Enlargement of one photo of Auschwitz-Birkenau taken on 25 August 1944 by a Mosquito of the No 60 Squadron South African Air force (Sortie no. 60PR/694) on behalf of the USAAF. The selection process of a recently arrived transport visible on the ramp has been completed, and those selected to die are being taken to Crematorium II. Also visible is a cultivated garden in the courtyard of Crematorium II, the open gate into it, and Crematorium III. The basement undressing rooms and gas chambers of both complexes can also be seen. This image was released by the Central Intelligence Agency in 1979. Victor Sierra



Auschwitz-Birkenau, 25 August 1944

One of the Auschwitz-Birkenau’s azimuthal photos taken by a Mosquito of No 60 Squadron SAAF took off from San Severo on 31 May 1944 for bombing intelligence purposes. The photoreconnaissance plane was actually looking for the nearby IG Farben war production factory and other war production facilities in the area. The photo material of this sortie was shared with the US 15th Air Force, which later bombed the IG Farben factory. Two US Central Intelligence Agency researchers reinterpreted the photo in 1978, and they inserted the captions and arrows on the photo. The arrows are pointing at several groups of inmates inside the camp. Also visible are several railcars next to the ramp. Smoke billowing from the chimney of crematorium (smoke in the photo) indicates that people were exterminated in the gas chamber beneath it shortly before. Victor Sierra

Auschwitz-Birkenau by above

The three principal camps in the Auschwitz complex photographed on June 26th, 1944 by a Mosquito of the No 60 Squadron SAAF (Sortie no. 60PR/522) took off from San Severo Airfield, Apulia, Southern Italy. In this photograph, which gives a comprehensive view of the three camps, is also visible the IG Farben factory (SS War Industries), the Vistola river and two other rivers of the zone, the SS Barracks (in high near Birkenau) and the swamps next to Birkenau (high on the left) into which were thrown the ashes of those murdered in the camp. Note the Auschwitz’s Polish name: Oswiecim. Victor Sierra