SS-Ustuf Johann Niemann's Sobibor photo grouping

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

on October 14, 1943, SS-Untersturmführer Johann Niemann was the highest commanding officer of the Sobibor camp.

After 3.30 PM, SS-Unterscharführer Josef Wolf was the first to be killed when he entered one of the storerooms.

Then at 4 PM, Niemann arrived in the Lager I on his horse (see a previous picture i posted) and left it near the backery (see the recent add-on picture that is showing part of it).
He then entered the tailor shop to try an new uniform.
Like Wolf, Niemann was killed with an axe by the Jewish prisoners, this time by ex-Soviet soldier Shubayev.

A dozen of other SS and Trawniki guards will be killed during the uprising.

If Shubayev was able to escape with around 50 prisoners, he unfortunately didn't survive the war, and was killed during the Liberation fights of 1945.

The two pictures below show the burial ceremony of the SS killed in the uprising, amongst them the grave of Niemann.

See You

Vince

[sutka]

just don't see. arm eagles

[sutka]

Vince
as always thank you for in depth info
great work

[Zauberflöte]

Would anyone know if the Trawniki auxiliaries were only deployed as Wachmännern in the KZ camps or also in Bandenbekämpfung for example?

They have seen "action" during the Warsaw uprising, so far I know.

As it appears, in the Niemann book also Schuma personnel are being described as Trawniki; although often similar in behaviour, based on the difference in duties this would not be entirely correct I think.

[Zauberflöte]

To elaborate on my previous post; does anyone know of a period photo of these particular Trawniki, glad in their specific uniforms, during actions not directly related as campguards?

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

this is a good question you asked, and yes, some errors are present in the book (it will be interesting to see what the USHMM will say and correct in their own English edition).

We all know that German and Volksdeutsche members of "Operation Reinhard" were sent to Italy for fights against the partisans.

Page 372 of the 1987/1999 Yitzhak Arad "Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka" :

"Globocnik was promoted and appointed by Himmler as the HSSPF in the Trieste area in northeast Italy. [...] Globocnik left Dublin in September 1943 and took with him to Italy a group of SS men and Ukrainians who had been under his command in "Operation Reinhard". "

Page 375 :

"While "Operation Reinhard" was in its closing phase and the death camps in various stages of liquidation, Globocnik as replaced as SSPF of the Lublin district by SS-Gruppenführer Jacob Sporrenber at the end of August/beginning of September 1943. However, the labor camps and the industrial enterprises of the SS in the Lublin district remained Globocnik's responsibility until October 22, 1943. Globocnik was then relieved of responsability for the labor camps in the old airport of Lublin, in Trawniki, in Poniatowa, and from his post as director of the Eastern Industries. All these camps were put under the command of the SS-WVHA, headed by SS-Obergruppenführer Oswald Pohl."

You will find below in the next scans of the same book (page 21-22) that the "Trawniki" were an auxilliary police force that was created to be used in the Lublin district in various duties, so it is obvious that most companies continued those various duties in the district from the Summer 1943 up to the demise of the General Gouvernment.
To "guard" the Extermination camps was only a part of the Trawniki assignment.

See You

Vince

[Zauberflöte]

Thank you for digging this up Vince, interesting additional information but indeed it subscribes to the fact that guard duties were Trawniki men their primarly task IMO. Also numbering only in the few thousands, their force was limited to be effectively being deployed in Partisan warfare.

Nonetheless and like you correctly point out, as part of Abteilung R under Globnocnik, Trawniki did serve in the OZAK. From the excellent book in which fellow member T. Chiussi participated come the following photo's and information. Different style of uniforms are worn; shown are the pre war (earth-brown?) SS tunics but it lacks the uniformity in caps and specificaly the style of cap shown in post #20.

[Zauberflöte]

And while we are at it, another thing that puzzles me; is the fact that Niemann, although clearly a member of the Totenkopfverbände, in his war time photos sports SS runes on his uniform and not what you would expect the death head collar tab? You see this more often, also with Kurt Franz (Treblinka) for example, he also came from the Totenkopfverbände.

Perhaps it has to do with the 1941 decree by Himmler that also concentration camps were to be considered administrative part of the Waffen SS? Thus KZ personel being allowed to wear runes and for these men to feel more aligned with the combat troops and less with the dark side they represent? Just a thought..?

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

all your answers are in the Arad book.

First extract, from page 9.

Second extract, from pages 16, 17, 18 and 19.

Third extract, from pages 72 and 73.

See You

Vince

PS : i'm using there the 1999 reissue, but i have somewhere the "updated" edition released in 2018.

[Zauberflöte]

Hi Vince,

I read the fragments with interest, but seem to have missed the answer on my question regarding the none use of TK collar tabs by Niemann and others (more a observation actually)?

Was it to do with their former employement in the T4 program you mean?

Best
F.

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

the personnel of the "T4 Aktion" never depended of the SS-TV but of the Reich Chancellery through the Waffen-SS, then of the SS-WVHA.

See You

Vince

[Zauberflöte]

Hi,

the personnel of the "T4 Aktion" never depended of the SS-TV but of the Reich Chancellery through the Waffen-SS, then of the SS-WVHA.

See You

Vince

Yes, but IMO this does not explain the fact for Niemann (and Franz for that matter) since they were in the TK St. Brandenburg before T4 and with their service in KZ thereafter I would assume the TK tab to worn again? Even his Waffenfarbe appears to be not the prescribed brown as one would expect..?

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

to me it is quite obvious that the various operations had to distance themselves from the concentration camp universe, as deception was the major point in their success.
Also the "Operation Reinhard" was locally depending on the HSSPF Globocnik, and on high level from the Reich Chancellery.
The SS-TV at any level was never involved in the "T4" and "Operation Reinhard".

See You

Vince

[Zauberflöte]

Sorry Vince, but I am afraid you are missing my point or I am not making myself clear.

The pre war Totenkopfverbände to which Niemann belonged were never part of the SS-VT to begin with and when he was appointed to his KZ service after T4 there was from that aspect at least, no more secrecy involved. I'm just curious from uniform point of view, why all pre war concentration camp guards i.e. Totenkopfverbände used the TK collar patch (look f.e. at Dachau or Gross-Rosen images), but during the war several KZ men (especially the officers) switched to the runes.

This is regardless of their previous service in T4 or whatever program IMO. Because from another point of view; soldiers in the 3rd Totenkopf Division wore the skull tabs with pride, even though the Division found it's origin within the concentration camps and it's guards.

It is not a big deal and maybe not to be answered here but I always found this remarkable.

Best

[The Other Brian]

Great flag photo!

Hi,

i received my copy today, and i will post additional pictures and infos.

The book is just massive, actually dozen of pictures of the Forward Camp (SS quarters) are included.

The next 4 pictures are not taken in Sobibor, but are showing the kind of other pictures included in the book.

See You

Vince