattle (6%). We will assume a value of 6% by volume for the wood,
because it is fresh wood, very rich in water. Hence, the 169,000 corpses
will yield (169,000×60×0.05=) 507,000 kg or 507 tons of ash, with the
wood contributing (169,000×300×0.06 =) 3,042,000 kg or 3,042 tons,
resulting in a total of 3,549 tons of ash.
We come to the same result if we assume that one ton of corpses
plus the necessary wood yield 350 kg of ash.
Concerning the ash found in the camp, A. Kola asserts: 304
“Particularly noticeable traces of cremation occurred in the
lower parts of the graves where distinct layers of scorched bones,
with a thickness up to 40-60 cm, could be identified”
But this in disagreement with his description of the contents of the
individual pits which claims that “the lower parts” of pits number 3, 4,
5, and 6 did not contain “clearly identifiable layers of burnt bones having
a thickness of 40 to 60 cm” but “remains of uncremated corpses in a
state of saponification” whereas “in the upper layers” there were “remains
of cremated corpses.” Pits number 1 and 2 also contained “remains
of cremated corpses.” Such statements are not specific enough to
permit a quantitative evaluation of the ash present in the camp.
Still, even if we were to accept that all pits contained a layer of some
50 cm of wood and corpse ash from cremations, not mixed with limestone
and sand (which Kola mentions in particular for pit number 3), the
respective volume would be (3,210×0.5=) 1,605 m 3 , equal to
(1,605×0.4=) 642 tons, corresponding to about 34,500 corpses. In this
somewhat unrealistic hypothesis we would still be left with another
2,900 tons of ash, enough for 580 truckloads or 100 railway freight
cars. Where would such enormous quantities of ash have ended up?