Transport XIX from Caserne Dossin (Malines-Mechelen), Camp, Belgium to Auschwitz Birkenau, Extermination Camp, Poland on 15/01/1943

The deportation numbers of Jews residing in Belgium was increased from 10,000 to 20,000. This quota would not be met: by the end of the year 14 trains had left from Mechelen, deporting a total of 16,882 Jews. Thus far, only foreign Jews who came from countries that were occupied by Nazi Germany, and German Jews who were now considered stateless, were deported from Belgium. However, Eichmann ordered the Chief of the Security Police and Security Service (Beauftragter des Chefs der Sipo und des SD – BdS) Ernst Ehlers to arrest Belgian Jews as well. The head of the Militärverwaltungsstab, Eggert Reeder prevented the implementation of this measure because neither the Mechelen nor the Breendonk concentration camp had the capacity to house both foreign and Belgian Jews. Since many Jews had gone into hiding, Reeder expected difficulties in carrying out future transports. In the past, raids were organized during which large numbers of Jews were arrested and deported to the Mechelen camp. However, in order to prevent the Belgian population from sympathizing with the Jews, Ehlers was no longer permitted to carry out such raids. Consequently, he was only able to order the arrest of small numbers of Jews. From November 3, arrestees were brought to the Mechelen camp in small groups. Upon arrival the new prisoners had to undergo a registration procedure which many survivors described as abusive and humiliating. Afterwards their valuables were confiscated. The new prisoners received an identification number and were housed in one of the overcrowded rooms of the casern under poor hygienic conditions....