Outdoor cremation
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Although crematory ovens with tall chimneys are iconic Holocaust imagery, in fact, of the five primary "extermination" camps, only Auschwitz had dedicated crematory ovens. The three Operation Reinhardt camps (Treblinka, Belzec, and Sobibor) as well as Chelmno, are all said to have cremated the bodies outdoors on pyres.
The Orthodox Account
For the three Reinhardt camps, the story is that approximately 1.5 million were gassed and initially buried in mass graves. The corpses were later said to have been disinterred and burned in order to cover up the crimes.
| Camp | Approx. Numbers | Cremation Method |
|---|---|---|
| Chelmno | 150,000-250,000 | Pyres |
| Belzec | 435,000-600,000 | Pyres |
| Sobibor | 170,000-250,000 | Pyres |
| Treblinka | 750,000-900,000 | Pyres |
| Auschwitz | 900,000-1,100,000 | Crematoria (and Pyres) |