Transport X/4 Ez5 from Dortmund, Dortmund (Arnsberg), Westphalia, Germany to Theresienstadt, Ghetto, Czechoslovakia on 23-25/01/1945

In 1945, the Dortmund Gestapo managed to launch two final transports to Theresienstadt. The first one departed in January and consisted of a single person: Kaethe Cordier from Bochum. There are no known documents attesting to the exact date of departure, but it is known to have arrived on January 26. A report from Theresienstadt written that day states that “15 people [from different places, among them Kaethe Cordier who is mentioned by name] arrived at the Jaeger Barracks […] After identification, medical examination and disinfection, they were brought to the baths and from there to their residence at Wallstrasse 8.” Considering the difficult transportation conditions, namely the numerous refugees at the railway stations following the massive Allied bombardments on January 1-3 when the USAF bombed numerous strategic points in the Dortmund area including refineries, coal mines and railway tracks, it may be assumed that Kaethe Cordier was put on a regular passenger train under guard which took several days to get to its destination. Upon arrival in Theresienstadt, the transport was registered under the number X/4 Ez. The Roman numeral X referred to the city of Dortmund.