The unused cloth badge was transferred to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1991 by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles F. Ottoman (April 11, 1890- September 7, 1946) served in the United States Army, Corps of Engineers, during World War II. He handled the investigation of Zwieberge-Malachit concentration camp for evidence of war crimes for use in the War Crimes Trials planned by the Allies following the end of the war. The camp was liberated on April 11, by troops from the 399th Battalion, 8th Armored Division, and 83rd Infantry, which captured all the camp records intact. Immediately following the capture, Lt. Colonel Ottoman discovered and researched the camp materials. He later testified to their provenance for the War Crimes Trials. Malachit was a notoriously cruel camp, where beatings, lengthy torture sessions, hangings, and the murder of prisoners was a common occurrence. No postwar trials were held for officers or guards at the Malachit camps, but the captured records of the camp provided in-depth documentation of atrocities and the concentration camp system which was introduced into evidence for War Crimes cases.
Lightweight, black cloth inverted triangle patch with the letter T painted in white on the top front and back. It has very frayed edges, drops of paint, and faint pinholes. The patch appears unused. front, top center, white paint : T [likely for Tschechoslowakei, German for Czechoslovakia]
No restrictions on access
No restrictions on use
overall: Height: 3.000 inches (7.62 cm) | Width: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm)
Inverted, triangular black badge with a white T intended for use as a prisoner identification badge in Langenstein-Zwieberge concentration camp, a subcamp of Buchenwald in Germany. The black signified that the inmate was considered asocial, used to refer to those too deviant, lazy, or selfish to contribute to society. This flexible category could include addicts and alcoholics, disabled, homeless, homosexuals, pacifists, vagrants, or Roma. The letter could indicate nationality; T may be for Czechoslovakian. The inverted triangle would have been attached on the left breast of the jacket or on the pants leg. The camp was liberated on April 11, by troops from the 399th Battalion, 8th Armored Division, and 83rd Infantry, which captured all the camp records intact. This badge was one of many found by Lt. Colonel Charles F. Ottoman, US Army, on April 22, 1945. It was used as evidence for Case No. 117"Alleged atrocities at Zwieberge Malachit Concentration Cam" at the Subsequent Nuremberg War Crimes Trials held in Dachau in 1947. Zwieberge subcamps were built from April 1944 to bolster the German war effort. Due to Allied bombings, an underground factory complex was designed to relocate armament works. The major subcamp, Halberstadt-Langenstein-Zwieberge [Malachit / B2 / Landhaus), planned for 2000 inmates, held more than 5000. Prisoners who worked in the tunnels died in about 6 weeks, at a rate of 30-40 per day. About 60% of the 8-10,000 prisoners died. Prisoners were sent to the camp from all regions invaded by Germany. Inmates included Jews, political prisoners, prisoners of war, and asocials, such as criminals, homosexuals, Roma, and vagrants. Living conditions were primitive, food scarce, and disease rampant. The SS camp fuhrer Tscheu was notorious for his cruelty, beatings, lengthy torture sessions, and hangings. The murder of prisoners was a common occurrence. Malachit was evacuated on April 9, 1945, as Allied troops neared. 3000 inmates were sent on a death march, which 500 survived. On April 11, US troops entered the camp. They discovered about 1500 ill and dying inmates who were transferred to a military hospital in Halberstadt. Residents from Langenstein were ordered to bury the dead in mass graves. No postwar trials were held for officers or guards at the Malachit camps, but the captured records of the camp were introduced into evidence for War Crimes cases.
Unused black triangle concentration camp patch with a white letter T found by US forces