The Sobibor death camp, located in the eastern part of the Lublin province of Poland, was active from April 1942 until October 1943. After an inmate uprising in October 1943, the Germans decided to dismantle the camp, and it was left standing without any visible markers identifying its former use. Until recently, researchers relied on survivor testimonies and partial German documentation to understand the camp's structure, activity and purpose. However, the total physical destruction of the camp by the Nazis presented a challenge for all wishing to learn and understand its history. In order to reconstruct the blueprint and structure of the camp, the International Institute for Holocaust Research is supporting archeological excavations in Sobibor. Archeologist Yoram Haimi, together with his Polish counterpart, Wojciech Mazurek, have recently completed the first stage of excavations, revealing the camp's structure, part of its layout, and along the way uncovering several unique, personal artifacts.
