Part of the horror of being included on the list of experimental subjects at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp was the lack of information–not knowing why the experiments were taking place or when they would end. Some of the women were operated on multiple times. Once they were sent back to their blocks to recover (those that did not die in recovery) the uncertainty continued.
For these nine “rabbits” below, the horror did not end there. They were summarily told they would be leaving the camp (the girls knew this was not a good thing but didn’t know for sure what was happening,) taken to the Ravensbruck shooting wall and executed. According to their fellow inmates, some of the women, still recovering, had to be carried to the wall. These photos of the young women are so poignant, taken in happier times, before they were arrested for Anti-Nazi activities connected with the Polish underground.
Romana Sekula
Irena Poborowna
Henryka Dembowska
Zofia Szachowicz
Krystyna Krauzowna
Wanda Kakowska
Wanda Polakowska
Janina Flak
Malgorzata Dembowska
The shooting wall today, with memorial plaque.
Older photo of the shooting wall
The most dangerous creature on earth….man! Who will kill his own just for the sport of it.
I am currently reading your book. Why haven’t we been taught this in school. I wonder if it will ever be a movie.
There are so many obscure stories lost in history–and yes, it has been optioned for film. Very exciting!