Lichtheim Telegram, 1 July 1944, describing ‘deportation’ and disappearance of Jews sent to concentration camps (catalogue reference FO 916/847)
Transcript
Copy of Telegram from Lichtheim, Geneve, 1.7.44.
To Linton 2.7.44.
Received your message stop number of Jews transferred from Westerbork to Bergen and Theresienstadt is not known stop full list names both camps and other particulars especially names certificate holders not obtainable stop redcross or neutral envoys cannot visit these camps stop have many names tehresienstadt where number inmates during last two years about fortythousand while deportations were constantly going on probably to make room for newcomers stop only certain privileged categories can write stop Bergen mainly used for certificate holders from Holland eligible for exchange stop candidates for exchange fifth July apparently all from Bergen stop number Jews bearers foreign passports Vittel was between fourhundred and fivehundred stop of these twohundred eightythree been transferred from Poland received certificates stop of this group hundredsixtythree are said to have been deported two months ago to unknown destination while hundred twenty remained owing illhealth but unknown what then happened stop American efforts to save or ascertain fate this group have failed stop Drancy now only transitcamp for deportees stop deportations starting whenever number inmates reaches thousand to fifteenhundred.
Lichtheim
Clarified Transcript
Received your message. The number of Jews transferred from Westerbork to Bergen and Theresienstadt is not known. The full list names both camps and other particulars especially names certificate holders not obtainable. Red Cross or neutral envoys cannot visit these camps. They have many names Theresienstadt where the number of inmates during last two years was about 40,000 while deportations were constantly going on probably to make room for newcomers. Only certain privileged categories can write. Bergen is mainly used for certificate holders from Holland eligible for exchange. Candidates for exchange on the fifth July are apparently all from Bergen. The number of Jews, bearers of foreign passports [in/to] Vittel, was between 400 and 500. Of these 283 who had been transferred from Poland received certificates. Of this group 163 are said to have been deported two months ago to unknown destination while 120 remained owing to ill health but it is unknown what then happened to them. American efforts to save or ascertain the fate of this group have failed. Drancy is now only a transitcamp for deportees. The deportations starting whenever the number of inmates reaches 1,000 to 1,500.
Lichtheim