chest tattooing in the concentration camp

[Kurt Meyer]

Originally, a special metal stamp, holding interchangeable numbers made up of needles approximately one centimeter long was used.When the metal stamp method proved impractical, a single-needle device was introduced.

My question is , how where these chest tattoos been done ? They talk about a stamp , and I've seen pictures of a piers but this isn't practical for the chest I think ?

Kind regards, Michael

[C. Betz]

Tattoos

Michael,
Here’s a couple of links that may shed some light on this subject:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...tz-guards-tatt

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/.../tattoos1.html

Charles Betz

[Byzanti]

Fascinating, and terrifying if i can choose just 2 words to describe that process...the guardian article is pretty interesting, too - thanks for posting! In the back of my mind though, is this-- is someone/has someone already tried to make these as fakes? Its pretty much always in the back of my mind now, especially when I read articles such as these-- I mean, the SS collector community has been more riddled with fraudulent items than just about any in the TR collector community...would/will/has someone already done this? I mean, these dont seem very artistic or very complicated to create... (Editorial- I think the fraudulent reproduction of things such as KZ items of torture/death is pretty reprehensible...anyone else agree?)

[Stangell]

Fascinating, and terrifying if i can choose just 2 words to describe that process...the guardian article is pretty interesting, too - thanks for posting! In the back of my mind though, is this-- is someone/has someone already tried to make these as fakes? Its pretty much always in the back of my mind now, especially when I read articles such as these-- I mean, the SS collector community has been more riddled with fraudulent items than just about any in the TR collector community...would/will/has someone already done this? I mean, these dont seem very artistic or very complicated to create... (Editorial- I think the fraudulent reproduction of things such as KZ items of torture/death is pretty reprehensible...anyone else agree?)

Of course there have been fakes of these instruments of torture. Just remember the lampshades of human skin and the soap allegedly made from murdered jews.

All denounced as fantasy items in the recent years, but made to send horror to the audience and to separate fools from their money.

[duska]

My question is , how where these chest tattoos been done ? They talk about a stamp , and I've seen pictures of a piers but this isn't practical for the chest I think ?

Most probably used an implement called a pig tattoo slapper.

[Kurt Meyer]

Thank you for your comments.
As said , alot of fakes being around , and what kind of proof do you need to convince people if you ever want to sell it and tell them that these aren't made to tattoo animals or something else.

[cavguy]

You would need some type of direct evidence to connect the said object to the application of the chest tattoo. For example a first hand statement from a soldier who used the said item, a first hand witness to the application of the tattoo using the item or period pictures of item in use (actually applying the tattoo) would be some credible examples.

Now, as to whether the object itself is a period original, I think one would have to find and examine a documented period piece and through comparison give an educated guess as to the item in questions originality.