Holocaust archaeology: archaeological approaches to landscapes of Nazi genocide and persecution

612 Pages·2012·16.91 MB·English

by  Caroline Sturdy Colls

HOLOCAUST ARCHAEOLOGY: ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO LANDSCAPES
OF NAZI GENOCIDE AND PERSECUTION

BY

CAROLINE STURDY COLLS

A thesis submitted to the
University of Birmingham
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity
College of Arts and Law
University of Birmingham
September 2011
University of Birmingham Research Archive

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ABSTRACT

The landscapes and material remains of the Holocaust survive in various forms as
physical reminders of the suffering and persecution of this period in European
history. However, whilst clearly defined historical narratives exist, many of the
archaeological remnants of these sites remain ill-defined, unrecorded and even, in
some cases, unlocated. Such a situation has arisen as a result of a number of
political, social, ethical and religious factors which, coupled with the scale of the
crimes, has often inhibited systematic search. This thesis will outline how a non-
invasive archaeological methodology has been implemented at two case study sites,
with such issues at its core, thus allowing them to be addressed in terms of their
scientific and historical value, whilst acknowledging their commemorative and
religious significance. In doing so, this thesis also demonstrates how a study of the
physical remains of the Holocaust can reveal as much about the ever-changing
cultural memory of these events as it can the surviving remnants of camps,
execution sites and other features associated with this period. By demonstrating the
diversity and complexity of Holocaust landscapes, a case is presented for a sub-
discipline of Holocaust Archaeology.
‘I have buried this among the ashes where people will certainly dig to find the traces of
millions of men who were exterminated’

(Salmen Gradowski in Bezwinska 1973:75)

This thesis is dedicated to all those whose lives have been, and will be, affected by the
Holocaust.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks go to my supervisors: to Emeritus Professor John Hunter for
supervising the first two years of this research, for introducing me to the world of
forensic archaeology and for helping me establish my career, not only during this
project but also throughout my seven years in Birmingham; to Dr John Carman and
Patricia Carman for their support and guidance during my final year. Not only have
they provided a source of inspiration and motivation during the production of this
thesis but they have also been a constant source of help in establishing my career
and getting me on the conference circuit! Thanks are due to Dr Roger White who has
acted as my advisor throughout this research.

For granting permission for the fieldwork at Treblinka and for putting their faith in
the project, I would like to thank Dr Edward Kopówka of the Muzeum Walki I
Męczeostwa w Treblince and Dr Andrzej Matuszewicz of the Muzeum w Siedlcach.
The staff at both museums were instrumental in ensuring that fieldwork ran
smoothly. For assisting with permission for this research and for observing the
fieldwork, I would like to thank Rabbi Michael Schudrich, Kasia Ober and staff at the
Rabbinical Commission in Warsaw. The project would not have been possible
without the assistance of the Konserwator Zabytków w Warszawie.

For the research relating to Alderney, I would like to extend my thanks to the
Alderney Society and Museum, and the States of Alderney for allowing the fieldwork
to go ahead and for their understanding. In particular, thanks are due to Royston
Raymond, Donald Hughes, Trevor Davenport, Don Oakden, Alex Gordon-Jones,
Melanie Broadhurst and Peter Arnold. Julie Turner also assisted in obtaining
fieldwork permission. For providing accommodation and logistical support, I would
like to thank Roland Gauvain of the Alderney Wildlife Trust.

My sincerest thanks are extended to the communities and individuals that I have
met at both sites during my fieldwork for their understanding, encouragement and
support.

For providing me with the opportunity to talk about and reflect on my research, I
would like to thank Lucy Vernall and Andy Tootell of the Idea’s Lab, Birmingham.
Thanks are also due to Jonathan Charles (formerly of the BBC) and Simon Jacobs
(Unique) for producing a Radio 4 documentary about my research at Treblinka and
for their keen interest in the project.

For the loan of equipment, thanks are due to the staff at Birmingham Archaeology
and IBM Vista. For advice on my geophysics results and software provision, thanks
are also due to Dr Jamie Pringle at Keele University. For assistance with the survey
work in Poland, thanks are due to Krzysztof Karszina at Leica Polska. Fieldwork
wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of fellow students at the
University of Birmingham, in particular Emma Login and Jack Hanson. For helping me
learn Polish and for assistance with translations, I would like to thank Łukasz Bik and
Kasia Berent-Young. Special thanks are also due to Barrie Simpson for his help and
advice with regards to forensic archaeology and mass grave investigation.
Staff at Jersey Archives, Island Archives (Guernsey), Priaulx Library, National
Archives, Yad Vashem, USHMM, Imperial War Museum and the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission assisted greatly with the archival research.

Thanks are extended to fellow colleagues working in this field: Dr Gilly Carr at the
University of Cambridge for discussing her work in the Channel Islands; Ivar Schute
and Ruurd Kok from RAAP Archeologisch Adviesbureau for their encouragement and
for introducing me to other colleagues; for information concerning work in Germany
and Austria to Professor Claudia Theune from University of Vienna; members of the
newly-formed Atlantic Wall research group. Thanks also go to Yoram Hamai and his
fieldwork team at Sobibor for providing me with information concerning their
project and for allowing me to visit them during their fieldwork. For advice on
Halacha Law, I would like to thank Marcus Roberts, Rabbi Gluck and Rabbi Elkin Levy.
For their assistance and support in the final stages of this research, thanks are due to
members of staff in the Forensic and Crime Science department at Staffordshire
University in particular Dr Sarah Fieldhouse, Dr Claire Gwinnett, Laura Walton, Jodie
Dunnett and Dr Andrew Jackson.

For their endless support, I would like to thank my family. I would like to thank my
Dad for fostering my interest in history and archaeology (even the bunkers!), for
assisting me in my research at the National Archives and for debating/arguing many
points in this thesis! To my sister for assisting with the fieldwork and for keeping me
calm! To my brother for assistance with some of the three dimensional models. To
my grandparents and Uncle Rodney, for contributing to my travel funds. Lastly, to
my mum for “keeping me grounded”! Thanks are also due to all of my friends who
have endured me discussing this project incessantly.

For his love, never ending patience and support, I would like to thank my husband
Kevin Colls who has truly shared the trials and tribulations of this research. Without
his understanding and help, particularly with the fieldwork, illustrations and proof-
reading, my research would not have been possible.

Research would not have been possible without funding from the University of
Birmingham, Rothschild Foundation Europe (Hanadiv) and the Gilchrist Educational
Trust.
CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………1

1.1. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT 1

1.2. CONTEXTUALISING ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACHES 5

1.3. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS 6

1.4. BASIS OF STUDY 16

1.5. SCOPE OF STUDY 18

1.6. POTENTIAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH 22

1.7. AGENDA 39

2. ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE STUDY OF HOLOCAUST LANDSCAPES……40

2.1. UNIQUENESS OF THE HOLOCAUST 40

2.2. BETWEEN HISTORY AND MEMORY 41

2.3. THE DIVERSITY OF GROUPS AFFECTED 45

2.4. NUMBER OF SITES 68

2.5. CONCLUSION 69

3. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………….....71

3.1. INTRODUCTION 71

3.2. METHODOLOGICAL STAGES 72

3.3. METHOD SELECTION………………………………………………………………………………………108

3.3. IMPACT 108

4. CASE STUDY: TREBLINKA, POLAND.…………………………………………..…111

4.1. INTRODUCTION 111

4.2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 114
4.3. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS 128

4.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS…………………………………………………………………………………..145

4.5. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………………………..146

4.6. REINTERPRETING TREBLINKA II 151

4.7. ISSUES AND CULTURAL MEMORY AT TREBLINKA 220

4.8. CONCLUSION 228

5. CASE STUDY: ALDERNEY, BRITISH CHANNEL ISLANDS………………….233

5.1. INTRODUCTION 233

5.2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 237

5.3. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS 249

5.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 273

5.5. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………………………..274

5.6. REINTERPRETING ALDERNEY 279

5.7. ISSUES AND CULTURAL MEMORY ON ALDERNEY 346

5.8. CONCLUSION 355

6. DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………………..358

6.1. DISCUSSION FORMATION 358

6.2. COMPARING THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD 359

6.3. POST-ABANDONMENT HISTORIES 384

6.4. WHY ARCHAEOLOGY? 413

6.5. CONCLUSION 420

7. CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………421

7.1. SUMMARY 421

7.2. RATIONALE FOR INVESTIGATION 422