Transport V from Caserne Dossin (Malines-Mechelen), Camp, Belgium to Auschwitz Birkenau, Extermination Camp, Poland on 25/08/1942

Call-up letters summoning Jewish deportees for labour-service in Germany were distributed among non-Belgian nationals residing in Belgium. In the letters, which were distributed by the AJB, each person was ordered to report to casern Dossin. They were instructed to bring provisions for 14 days (non-perishable rations such as oat flakes and canned food), work boots, overalls and other indispensable clothes. Other items included a bowl and cup, ration coupons, clothing vouchers and identity papers. Jews holding Belgian citizenship, as well as Jews in mixed marriages were exempt from the first deportations. Thus far not enough people had responded to the call to report to the Dossin casern and it was feared that Eichmann’s order to deport 10,000 Jews would not be achieved. Therefore, another strategy was implemented. Starting from August 15, three raids were organized in Antwerp. Erich Holm, who was the head of the Department of Jewish Affairs of the Sipo-SD in Antwerp, was in charge of this raid. At around 20:30 the Antwerp police - in total 53 policemen - had to carry out individual arrests in three districts of the city. At around 22:00 the police team in one district was ordered to seal off a Jewish neighborhood, while the SS and the FG-forces [Feldgendermerie, German military police units] rounded up Jews from the street and from their homes. The raid lasted until the following morning. Between 998 and 1,067 Jews were caught....