• About Us
• News & Events
• Virtual Museum
  • CHGS Exhibitions
  • Artistic Responses
  • Holocaust Memorials
  • Related Exhibits
• Educational Resources
• Histories & Narratives
• Websites & Bibliography
• Giving Opportunities

Home > Virtual Museum > Holocaust Memorials : Belzec Death Camp Memorial, Poland

Belzec Death Camp Memorial and Museum, Poland

History

Belzec was established as one of the first major death camps by German occupation forces and SS for Jews in Eastern Poland during World War II. Along with Sobibor and Treblinka, Belzec was one of the three killing centers referred to as the "Reinhard camps," (Aktion Reinhardt) in memory of Reinhard Heydrich, the assassinated SS commander. The killings at Belzec and Treblinka were the highest in number of the Eastern camps. Belzec opened in March 1942 and the killings continued until spring, 1943, when dismantling of the camp began. An archeological expedition at the site in 1997 and 1998 found 33 mass graves estimated to hold 15,000 unburned bodies. Total victims are estimated to between 430,000 and 500,000 Jews, although some figures are higher. Most of the victims at Belzec were from the Galicia region. Unlike most Nazi camps where name records were kept, victims’ names were not recorded at Belzec, where most victims were shot. However, the SS did use gas vans and three gas chambers at the camp.

Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka: The Operation Reinhard Death Camps By Yitzhak Arad

Memorialization

In the Belzec memorial the names on the wall are first names and family names from Jewish families in the area who disappeared. Around the central monument, which appears to some as volcanic lava field with a "tube" down the center where the visitors actually descends below the ground-level monument, there are the names of all the towns in Poland from which Jews were deported to Belzec. The recently constructed monument was designed by Polish artists Andrzej Solyga, Zdzislaw Pidek, and Marcin Roszczyk and inaugurated during ceremony on June 3, 2004. In the adjacent museum, visitors can view a historical exhibition on Belzec. American scholar Michael Berenbaum was a prime consultant.

Photos

Entrance to Belzec memorial Inscribed cast iron plate in form of a broken Star of David Inscribed cast plate detail Inscribed cast plate detail Wall quote in rusted cast iron from Biblical Book of Job Wall quote in rusted cast iron from Biblical Book of Job Wall quote in rusted cast iron from Biblical Book of Job Wall quote in rusted cast iron from Biblical Book of Job View down the center dividing the field of rubble, sometimes called the "tube." A memorial wall is at the end. Wide view of entrance to memorial Details of the monument which has the form of absolute devastation. Details of the monument which has the form of absolute devastation. Details of the monument which has the form of absolute devastation Details of the monument which has the form of absolute devastation View while walking through the tube View while walking through the tube View while walking through the tube Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Note while some of the names are traditionally Polish-Jews, many suggest are Polish which suggest paths of assimilation before the Holocaust. Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Monument wall of of first names of Jews from region who died at Belzec. Monument at the end of the Tube Monument at the end of the Tube Monument at the end of the Tube Monument at the end of the Tube Details of the monument which has the form of absolute devastation. View from end of tube. Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Two of the many towns whose Jewish population was exterminated at Belzec Two of the many towns whose Jewish population was exterminated at Belzec Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Names of towns which lost Jewish communities Poem by Dan Pagis found in a boxcar Railroad ties and tracks stacked to form a monument Railroad ties and tracks stacked to form a monument Railroad ties and tracks stacked to form a monument Overview of monument after walk around the perimeter Dedication plaque includes Wilf Family of Minneapolis Belzec Museum: Nazi Racial Policy Belzec Museum: Nazi decision to kill the Jews Belzec Museum:Death rate from March 1942 to Spring 1943 Interior Belzec Museum Aktion Reinhard description March 1942 Report about Massacres at Belzec Details about Belzec Details about Sobibor Death Camp Map of Belzec Map of Southern Poland where Belzec's victims came from Belzec Museum Nazi order from Krakow about death penalty for aiding Jews Original Nazi notice regarding undressing Translation of the above order Details about Bobowa Hasidism, killed at Belzec