Overview
- Brief Narrative
- Enclosed, oil burning, railroad signal lantern with a reflector used at the railroad station in Sobibor, Poland, before and during World War II. The lantern reflected light in a pre-determined manner to convey information about trains and rail lines. In 1941, German authorities began preparations for Operation Reinhard, the systematic extermination of all Jews living in German occupied Poland. In March 1942, SS and police authorities began construction of Sobibor killing center, the second of three such facilities. The center was built in a wooded area near the town of Sobibor, along a spur of the existing Chelm-Wlodawa rail line. In May, regular train transports of Jewish people from German occupied regions began arriving at the center. The prisoners were herded off the trains and forced into a receiving area where they were stripped of their possessions, forced to undress, and pushed into rooms labeled as showers where they were killed with poison gas. In November 1943, the guards shot the remaining prisoners and dismantled the killing center. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 Jews were murdered at Sobibor.
- Date
-
use:
after 1900-before 1945
- Geography
-
use:
Sobibor (Poland)
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Polish Railroad Authority
- Contributor
-
Original owner:
Polish Railroad Authority
Physical Details
- Classification
-
Furnishings and Furniture
- Category
-
Lighting devices
- Object Type
-
Lanterns (lcsh)
- Physical Description
- Large, square, black painted, metal railroad lantern with an attached chimney and a hollow, rectangular, pedestal base. On the front and back are 2 circular, clear glass panes with raised rims. The hinged front panel is secured on the right side with a sliding catch. Along the top right edge is a hooded vent. Centered on the left side is a mounting bracket. On top is a cylindrical chimney with a ring of 12 circular vent holes, a lid with a tension latch, and an arched wire handle. On the interior is a second, hinged front panel. At the center of the panel is a large cone of silvered glass with a raised rim and an oval shaped back opening, possibly a reflector. The space behind the cone is open. At the bottom of the lantern there is a square hole. The paint has worn off throughout and the exposed surfaces are corroded.
- Dimensions
- overall: Height: 16.625 inches (42.228 cm) | Width: 9.875 inches (25.083 cm) | Depth: 8.500 inches (21.59 cm)
- Materials
- overall : metal, glass, paint
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- No restrictions on access
- Conditions on Use
- No restrictions on use
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The signal lantern was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990 by the Polish Railroad Authority.
- Funding Note
- The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
- Record last modified:
- 2022-07-28 18:21:24
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn3498
Also in Polish Railroad Authority collection
The collection consists of railroad signal lanterns, a switch lamp, a station telephone, and station signs used in the daily operations of the railroads in Poland before and during the Holocaust.
Date: after 1900-before 1946
Painted composition board sign from Belzec railroad station
Object
Painted composition board sign used to identify the railroad station in Belzec, Poland, before and during World War II. In early 1941, German authorities began preparations for Operation Reinhard, the systematic extermination of all Jews living in German occupied Poland. In November, SS and police authorities began construction of Belzec killing center. The center was built near the town of Belzec, along a siding of the existing Lublin-Lvov rail line. In March 1942, regular train transports of Jewish people from German occupied regions began arriving at the center. The prisoners were herded off the trains and into a receiving area where they were stripped of their posessions, forced to undress, and pushed into rooms labeled as showers where they were killed with poison gas. In spring 1943, Belzec was decommissioned and dismantled. The authorities planted trees and flowers to camouflage the area. A farm house was constructed for a local family to serve as wardens and prevent scavenging locals from unearthing the mass graves. It is estimated that between 500,000 and 600,000, mostly Jews, were murdered at Belzec.
Hand crank, table top telephone from Sobibor railroad station
Object
Table top, crank handle telephone used at the railroad station in Sobibor, Poland, before and during World War II. In 1941, German authorities began preparations for Operation Reinhard, the systematic extermination of all Jews living in German occupied Poland. In March 1942, SS and police authorities began construction of Sobibor killing center, the second of three such facilities. The center was built in a wooded area near the town of Sobibor, along a spur of the existing Chelm-Wlodawa rail line. In May, regular train transports of Jewish people from German occupied territory began arriving. Prisoners were herded off the trains into a receiving area where they were stripped of their possessions, forced to undress, and pushed into rooms labeled as showers where they were killed with poison gas. In November 1943, the guards shot the remaining prisoners and dismantled the killing center. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 Jews were murdered at Sobibor.
Railroad switch stand with a signal lantern from Sobibor railroad station
Object
Railroad switch stand with a signal lantern, weighted arm, and base used at the railroad station in Sobibor, Poland, before and during World War II. When the weighted arm is lifted, a section of track, the switch, is pulled and shifts into a different position. This simultaneously turns the lantern to display a signal window that corresponds to the switch position. In 1941, German authorities began preparations for Operation Reinhard, the systematic extermination of all Jews living in German occupied Poland. In March 1942, SS and police authorities began construction of Sobibor killing center, the second of three such facilities. The center was built in a wooded area near the town of Sobibor, along a spur of the existing Chelm-Wlodawa rail line. In May, regular train transports of Jewish people from German occupied regions began arriving at the center. The prisoners were herded off the trains and forced into a receiving area where they were stripped of their possessions, forced to undress, and pushed into rooms labeled as showers where they were killed with poison gas. In November 1943, the guards shot the remaining prisoners and dismantled the killing center. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 Jews were murdered at Sobibor.
Painted steel sign from Sobibor railroad station
Object
Painted metal sign used to identify the railroad station in Sobibor, Poland, before and during World War II. In 1941, German authorities began preparations for Operation Reinhard, the systematic extermination of all Jews living in German occupied Poland. In March 1942, SS and police authorities began construction of Sobibor killing center, the second of three such facilities. The center was built in a wooded area near the town of Sobibor, along a spur of the existing Chelm-Wlodawa rail line. In May, regular train transports of Jewish people from German occupied regions began arriving at the center. The prisoners were herded off the trains and forced into a receiving area where they were stripped of their possessions, forced to undress, and pushed into rooms labeled as showers where they were killed with poison gas. In November 1943, the guards shot the remaining prisoners and dismantled the killing center. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 Jews were murdered at Sobibor.
Lantern from Belzec railroad station
Object
Railroad lantern used at the railroad station in Belzec, Poland, before and during World War II. In early 1941, German authorities began preparations for Operation Reinhard, the systematic extermination of all Jews living in German occupied Poland. In November, SS and police authorities began construction of Belzec killing center. The center was built near the town of Belzec, along a siding of the existing Lublin-Lvov rail line. In March 1942, regular train transports of Jewish people from German occupied regions began arriving at the center. The prisoners were herded off the trains and into a receiving area where they were stripped of their possessions, forced to undress, and pushed into rooms labeled as showers where they were killed with poison gas. In spring 1943, Belzec was decommissioned and dismantled. The authorities planted trees and flowers to camouflage the area. A farm house was constructed for a local family to serve as wardens and prevent scavenging locals from unearthing the mass graves. It is estimated that between 500,000 and 600,000, mostly Jews, were murdered at Belzec.
