SOBIBÓR - Holocaust Handbooks

J. GRAF, T. KUES, C. MATTOGNO, SOBIBÓR 291
for lodging. We will skim off the labor force necessary for this purpose
mainly in Auschwitz from the migration to the east, so that our
existing production facilities are not disturbed in their output and
their structure. The Jews [skimmed off for labor but eventually also]
destined for migration to the east will therefore have to interrupt
their journey and perform armament work.”
The Ostwanderung (eastern migration) was the deportation of Jews
to the East. In this context the last sentence signifies that the physically
unfit Jews within Ostwanderung would not interrupt their journey – and
would thus not stop at Auschwitz – but continue their “journey” to the
East. 882
This move corresponded to the initial purpose of the deportations of
western Jews to Auschwitz, which was essentially to provide slave labor;
the problem of the unfit Jews was, therefore, still marginal. The
first documented Jewish transports to arrive at Auschwitz came from
Slovakia and France.
Slovakia carried out the deportation of the country’s Jews in response
to a proposal by the Reich. On 16 February 1942 Martin Luther,
head of the Germany Department of the ministry of Foreign Affairs,
sent a telex to the German embassy at Bratislava (Pressburg), in which
he stated that the Reich government, “as part of the measures for the final
solution of the Jewish question in Europe,” stood ready to transfer
“20,000 young and healthy Jews” to the East where there was a “demand
for work assignment.” 883
Referring to this telex, Luther wrote in his report to the Foreign minister
dated August 1942: 884
“The number of the Jews deported to the east in this manner was
not sufficient to cover the need for labor. For this reason, the Reich
Security Main Office, at the instruction of the Reichsführer SS, approached
the Foreign Office to ask the Slovakian government to
make available 20,000 young, sturdy Slovakian Jews from Slovakia
for deportation to the east. The legation in Bratislava reported to D
III 1002 that the Slovakian government took up the proposal with
zeal, the preliminary tasks could be initiated.”
882
For a more detailed treatment of this question cf. Carlo Mattogno, Special Treatment in
Auschwitz. Origin and Meaning of a Term, Theses & Dissertations Press, Chicago 2004,
pp. 52-56.
883
T-1078.
884
NG-2586-J, pp. 5f.