Today I post my interaction with Ms. Anna, Dept. of Collections at the Majdanek State Museum
My original goal was to get an idea as to when these window were boarded up. I do not want Anna to know I know about these boarded up windows. See attachment.... these are boarded up windows to the room where the 3 walls of Zyklon B is displayed
Hello, I am Fred (April 11)
I am currently doing a paper on history the Majdanek extermination camp.
I have a question.
What year and month was the Zyklon B display you have in Barrack 41 constructed? When was it open to the public?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Warm Regards
Dear Fred (April 13)
Thank you for your message.
I don't know if I understood the question correctly. You ask for Zyklon B in the exhibition in barracks 41, but there is no Zyklon in this building. The exhibition in the barracks of the men's bath (barracks number 41) includes only empty Zyklon B cans. Currently, the cans on display were placed there after the completion of conservation renovation in early 2021. Earlier, before the renovation, there was also an exhibition of Zyklon B cans at the same place. Cans were part of many different exhibitions at the Museum at Majdanek since the 1950s, they were located in various barracks.
If you need other specific information, don't hesitate to ask.
Regards
Anna
Hello again Anna (April 16)
My most sincere thanks to you for taking the time to help me with my question
It seems we are discussing the same building barrack 41. Actually, I was seeking the exhibition construction approximate date before the 2021 conservation renovation. Perhaps some time before. Just the month and year is fine or just the year.
One quick question if I may, Which room exactly was used to exterminate Jewish people at Majdanek with Zyklon B? I ran into confusion on this and thought I would ask professional on your staff who knows.
Warm regards to you
Fred
Dear Fred (May 10)
As for the display of Zyklon B cans in the men's bathhouse (barracks no. 41), the cans have been on display there since the beginning of the 1950s. Probably cans were there earlier, in the first years of the Museum's operation (the institution was established in November 1944), but we are not sure about that, as there are no photos. If you have any questions about the history of the institution, please contact my colleague Krzysztof Tarkowski from the archive: (I deleted the email address here)
I answer a question about the chambers after consulting with the History Department: Zyklon B was used to murder people in the smaller chamber. Perhaps you will be interested in this text:
https://www.majdanek.eu/en/pow/komory_g ... ajdanku/57 and articles in this magazine:
https://www.flipsnack.com/majdanekmemor ... -2021.htmlBest regards
Anna
My takeaways here:
1. She had no idea when the Zyklon canister display was set up. I will give you all a date in the next posting. She says canisters were displayed in B41 since the 1950s.
2. As for someone who works in collections, she did not know a basic question to what rooms were used to gas Jews with Zyklon. She had to consult a historian and she replied to me "in the smaller chamber". If smaller chamber, that would be B1. Note the walls and ceiling on B1. Attachment provided. No blue staining at all. But Chamber A with all the blue staining was not mentioned. Recall that Chamber A has no ceiling holes. Things that make you go hmmm?
3. Anna directed me to Mr. Krzysztof Tarkowshi from Majdanek Archives. So I contacted him and will have our interesting conversation in next posting.
History is never a one-sided story.