THE CANADA CAMP

"Canada" was the stock camp, where all goods, valuables and objects of daily life, which the prisoners had brough with them, were sorted out, packed and sent back to the Reich. These objects were directly brought from the ramp to the Canada camp section.

The prisoners who worked there, received the name "Commando Canada". Canada obviously was synonymous for wealth and richness.

The national socialist regime enriched itself on those who would die. Until fall 1944, 2000 kilogram of gold were melted down, gold, which came from the teeth of the killed people. Also jewels, suitcases filled with money and other valuables were appropriated by the NS-Regime. The SS-guards had the possibility of enriching themselves; the inmates had to "organize" things if they wanted to stay alive.

The members of the labour commando Canada, who had to sort out the objects, secretly brought valuables to the camp under the risk of their lives, and received food, clothes, shoes, alcohol and cigarets for it. Civilian employees and SS-guards smuggled the valuables to the camp. That was called "organizing".

It was an open secret that only those, who "organized" stayed alive for a longer while. Whoever could freely move within the camp because of his/her function, was able to get in touch with the Canada commando.