Today is Sunday, June 14, 2020.

On this day in 1940, a group of 728 Polish prisoners were forced on a train from Tarnov to Auschwitz.

Less than half survived. Welcome to today in True Crime, a parcast original.

Today we're covering the first mass transport of prisoners by Nazi Germany to the infamous

internment facility in occupied Poland.

Setting the stage for the first summer of World War II, the transport began early on the morning of June 14th, 1940 in the southern Polish

city of Tarnov.

It was just before 5 a.m. The guards shouted at the political prisoners and banged on the walls of their cells.

Barely awake, the prisoners were dragged outside.

The men were ordered to walk in rows of five, that way they would be easier to count.

The German military officers accompanied them on all sides carrying heavy guns.

Though it was early, their procession through the streets had woken sleeping Tarnav civilians. They watched with terror from their windows. One mother even

noticed her son among the prisoners and rushed toward him. She wanted to say

goodbye, but the German officers attacked her, beating her with the

butts of their rifles. Her son watched in horror, trying to fight through the trudging

prisoners and help his mom. He too was beaten.

The marching men could only look forward, fearing what might happen if they turn their heads to watch the violence.

One survivor, Aaugenius Nido Yadlo, recalls that the sprawling line of men looked like a giant black snake.

It gave him the impression of cattle being led to a slaughterhouse.

An unknown civilian threw red flowers towards the men, but the German soldiers quickly stomped on them.

Any sign of hope had diminished.

Finally, they arrived at the town's train station.

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