MME. VAILLANT-COUTURIER: At the Jugendlager the old women and the
patients who had left our camp were placed in blocks which had no water
and no conveniences; they lay on straw mattresses on the ground, so
closely pressed together that one was quite unable to pass between them.
At night one could not sleep because of the continuous coming and going,
and the internees trod on each other when passing. The straw mattresses
were rotten and teemed with lice; those who were able to stand remained
for hours on end for roll call until they collapsed. In February their
coats were taken away but they continued to stay out for roll call and
mortality was considerably increased.
By way of nourishment they received only one thin slice of bread and
half a quart of swede soup, and all the drink they got in 24 hours was
half a quart of herbal tea. They had no water to drink, none to wash in,
and none to wash their mess tins.
In the Jugendlager there was also a Revier for those who could no longer
stand. Periodically, during the roll calls, the Aufseherin would choose
some internees, who would be undressed and left in nothing but their
chemises. Their coats were then returned to them. They were hoisted on
to a truck and were driven off to the gas chamber. A few days later the
coats were returned to the Kammer (the clothing warehouse), and the
labels were marked “Mittwerda.” The internees working on the labels told
us that the word “Mittwerda” did not exist and that it was a special
term for the gases.
At the Revier white powder was periodically distributed, and the sick
were dying as in Block 10, which I mentioned a short time ago. They made
. . .
THE PRESIDENT: The details of the witness’ evidence as to Ravensbrück
seem to be very much like, if not the same, as at Auschwitz. Would it
not be possible now, after hearing this amount of detail, to deal with
the matter more generally, unless there is some substantial difference
between Ravensbrück and Auschwitz.
M. DUBOST: I think there is a difference which the witness has pointed
out to us, namely, that in Auschwitz the prisoners were purely and
simply exterminated. It was merely an extermination camp, whereas at
Ravensbrück they were interned in order to work, and were weakened by
work until they died of it.
THE PRESIDENT: If there are any other distinctions between the two, no
doubt you will lead the witness, I mean ask the witness about those
other distinctions.