Transport AAi from Theresienstadt, Ghetto, Czechoslovakia to Sobibor, Extermination Camp, Poland on 13/06/1942

The deportation of 1,000 Jews from Theresienstadt to presumably Sobibór on June 13, 1942 was designated "Aai" and is also referred to as the 16th transport from Theresienstadt "to the East". It was assembled at short notice, only two days before its actual departure, possibly as one of several punitive actions in retaliation for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich on June 4. The Jewish council announced the transport in Order of the Day No. 147. As with the other transports, it was simply called "Osttransport" (transport to the East) and the deportees were not informed of their final destination. Following the directive for transport "Aak" from the previous day, Transport "Aai" also carried a considerable number of deportees from Kolin in the Protectorate. Three transports left Kolin for Theresienstadt within a short time frame: the first on June 5 and the second on June 9. Both transports served as the main reservoir of would-be deportees for transport "Aak" on June 12. The third and last Kolin transport, "Aad", arrived on June 13 at the Bohusovice train station. These deportees underwent a selection in the railway station. There are conflicting reports as to how many people boarded the waiting train headed for the Lublin district. Richard Feder’s post-war testimony mentions 250 people who were selected for the onward transport. Survivor Hana Greenfield talks about 50 people who were taken off the Kolin transport and marched to Theresienstadt. The rest moved on to transport "Aai". This number is certainly overstated. There is very little information about the destiny of these deportees. This might be the reason why some sources refer to it as "The Lost Train of Kolin". The departure of transport "Aai" on June 13 is confirmed by Order of the Day No. 149, issued by the Jewish Council on June 14....