"Aktion 1005" in Maly Trascjanec

In October 1943 "Aktion 1005" began in Maly Trascjanec. As part of this operation, which was also referred to as "trace removal" or "exhumation action", all evidence of the National Socialist crimes against humanity was to be destroyed.

The "Aktion 1005" was initiated already in 1941 under the responsibility of Paul Blobel. The aim was to remove all traces of the mass murders in concentration camps and other extermination sites. Above all, this included the systematic destruction of human remains from mass graves. The "Sonderkommando 1005", which was active in the process, was supported by both the security service and the order police.¹

In the autumn of 1943, Paul Blobel and Arthur Harder came to Minsk and negotiated with the commander Erich Ehrlinger about the removal of the mass graves there. While Blobel drove on, Harder stayed in Minsk on his behalf in order to get the exhumation going and to instruct the people assigned by Ehrlinger in their work. Harder set up his quarters in the area around Maly Trascjanec for at least two weeks and during this time he organized the removal of the mass graves in Blahaǔščyna.

Adolf Rübe expresses himself in his trial on "Aktion 1005" in Maly Trascjanec

Paul Blobel assembled a "Sonderkommando" of about 100 Soviet prisoners of war to exhume the mass graves at Blahaǔščyna.

They pulled the corpses, some of which were badly decomposed, out of the ground with iron hooks and carried them on stretchers made for this purpose to the place where they were to be cremated. To this end, the members of the "Sonderkommando" erected pyres measuring 4x5 meters and up to 5 meters high.

Place of cremation after the liberation of Minsk

When the stack reached the intended height, it was ignited with coal tar fuel oil. A long pole was usually used for this, to which a rag soaked in petrol was tied. It sometimes took up to two days for a pyre to burn down. At the same time, the Soviet prisoners of war from the "Sonderkommando" began constructing a dugout near Blahaǔščyna, as instructed by Arthur Harder. Here they should be housed outside of their working hours to avoid daily transport from the prison in Minsk. They were guarded by a platoon of Schutzpolizisten led by the first lieutenant Otto Goldapp.

A platoon of the Volksdeutsche Waffen SS company, which had been stationed on the camp site since the spring of 1943, was available to guard and cordon off the excavation site. It formed two loose chains of posts around the pits; the inner ring was manned day and night while the outer ring was withdrawn at night. In addition, Harder was assigned SS-Hauptscharführer Adolf Rübe and some interpreters.