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. 

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