Box Car

How did the Nazis transport people to the death camps? They used railroad Box Cars, which were essentially freight cars that trains used to transport cargo. These cars had no ventilation and no sanitation facilities.

Imagine 100 – 150 people loaded into the box cars. The conditions were totally inhumane. In addition to the lack of sanitation, the people were deprived of food and water while being transported. Many people died before even arriving at the camps. The cars were so crowded with people that there was essentially no way for people to sit.  So they were forced to stand for days on end until eventually arriving at the final destination, which for many, was their death. 

Many holocaust museums around the world have box cars on display, including a museum in St Petersburg, Florida, Washington DC, and in Jerusalem in Israel. For most of us it is impossible to imagine what the people had to tolerate while being transported in this cruel and cold-hearted way. 

Related Articles

More From Shoah

The Jewish Ghettos of World War II

The ghettos of World War II were established by the Nazis to create a total confinement for the…
The Jewish Ghettos of World War II

Rose Lipszyc

Rose Lipszyc was born to a Jewish family in Poland in 1929, and lived a life of relative peace,…
Rose Lipszyc

Gisella Perl

Gisella Perl was born into a Jewish family in Hungary in 1907, and aspired to medical school…
Gisella Perl

Holocaust - We Remember

As holocaust survivors are dying, it is important that we never forget.
Holocaust - We Remember

The Perfect Aryan Baby

The "perfect Aryan baby", as chosen by the Nazis themselves in the 30s, was a sweet little…
The Perfect Aryan Baby

Why the Holocaust Was Possible

Contrary to the views of some authors, anti-Semitism alone was not responsible for the…
Why the Holocaust Was Possible

Shtetl

The remarkable three-hour documentary tells the homecoming story of two elderly Polish-American…
Shtetl

Publish the Menu module to "offcanvas" position. Here you can publish other modules as well.
Learn More.


donation