| Belzec |
| Established: November 1, 1941 Part of Aktion Reinhard Full-Scale Extermination Operations: March 17, 1942 End of Operations: December 1942 Estimated Total Deaths: 500,000-600,000* |
| *Of this number a small number were Gypsies, the remaining victims were Jews. |
| Belzec was located in Poland as a killing center to exterminate Jews as part of Operation Reinhard. Was a "visible" killing center. Only one person is known to have survived Belzec death camp. Belzec was the first camp to be equipped with permanent gas chambers. Carbon monoxide gas was used to kill the victims. Jewish victims came primarily from the Galacia, Lublin, and Cracow areas of Poland. At its height, Belzec claimed 10,000 victims per day. Corpses were burned in open pits. In the fall of 1943, the camp was leveled and pine trees planted on the site. Because there is only one known survivor of the camp, all information about the camp comes from guards, railroad workers and civilian workers. |
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