THE BUILDING

Building surrounds - In wooded area:
a) “... this building was surrounded by a wooded area.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) “The gas chambers building itself was hidden from the Lower Camp by a row of trees.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.9)
Building surrounds - Distance from Tube:
At the time when the old gas chambers were in operation, the "Tube" was about about 60 m longer (Treblinka Trial map)
Building surrounds - Well behind building:
a) “... the well stood right next to the building ...” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) Pump house visible, about 15 m behind old gas chambers (Kurt Franz photo)
Building External - The size of the building:
”... longish, not too large brick building ..." (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
Building External - Resemblance of building:
“A comfortable, neat little bathhouse, set in the middle of a wooded area ...” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
Building External - Colour of outer walls:
a) “The walls of the building were covered with concrete.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) “The walls were covered with concrete.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.9)
c) Grey building with timber, probably barrack type sections indicated for corridor and engine room and workshop. (Wiernik model)
Building External - Chest for gold teeth fillings:
a) “Standing next to the “bathhouse” was a large chest.” (Krzepicki Donat, p.105)
b) “... and broke open the chests with gold that stood in the corridor leading to the chambers." (Wiernik, Donat, p.172)
Building External - Entrance steps:
Four steps leading from a wide step at bottom to top step being same width as door opening. (Wiernik model)
Building External - Entrance:
a) Flanked by two wooden screens along steps. (Wiernik model)
b) Entrance door seems to have no door. (Wiernik model)
c) Size approximately 1.8 m x 2.1 m (Wiernik model)
Building External - Type of roof:
a) “... spread over the flat roof of the building, there was a green wire net whose edges extended slightly beyond the building’s walls. This may have been for protection against air attacks. Beneath the net, on top of the roof, I could see a tangle of pipes.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) “The roof of the gas chamber was camouflaged with a green wire net whose edges extended slightly beyond the building’s walls.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.9)
c) Slope roof (Kurt Franz photo)
d) Slope of roof slightly lower in the Wiernik model.
e) Both Kurt Franz photo and the Wiernik model show saddle capping on top of the roof.
Building – Internal, corridor:
a) “The brick building which housed the gas chambers was separated from Camp No. 1 by a wooden wall. This wooden wall and the brick wall of the building together formed a corridor which was 80 cm taller than the building.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
b) “A wooden corridor led to the chambers.” (Rum statement, p.498)
c) “The entrance doors to the gas chambers opened onto a wooden corridor at the front of the building.” (Arad, p.42)
d) Wood section walls (Wiernik model)
Building – Internal, corridor doors:
a) “The chambers were connected with the corridor by hermetically fitted iron doors leading into each of the chambers.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
b) “... would peep into the chambers through a window in the door.” (Arad, p.86)
c) “The entrance doors contained glass peep holes.” (Rum statement, p.498)
d) “... a special door of thick steel insulated with rubber, twisted with a bolt and placed in an iron frame, ...” (WC, p.31)
Gas chamber - entrance doors:
a) “The entrance and exterior lift-up doors were of similar construction to those in the new building. (Rum statement, p. 498)
b) Entrance doors to gas chambers opening to inside. (Jurowski map)
c) “... each door was 1.8 m high and 90 cm wide. They could be hermetically sealed and were bolted from the outside.” (Kogon, p.115)
Gas chambers - outer doors:
a) “I was able to look inside through one of the two strong whitewashed iron exits which happened to be open.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) “There was also a hermetically fitted wooden door on this side.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
c) “Each chamber had a door facing Camp No. 2 (1.80 x 2.50 m), which could be opened only from the outside by lifting it with iron supports and was closed by iron hooks set into the sash frames, and by wooden bolts.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
d) Top lifting door surrounded with felt and the hinges here on top. (Rosenberg drawing)
e) “Opposite the entrance door of each chamber was another larger door (2.5 x 1.8 m), made of heavy wooden boards which could also be hermetically sealed and bolted.” (Kogon, p.115)
Gas chamber - Size:
a) “There were three gas chambers, each 4 x 4 m and 2.6 m high, similar to the first gas chamber constructed in Sobibor.” (Arad, p.42)
(The above repeated almost word for word in Kogon, p.115)
b) “A gas chamber measured 5 x 5 m and was about 1.90 m high.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
c) “The old gas chamber building contained 3 chambers, each measuring about 20 m².” (Rum statement, p.495)
d) Size indicated, 4 m (being the corridor side wall) x 5 m. (Jurowski plan)
e) “... 3 gas chambers, each about 5 x 5 m." (Glazar, p.37)
Gas chamber - Interior wall finish:
a) “The walls of the room were covered with small, white tiles. It was very fine, clean work.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) “Its walls were covered with small white tiles.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.9)
c) “The walls of the gas chamber were covered with white tiles up to a certain height.” (Kogon, p.115)
Gas chamber - Interior floor finish:
a) “The floor was covered with orange terra cotta tiles.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) “The floor was covered with terra-cotta tiles.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz p.9)
c) “...a baked tile floor slanting towards the platform.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
d) “The floor of the gas chamber was sloping and slippery.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.35)
Gas chambers - Shower heads /plumbing:
a) “Nickel plated metal faucets were set into the ceiling.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
b) Plumbing pipes not in chambers i.e. “...on top of the roof, I could see a tangle of pipes.” (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
c) The pipes were thinner than in the new gas chambers, i.e. Reichman describes wider pipes for the new gas chambers. (Reichman, Donat, p.49)
d) “Under the roof was a tangle of pipes.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.9)
e) “Nickel-plated faucets were set into the ceiling. The work was finely detailed.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.9)
f) "The chamber was equipped with a gas pipe inlet..." (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
g) “It looked like a regular shower room with all the accoutrements of a public bathhouse." (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
h) “... shower heads had been installed, and water pipes ran along the ceiling.” (Kogon, p.115)
i) “The gas was introduced by way of pipes, attached to the ceilings of the gas chambers that ended in what looked like shower heads...” (EOH, p.1483)
k) "... there was put an engine, from which three iron pipes led through the roof to the three remaining parts of the building." (WC, p.31)
Gas chambers - openings in gas chambers ceilings / hermetic caps.
a) “... the Germans poured chlorine through a window above the chamber.” (Rosenberg, Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.130)
b) “The outlet on the roof had a hermetic cap.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
c) Explanation of the legend in Jurowski's plan: Nr ?: Window (= opening) through which gas was drawn off to the roof. (Jurowski plan)
d) “The 'windows' on the ceiling measured approximately 0.5 m x 0.5 m according to the plan, and were supplied with grates." (Jurowski plan)
e) An exhaust / chimney type of construction is visible on the Kurt Franz photo.
f) Checking the window in the ceiling / roof. (Rosenberg drawing)
Building - external ramp:
a) “On the side of Camp no. 2 the chambers were connected by a platform four metres wide, which ran alongside all three chambers. The platform was about 80 cm above ground level.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
b) The ramp can be reached from both sides by way of two steps. (Jurowski plan)
c) “Running along the length of the exterior of the building was a concrete ramp measuring 2 x 0.8 m.” (Rum statement, p.498)
d) Only 4 steps visible on rear side of ramp. (Wiernik model)
Engine room:
a) “And then he would slam the door shut,... then walk calmly down the flight of steel stairs to the basement where the machinery of death was located." (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.30)
b) "He often saw him sitting with his friend Nikolai on a bench outside the engine room." (Reichman, Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.154)
c) “A room attached to the building contained a diesel engine, ... and a generator, which supplied electricity to the entire camp." (Arad, p.42)
d) “The power plant operated alongside these (gas) chambers, supplying Camps 1 and 2 with electric current.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
e) “The engine room was situated behind chamber 3, and contained a heavy tank diesel engine as well as a powerful generator to supply lighting for the camp." (Rum statement, p.498)
f) “A diesel engine for producing carbon monoxide and a generator that supplied the whole camp with electricity were housed in an adjoining room.” (Kogon, p.115)
g) “An adjoining shed housed a diesel engine that produced the carbon monoxide for the chambers.” (EOH, p.1483)
Type of engines:
a) “... he would turn on the motors that manufactured the carbon-monoxide gas that went directly into the chambers.” (Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.30)
b) “Rather than turning on the diesel engine, ..." (Rosenberg, Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.130)
c) "Next to it stood a separate entrance, and there stood a machine rather like a car engine. It was here that Ivan had his seat." (Reichman, Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.153)
d) “A room attached to the building contained a diesel engine, which introduced the poisonous carbon monoxide gas through pipes into the chambers, ...” (Arad, p.42)
e) “A motor taken from a dismantled Soviet tank stood in the power plant. This motor was used to pump the gas, which was let into the chambers by connecting the motor with the inflow pipes.” (Wiernik, Donat, p.157)
f) “... contained a heavy tank diesel engine...” (Rum statement, p.498)
Converting chambers in tailor shop:
“After the old gas chamber building had ceased to function as a killing facility, wooden planks were placed on the floors of the chambers and the building was converted into a tailor’s shop." (Rum statement, p.498)

Click on the photo for enlargement.

MAPS
Enlarged from the Treblinka Trial map

Note: Corridor entrance from side, back door for corridor, two doors for engine room, separate ramps.

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MAPS
The Jurowski map

Note the following: Two steps to entrance corridor, entrance doors to gas chambers opening to inside.
No. c?: Window (= opening) through which gas was drawn off to the roof. Openings in ceiling about 0.5 m grated.
Gas supply pipes feeding from engine to passage, shows only one outlet (shower faucet?)
Gas supply pipe also going from engine to outside of building.
No. 2: Engine room showing drawing of small tractor (possibly indicating tractor engine).
No. 6: Described as employee room.
Two steps on both sides of ramp.
Does not indicate workshop as on the Wiernik model.

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MAPS
Enlargement of the Wiernik map

On the map the engine rooms (no. 26) are indicated as two sperate rooms possibly gas supply engine and generator. No. 27: Room with dentist etc.

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WIERNIK MODEL

Front view
East view
a) Note the concrete base.
b) Beams and closed latches of external gas chamber doors.
Front / side view
a) Four steps and side of entrance screens.
b) In front the workshop (no. 28 in the Wiernik plan).
c) Curved edge of the corridor roof.
Rear and west view
Opening (ventilation window?) in concrete part of engine room rear wall as also in the Kurt Franz photo.
Small opening underneath the machine room probably due to building being split level. Engine room being lower than gas chambers. (Steps down – as in Demjanjuk, Teicholz, p.38)
Gas chamber side of building has concrete foundation. Corridor and workshop side possibly timber sections.

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KURT FRANZ PHOTO

Note the following:
a) Possible opening (ventilation hole?) in back wall of engine room.
b) Possible ventilation chimney (or inspection window) in middle of roof.
c) Saddle ridge on roof, as in Wiernik model.
d) High pitch of roof (possibly 30 degrees).
e) Possible that the building was a split level i.e, west side higher than east side as in the Wiernik model.
f) Left side of building possibly shows edge of gaschamber door and steps of ramp.
g) Small shed possibly housing water pump but in comparison with the Wiernik map it could be the guard house.
h) Gable of New Gas Chamber at back right edge of photo.

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ROSENBERG SKETCH

Note his inscriptions:
a) Checking window in ceiling.
b) Top lifting door surrounded with felt and the hinges here on top.
c) The way to withdraw the dead corpse.
d) Two wooden blocks to support the door, when it was open.

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MAIN ENTRANCE
This is the view the naked victims would have seen as they came out of the "Tube" and saw the building before them.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Access to building: The victims reached the gas chambers through the "Tube".
2. Distance from "Tube":
a) The path of the "Tube" terminated exactly in front of the central passage of the New Gas Chambers (Donat, p.299).
b) “The Tube doesn’t lead directly into the entrance; it stops just short of it”. (Edited Glazar, p.136).
3. Size of building:
a.The entire building was 36 m in length and 18 m wide. (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial).
b) About 18 m wide by 36 - 40 m long.
4. Type of building:
a) A massive brick structure, set on a concrete foundation (Donat, p.301).
b) “It was a single storied brick building...” (Leleko Trial).
5. Resemblance of building:
a) “...the gas chamber building was also made to resemble a bath house.” (Leleko Trial).
b) The building looked like an old-fashioned synagogue (Wiernik, Donat, p.161).
^* Note: With these apparently conflicting descriptions, it is possible that the building was made to look like a "mikvah", a ritual Jewish bath house, deceiving the victims even more.
6. Colour of outer walls:
a) “.. its exterior covered with plaster and whitewashed (Leleko Trial).
b) Grey exterior walls (Wiernik model).
c) Solidly constructed of brick, faced with concrete (Suchomel, Tregenza, p.6).
7. Width of steps:
a) slightly wider than the entrance (Treblinka Trial map).
b) Remarkably wider than the entrance (Wiernik map).
8. Amount and position of flower pots / flowers:
a) “...up five wide steps ^* lined with flowerpots ^* (Donat, p.301).
b) Two pots at side of steps (Treblinka Trial map).
c) “Flowers grew right by in long boxes.” (Leleko Trial).
d) The most beautiful and variegated flowers were located at the entrance to the new gas chambers (Edited Donat, p. 48).
e) “There are blocks of green grass everywhere, beds of bright-coloured stone, sandy pathways, ashen grey and yellow.” (Edited Glazar, p.136).
f) Five concrete steps decorated with basketfuls of flowers led to the entrance (Chrowstowski, p.61). 
9. Entrance appearance:
a) The entrance (on the north side) was closed only by a curtain ^*.
10. Finish of entrance:
a) “The entrance to the building was ornate and there were stucco mouldings” (Leleko Trial).
b) Plain and unadorned opening (Wiernik model).
11. Size of entrance opening:
a) Size of the curtain: “..it measured three by four metres, something like that." (Lindwasser, at the Eichmann Trial).
b) Same width as passage being about 2 m (Treblinka Trial map).
c) At least 3 m (scaled from the Wiernik map).
12. Colour of the curtain:
a) black (Donat, p.301).
b) dark red (Strawczynski, p. 49).
13. Position of Hebrew inscription "This is the Gateway to God – Righteous men will pass through":
a) On the curtain (Donat, p.301).
b) “Above the door there was a portal with the Star of David and the Hebrew inscription.” (Chrowstowski, p.61).
14. Star of David:
a) Position: “A gable over the entrance door bore a large Star of David.” (Arad p.119 and Wiernik model).
b) Made of copper (ARC correspondence with Rosenberg).
c) Made of yellow-painted metal ^* (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial).
d) Yellow colour (Wiernik model).
e) On the curtain (Lindwasser, at the Eichmann Trial).

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Shape, amount, and colour of the flower bowls. Star of David most probably yellow painted copper.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

CORRIDOR
As the victims reached the top of the steps they would have seen a long, wide* corridor with doors on both sides.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Passage:
Inside the building was a wide passage with doors on each side, leading directly into the gas chambers (Donat - Treblinka Trial, p.301).
“A corridor ran through the length of the building down the middle, with gas chambers on either side." (Arad, p. 119).
2. Width of passage:
a) “Through the building runs about a 2m wide passage (edited Rum statement p.496).
b) At least 3 - 4 m (scaled from the Wiernik map and the Wiernik model).
c) Narrow (Leleko Trial).
3. Amount of doors:
a) On both sides of the passage were 5 chambers.” (edited Rum statement, p.496).
b) 5 or 3 chambers each side (Arad and Donat).
c) 5 but last door led to engine (Leleko Trial).
4. Door at the back: Corridor ended at the door of the engine room (various statements).

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Passage walls depicted as grey plaster. Width of passage here constructed as a 2.22 m concrete floor. It's not known if the passage had a ceiling, but most likely not, in order to assist in ventilating of the gas-chambers after the gassings.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

CORRIDOR
The victims would have stepped ^* through a door opening into one of ten gas chambers.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Size of door: As the doors were 1.8 m x 0.90 m, the wall opening would have been smaller due to the rubber seal having to press on the edge of the opening (size stated – Arad and Donat).
2. Seal on door: The entrance doors to the chambers had on the inside thick rubber seals (edited Rum statement, p.496).

Unknown factors: Whether the door’s rubber seals pressed on a steel, wood frame or directly on the wall. Speculative colour of light grey painted metal cladding and use of metal stud fasteners.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

CORRIDOR
Behind them the door would be closed with three iron bars. At chest height, a barred window at the left side of each door would allow the SS to view the gassing inside.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Type of door:
a) “The entrance doors to the chambers were of solid oak, circled with steel...” (Rum statement, p.496).
b) Armoured bunker doors, probably taken from some Russian bunkers in Bialystok (Suchomel, Shoah).
c) Internal doors were iron (Rosenberg, ARC correspondence).
2. Closing mechanism: “For closing the doors and for pressing against from the inside by the victims, were 3 iron bars.” (edited Rum statement, p.496).
3. Observation window:
a) Observation slits alongside each door (Leleko Trial).
b) “There was also a small window in the middle of the ceiling (testimony Strawczynski, p.59) ^* .
c) Left of the doors at chest height were little glass windows in the wall (edited Rum statement, p.497).
d) Victims tried to break the barred window (edited Goldberg - Arad, p153).
e) “The doors contained a small glass window. ..” (Arad, p.119).
4. Valves and supply pipes: “And there were pipes with valves. They would open the valve into the chamber where the people were.” (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial) ^**.

Unknown factors: Not known if doors were wooden core doors clad also on passage side with iron. Unpainted hardware and rim around door. The iron bars as described by Rum were thought to be hinge type bars as evident at an Auschwitz chamber. A peephole at the side of the door allowed the SS to view the gassing inside. Lights above the doors illuminated the passage.

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Most likely, lights would be positioned above the doors for illuminating the passage. Speculative size of window.
Due to the fact that the doors opposite each other were a mirror image, the observation windows would not be at the left side, but always hidden behind the open door. Speculative type of light fitting, most likely industrial design.
^** Speculative position of gas supply pipe running above door and position and type of valve.
^* Note: Strawczynski may have been mistaken about the position or actually referring to an opening in the ceiling.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

GAS CHAMBER
As the first victims entered they would have seen a room with shower heads and pipes, with at the opposite wall an opening closed by a wide door.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Amount of Shower heads & pipes:
a) “The exhaust gases from the motors are pumped into the gas chambers through conduits in the ceilings of the chambers. These conduits are disguised as showers (Glazar, p.37).
b)“...there were two "shower heads" through which poisonous gas was fed into the chamber (Leleko Trial). c) “On the ceiling a few shower heads were mounted.” (Strawczynski, p.59).
d) Nickel plated metal faucets were set into the ceiling (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
Note: Krzepicki refers here to the old gas chambers but as other statements say that fixtures and fittings were identical in the new and old gas chambers, it is mentioned here.
2. Size of door:
a) “…this was the large door (external) which opened along almost the entire wall.” (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial).
b) Size stated as 2.5 m x 1.8 m (Arad, Donat and Wiernik).
c) “The lift up doors were 2 m x 1.8 m of solid oak, sheet metal at the inside and a thick rubber seal.” (Rum statement, p.497).

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Speculative colour of light grey for sheet metal cladding of door. Use of iron studs for cladding.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

GAS CHAMBER
The passage door behind them would be closed. Next to the door they would have seen the peephole for the first time through which the only light came when the door was closed.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Light fitting:
a) “In the centre of the ceiling there was an electric light bulb in which there was no wiring.” (Leleko Trial).
b) “It was dark in-side. No light. Even the openings in the roof ^* did not let any light in..." (Rosenberg, at the Demjanjuk Trial, p.124).
c) As gassing was carried out at night during the peak period it is unlikely they were able to do that without some form of lighting. (Suchomel, "Shoah")
Note: At Belzec lights were turned off prior to gassing. Treblinka was modelled on Belzec, and was seen as the most improved facilities (Kurt Gerstein statement)
2. Type of ceiling:
a) “The walls, floor and ceiling of the chamber were of cement.” (Leleko Trial).
b) Ceiling zinc clad (ARC team) ^**.

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Speculative type of light fitting; for instance in the Dachau gas chambers, the fitting is built into the wall. ^* Opening in ceiling may refer to old gas chambers. ^** Ceiling: It was argued by ARC that a concrete ceiling would have been unlikely and a zinc clad wooden ceiling was proposed.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

GAS CHAMBER
The floor was covered with tiles up to a height of 1 m along the wall and sloped from the entrance to the back entrance (right) for easier cleaning after each gassing.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Height of ceiling:
a) “... into a room of 1.90 m.” (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial).
b) “The height of the new rooms was 2 m - about 60 cm lower that the old ones.” (Arad, p.119).
c) “...in the 2 m high chambers...” (Rum statement, p.497).
2. Finish of walls and floor:
a) “The ground ran a little bit down to the outside and had light tiles covering just part of the walls. Walls and cover ^* were painted with light grey oil colour (Rum, p.497).
b) “Inside the cubicles smooth tiles covered the slightly slanted floors and went halfway up the walls.” (Strawczynski, p.59).
c) “The walls, floor and ceiling of the chamber were of cement.” (Leleko Trial).
d) The floor was covered with orange terra cotta tiles.* (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)
e) The walls of the room were covered with small, white tiles. * (Krzepicki, Donat, p.104)

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: ^* Not clear what is meant by “cover”. Speculative colour of pipes and type of shower heads. Colour of tiles as in Dachau gas chambers.
* Krzepicki refers here to the old gas chambers but as other statements say that fixtures and fittings were identical in the new and old gas chambers, it is mentioned here.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

DURING THE GASSING
On the outside, these doors were closed by a horizontal beam wedged into catches.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Method of securing outer doors:
a) “Here, there was a kind of folding door... We extracted the "clins". ^* They were pieces of wood that used to hold the doors in place (edited Rosenberg, at the Eichmann Trial).
b) Outside, over the platform, there were large openings covered by panels hinged at the top and fastened with steel bands.
c) A strong wooden bar secured the doors against pressing from the inside. It was fastened by 2 iron hooks… (edited Rum, p.497).
2. Latches:
a) “It was fastened by 2 iron hooks…” (edited Rum, p.497).
b) Closed hatches (Wiernik model). ^* "Clins" = Russian word for wooden wedges.

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Unpainted metal. Type of hinges. Open latches.

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AFTER THE GASSING
A view from the outside would have shown that the wide doors opened up to ramps from which the corpses were removed.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Way the doors folded:
a) The doors lifted up supported by two beams (Rosenberg sketch to ARC).
b) The lift-up doors were…“ (Rum, p. 497).
c) “Door was folded and fell to the bottom, there were two boards there. One was on top of the door and the other at the bottom (Rosenberg, Eichmann Trial) ^*.
d) Folding upwards (hinges on top in the Wiernik model).
e) Hinges on top. (Rosenberg sketch to ARC)
2. Method, supporting open doors:
a) The wooden bar which secured the doors, served as a pillar when the doors were open (edited Rum, p.497).
b) Supported by two beams (Rosenberg sketch to ARC).
3. Door finish: “The lift up doors…, sheet metal at the inside and a thick rubber seal.” (Rum statement, p.497).
4. Ramps:
a) “At the doors were concrete ramps 4 x 2 x .8 m” (Rum statement, p.497).
b) Ramps same width as door, being 2.5 m (Wiernik model). ^* Rosenberg may have referred to the old gaschambers here.

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: The way in which the pillar beam was stabilised against the open door is unknown. It is possible that a latch was placed at front side of the ramp.

Click on the photo for enlargement.

THE BUILDING
10 ^* chambers, a total of 490 m^{2 **} of gas chamber space was available for the killing process.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. ^* Number of chambers:
a) “...all the defendants agreed that there had been 10." (Donat, First Treblinka Trial, p.301).
Rosenberg (in private correspondence) states 10 chambers.
b) “Eight chambers out of the ten ... were used to poison people. In the two remaining ones, there were two powerful German engines...” (Leleko Trial).
c) (See also above, "Corridor – amount of doors").
d) “...the Jews say there were five on each side. I say there were four, but I'm not sure. In any case, only the upper row on this side was in action." (referring to north side). (Suchomel, "Shoah").
2. ^** Size of chambers: “Probably, then, the new gas chambers were approximately 8 m long, 4 m wide...” (Donat, Treblinka Trial, p.301).
b) The gas chambers of the large building were seven by seven (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial).
c) “Chambers were about six metres long and as wide.” (edited Leleko Trial).

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THE BUILDING
View from the back showing two tank engines and possible pipe layout to the individual chambers with each having a stop valve.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
Note: The engine depicted is only indicating approximate size. An update drawing of correct engine will be added later.
1. Position of engines:
a) “On the back side of the building was another concrete stair with 5 steps that lead to the engine room.” (Rum, p.497).
b) “In the two remaining ones (gas chambers at back), there were two powerful German engines...” (edited Leleko Trial).
c) “At the end of the passage, which ran straight from the front to the rear of the building, was the engine room containing the diesel engine that produced the gas (Donat, Treblinka Trial, p.301).
d) Engines in annexe at back (Treblinka Trial map).
e) In passage at the back (Jurowski map).
f) In passage at the back (Wiernik map).
g) The machine room was part of the building next to the gas chambers. (Rosenberg, private correspondence with ARC).

2. Number of engines:
a) “...there were two powerful German engines...” (Leleko Trial).
b) There was an engine...” (Wiernik, at the Eichmann trial).
c) “On concrete foundations were 2 heavy tank diesel engines” (Rum, p.497).
d) "...after the chambers were full, Ivan and Schmidt would go together to the engines." (Horn, Teicholz, p.193)
e) Two engines (Treblinka Trial map).
f) One engine (Wiernik map).
3. Type of engines:
a) “...engine of a Soviet tank...” (Wiernik, at the Eichmann Trial).
b) “...German engines, about 1.5 m high.” (Leleko Trial).
c) “The engines at Treblinka were diesel.” (Horn, Teicholz, p.217).
d) One diesel engine (Rosenberg in private correspondence with ARC)

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Although all evidence refers to the engine room being at the back, it is not clear if this area was part of the building, an annexe or inside the passage. The construction here depicts the Treblinka Trial map. Although there is conflicting evidence regarding the number of engines, two engines were depicted. Most likely, but speculative layout of pipe system.

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THE BUILDING
In the saddle roof, ventilation louvers were present which allowed for ventilation to the inside of the passage where the entrance doors were opened after each gassing. This assisted for speedy elimination of the carbon monoxide gas in the chambers in order that the corpses could be removed.

Descriptions and variations, debated by ARC.
1. Type of roof: Tar paper ^* (Wiernik model).
2. Roof construction: Sloping roof pitching with a minimum of 15^o (Wiernik model).
3. Ventilating grilles:
a) “On the roof of the building over the corridor were wooden air intake flaps to bringing fresh air in the chambers when all the doors were open.” (Rum statement, p.497).
b) Positioned above passage over centre of each chamber (Wiernik model).

Artistic freedom or most likely construction: Roof: Timber truss construction with 1.3 m spacing, spanned by timber boards covered with tarpaper on top. Although the Wiernik model indicates 5 pairs of ventilation grilles, the CAD reconstruction had to allow for an extra pair in order to allow ventilation in the engine room at the back.
^* It seems that a tar paper roof is indicated.

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