The Extermination Camp in Treblinka was built in the spring of 1942 near an existing penal labor camp and covered an area of 17 hectares. The camp was surrounded by a high barbed wire fence camouflaged with interwoven greenery to hide what was happening inside. Anti-tank obstacles ("Spanish horses") and rolls of barbed wire were placed outside the fence. Watch towers were additionally positioned around the camp.
The staff consisted of 25-30 Germans and Austrians who supervised the camp together with a guard company of about 100 men, mostly Ukrainians.
The first camp commandant was Dr Irmfr…