Glossary

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> I.G. Farben > Cooperation between I.G. Farben and the Nazi Regime > I.G. Auschwitz

I.G. Auschwitz

“Picture 1 shows a distillation column lying next to a railroad track. It is about 20 m long […]. Visible on the column are a large number of nozzles, to which piping will be attached later, after positioning, during assembly. In the background (center) is construction material in the form of planks and pipes.” '(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)'© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

01/06

“Picture 1 shows a distillation column lying next to a railroad track. It is about 20 m long […]. Visible on the column are a large number of nozzles, to which piping will be attached later, after positioning, during assembly. In the background (center) is construction material in the form of planks and pipes.”
(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)
© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

“In Picture 2, a column is lying at an angle in front of its concrete foudation, with the connection nozzles clearly visible. Two assembly towers have been positioned, with which the column is to be hoisted […] In the foreground of the picture, construction material in the form of stones is visible.”'(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)'© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

02/06

“In Picture 2, a column is lying at an angle in front of its concrete foudation, with the connection nozzles clearly visible. Two assembly towers have been positioned, with which the column is to be hoisted […] In the foreground of the picture, construction material in the form of stones is visible.”
(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)
© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

“Picture 3 shows, at left, three columns that have been positioned, with the assembly towers already removed […] At right in the picture, a scaffolded column is visible, with a number of pipes already installed. The light-colored part, about 3/4 of the way up, is the insulation [...] About 1 m above the planks of the actual work platforms, handrails have been attached so that work can be done on these platforms without belts, but in an accident-proof way.”'(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)'© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

03/06

“Picture 3 shows, at left, three columns that have been positioned, with the assembly towers already removed […] At right in the picture, a scaffolded column is visible, with a number of pipes already installed. The light-colored part, about 3/4 of the way up, is the insulation [...] About 1 m above the planks of the actual work platforms, handrails have been attached so that work can be done on these platforms without belts, but in an accident-proof way.”
(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)
© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

“Picture 4 shows these work platforms with their handrails quite clearly, and you also see that besides the handrails, footrails are also attached to the platforms […] At the center of the picture you see, on a platform, the condensers, containers, and the pipework that goes with them, which can be installed without any danger. On the column in front, the vertical ladder is visible, surrounded by a basket that serves as a safety cage.”'(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)'© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

04/06

“Picture 4 shows these work platforms with their handrails quite clearly, and you also see that besides the handrails, footrails are also attached to the platforms […] At the center of the picture you see, on a platform, the condensers, containers, and the pipework that goes with them, which can be installed without any danger. On the column in front, the vertical ladder is visible, surrounded by a basket that serves as a safety cage.”
(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)
© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

“Picture 5 shows the topmost part of the distillation column with its pipelines. You can see the vertical ladder and the safety cage for the ladder. The railing around the upper platform is bolted on so that no dangerous welding work has to be done at these places.”'(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)'© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

05/06

“Picture 5 shows the topmost part of the distillation column with its pipelines. You can see the vertical ladder and the safety cage for the ladder. The railing around the upper platform is bolted on so that no dangerous welding work has to be done at these places.”
(Photo 1943/44, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)
© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

“Picture 6 comes from the assembly of a similar column at a subsequent I.G. Farben plant in West Germany in 1952. Comparison of this picture with the previous one shows that the erection of such distillation columns in Auschwitz in 1943 was basically carried out just as it was in peacetime conditions in 1952. On closer inspection, you can even see that on the scaffolding from 1952, the footrails that enhance safety are missing.”'(Photo 1952, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)'© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

06/06

“Picture 6 comes from the assembly of a similar column at a subsequent I.G. Farben plant in West Germany in 1952. Comparison of this picture with the previous one shows that the erection of such distillation columns in Auschwitz in 1943 was basically carried out just as it was in peacetime conditions in 1952. On closer inspection, you can even see that on the scaffolding from 1952, the footrails that enhance safety are missing.”
(Photo 1952, description by I.G. Farben defense counsel, Wollheim lawsuit, 1955)
© Central State Archive of Hesse (records of Wollheim lawsuit)

I.G. Auschwitz, founded in Kattowitz on April 7, 1941, was intended to be the largest chemical factory in Eastern Europe and at the same time a building block in the process of “Germanizing” the region. According to the plan, the production facilities were to supply the Eastern European market with plastics in peacetime, following their use for wartime production. In addition to German skilled workers and forced laborers from all over Europe, increasing numbers of prisoners from the Auschwitz concentration camp were deployed at the gigantic construction site in Auschwitz. In 1942 I.G. Auschwitz built its own corporate concentration camp, Buna/Monowitz.

I.G. Farben’s Choice of Auschwitz as a Plant Site

What Was I.G. Auschwitz Meant to Produce?

What Is Buna? From Natural Rubber to Synthetic Rubber

Buna for the Wartime Economy – Planing and Large-Scale Production in the Years 1933–1945

The Buna External Work Detachment (April 1941 to July 1942)

Prisoner Work Detachments

Employees of I.G. Farben at I.G. Auschwitz

I.G. Farben Master Craftsmen and Foremen in Contact with the Concentration Camp Prisoners

Plant Security at I.G. Auschwitz

Camp System of I.G. Auschwitz

Italian “Foreign Workers” at I.G. Auschwitz

East European Women as Forced Laborers for I.G. Auschwitz