Editing Auschwitz concentration camp (section)

====Crematorium I, first gassings{{anchor|first gassing}}====
{{Further|#Gas chambers}}
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| image1 = Auschwitz I krematorium.jpg<!--Auschwitz I, crematorium I, 1967 (Fortepan 60957).jpg-->
| caption1 = Crematorium I, photographed in 2016, reconstructed after the war{{sfn|Dwork|van Pelt|2002|p=364}}
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Construction of crematorium I began at Auschwitz I at the end of June or beginning of July 1940.{{sfn|Piper|2000b|p=121}} Initially intended not for mass murder but for prisoners who had been executed or had otherwise died in the camp, the crematorium was in operation from August 1940 until July 1943, by which time the crematoria at Auschwitz II had taken over.<ref>{{harvnb|Piper|2000b|pp=121, 133}}; {{harvnb|Piper|1998c|pp=158–159}}.</ref> By May 1942 three ovens had been installed in crematorium I, which together could burn 340 bodies in 24 hours.{{sfn|Piper|2000b|p=128}}

The first experimental gassing took place around August 1941, when Lagerführer [[Karl Fritzsch]], at the instruction of Rudolf Höss, murdered a group of Soviet prisoners of war by throwing [[Zyklon B]] crystals into their basement cell in [[block 11]] of Auschwitz I. A second group of 600 Soviet prisoners of war and around 250 sick Polish prisoners were gassed on 3–5 September in the old crematorium after being told they were to march naked there to receive new clothing.<ref>Pilecki, W. report from Auschwitz. "Der Spion von Auschwitz — Der Mann, der sich ins Lager schmuggelte. ORF III, 27 January 2025, c.9:50 pm CET.</ref><!--check this--><ref>{{harvnb|Dwork|van Pelt|2002|p=292}}; {{harvnb|Piper|1998c|pp=157–158}}; {{harvnb|Piper|2000b|p=117}}.</ref> The morgue was later converted to a gas chamber able to hold at least 700–800 people.{{sfn|Piper|2000b|p=128}}{{efn|[[Franciszek Piper]] writes that, according to post-war testimony from several inmates, as well as from Rudolf Höss (Auschwitz commandant from May 1940), the gas chamber at Auschwitz I could hold 1,000 people.{{sfn|Piper|2000b|p=128}}}} Zyklon B was dropped into the room through slits in the ceiling.{{sfn|Piper|2000b|p=128}}