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The prisoners were brought from Mechelen to Auschwitz-Birkenau by train. In the first 19 convoys the trains were made up of third class passenger carriages. Later goods wagons were used in an attempt to stop people jumping from the trains.
Conditions were abominable. 70 people crammed into each railway truck. There was neither food nor water. The journey easily lasted 2 to 3 three days.
The oldest person to suffer this journey was Etna Kolender who was 92 years old; the youngest was Suzanne Kaminsky who was only 39 days.
Between 4th August 1942 and 31st Jul July 1944, the date of ‘Convoy XXVI’, 24916 Jews and 351 gypsies were deported from Mechelen to Auschwitz. 1221 deportees survived i.e. approximately 5%.
"The Train of Death", drawing by Irène Spicker-Awret
(© Beit Lohamei Haghetaot).<<-- Previous Page - Next Page -->>
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