Tracing my great-grandfather’s 1942 death at Arnsdorf Asylum (Aktion T4 / Euthanasia program)
I am researching my great-grandfather, Johann Chrobok (born 1903, a laborer from Silesia), who died under the Nazi regime. I have two rare physical documents from 1942 and wanted to share his details to keep his memory alive and ask for research advice.
The Document Details:
The Letter (June 1, 1942): Sent from Landesanstalt Arnsdorf (Property Administration). It informs his wife, Elisabeth, that they are returning his clothes following his transfer from the Leubus institution, and demands stamps to pay for the postage.
The Death Certificate (June 12, 1942): States he died at Arnsdorf on May 22, 1942. There is a 3-week bureaucratic delay before registration, which was standard practice to hide mass killings.
Given that Arnsdorf was a known site for the Aktion T4 decentralized euthanasia program in mid-1942, it is highly likely he was murdered via forced medical neglect or overdose rather than dying naturally.
I have already sent formal inquiries to the Saxon State Archives (Sächsisches Staatsarchiv) and the Wrocław Archive looking for his original patient files (Patientenakte).
Since I can't post the photos here, has anyone else navigated Silesian or Saxon psychiatric records from 1942? I would appreciate any insights on what to expect from the archives.