PREAMBLE
From the so-called “autumn transports” of 31 August and 7 September 1943 Westerbork - Auschwitz, after selection at the time of arrival, the men deemed most suitable for work were transferred to the Warsaw Ghetto for carrying out rubble removal work and a number of women were put to work in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
It is not possible to draw up a complete list of the men selected for forced labor, who were transported to Warsaw with the exception of a few who remained behind in Auschwitz. Also, the selection limits are not precisely known. The most exact and probably closest to the truth is the statement of one of the survivors of the transport of 31 August 1943, that the age limit ranged from 18 to 20 years to 40 years, and that some "older people" were selected up to 50 years. The limit of 18-40 years is also mentioned by a repatriate from the transport of 7 September 1943, while it is known from various testimonies that in general only healthy and strong men were appointed for Warsaw.
Since young people from other transports have also been found in Warsaw, it is also possible that some mature-looking boys of 16 and 17 years old have accompanied them. Partly in connection with the ratio of the numbers of those selected to the numbers of men aged 16-50 (to be explained in more detail in the explanation of the two transports separately), from a statistical point of view the greatest chance of success would therefore probably be obtained if there were it would be assumed that the men aged 18 to 40 (subject to known exceptions) were sent to Warsaw, and all other men (again subject to the known exceptions) on or about the day of arrival of their transport were gassed in Auschwitz.
On the other hand, strictly speaking, none of the men in the age group of 16-50 years can be said with certainty to have been immediately sent to the gas chambers if not expressly stated by witnesses, and therefore for every healthy male deportee aged 16 and 17 or between 40 and 50 theoretically the possibility that he was among the employed, (note x)
Very little is known about the women of the transports of 31 August and 7 September 1943. No survivors have been found from the former transport, and only 2 from the latter, who, moreover, have been in a privileged position due to circumstances. The conclusions to be drawn with regard to the women are stated below in the explanation of the individual transports.
More about the transport of 7 September 1943
The reconstructed fragment of the matricule series runs from 149131 (T) to 149265 (W) and thus contains 135 names. According to the transport list, the number of men aged 18-40 is 167, which number roughly corresponds to the number selected according to witness statements and is fairly consistent with the estimate reached if the known matricule series of 135 is supplemented, imagined with the numbers of the men with names starting with the letters A to E and X to Z. A calculation of this number according to the age group of 16-50 years yields a total of 264, which shows that, as men aged 16 and 17 and aged 40-50 were employed, their number must have been small. (note x)
(Note x) The "Committee for the declaration of death, of missing persons" has, in this connection, assumed for both transports that the men aged 16-50, unless individually known otherwise, have been selected for employment.
For the rest, reference to the Warsaw conclusions (Chapter I, paragraph 3, sub II) will also suffice for the treatment of this transport. Letters have not been received from those employed on this transport.
According to the statements of the three survivors, a number of the women were selected for employment. The estimates range from 100 to 150, while the selection limit is indicated: 16 to 40 years.
The fragment of the matricule series to be reconstructed runs from 61220 (B) to 61278 (P) and thus contains 59 names. The estimate of ±100 employed persons may therefore be approximately correct.
In view of the foregoing, it can be assumed that women aged 16 to 40 who did not have children aged 15 or younger with them survived the selection. About 30 nurses and a "doktores" (female doctor) were selected for the "Krankenrevier". (infirmary).
These groups had a relatively good chance of survival. Insofar as they have survived a considerably longer period of time after their selection, it must be assumed that their existence is evidenced by survivors' statements and that their deaths can be determined individually. If this does not appear, it must be assumed that they have suffered the fate of the other women selected for work who are employed in Birkenau.
According to what is known about this from statements by women from other transports, their work was very hard, in connection with which the maximum life span of these women is estimated to be little more than 2 months. On the basis of this it can be assumed that they, barring exceptions, had died no later than 30 November 1943. All other women, including the children, must be deemed to have died on or about the day after their arrival at Auschwitz, i.e. on or about September 10, 1943.
The three returned women have had a privileged position (one as a nurse, one as a writer in a camp office, and the third as a musician in the camp orchestra.
Summary of the conclusions for the transports of 31 August and 7 September 1943
MEN
All men belonging to the two above-mentioned transports, who had reached the age of 16 on the day after their arrival at Auschwitz (i.e. 2 and 10 September 1943 respectively), but were not yet 51 years old, were, unless individually known otherwise , considered to have died in Warsaw no later than 31 March 1944.
All other men included in the above transport are, unless individually known otherwise, deemed to have died in Birkenau, on or about 3 September 1943 (transport 31 August) and 10 September 1943 (transport 7 September) respectively.
WOMEN
All women belonging to the transport of 7 September 1943, who had reached the age of 16 on the day after arrival at Auschwitz (i.e. on 10 September 1943), but were not yet 41 years old, and had no children with them, will be, unless individually known otherwise, is deemed to have died in or in the vicinity of Auschwitz-Birkenau, not earlier than 10 September 1943, and no later than 30 November 1943.
All other women belonging to the above-mentioned transport, as well as the children, are, unless individually known otherwise, deemed to have died in Birkenau on or about 3 September (transport 31 August) and 10 September 1943 (transport 7 September) respectively.
Source: Publication Auschwitz volume IV, chapter III – the autumn transports of 1943 (24 August -16 November 1943), pages 45, 51-52-53-54, 55, 67 and 68 edited by the Dutch Red Cross in October 1953.