JAcOb'S StOry
There was a man called Jacob Metchnikoff, he was 23, he had a beautiful hair and a cute smile, the unique pain for him after some years was to be Jew.
Jacob was totally in love with Anne Savoia, a German Jew, they were married. They were waiting a baby, Anne had almost 8 months with the baby, it was the first one and he would have the name of Abraham.
Happiness was the principal guest in their house, they were really excited about the baby and they were looking for the next baby’s name.
One day a Jacob’s friend (Yossi) came to noticed them about Jew’s killing. Hitler was on the top of the government and he hated Jews so much he wanted them to be dead.
Jacob didn’t think twice about the situation. He and Anne took the basic stuff for a long trip, their plan was to escape from Hitler’s hands, no matter what, no matter where.
They began their trip with Yossi’s family. Yossi’s wife helped Anne to walk, and they tried to calm Anne because of the pain the baby caused in the way of finding a safe land.
They were almost in Germany’s border when they were discovered by some Nazis, they heard someone yelling at them, and they tried to escape but it was stupid to run with a pregnant woman. They were caught and separated, men to the left, women to the right.
Jacob’s pain was undescriptible, he wanted to die! What if Anne was dead by the end of that war? What if he was not capable to go forward?
He was sure someday, someone had to go and save them from that place, that was more like hell. Jacob always thought about Anne and his son, what had happened to his son? That was the question which tortured him every single day of his stay in the camp.
Fortunately, he had the enough strength to go on and pass all the selections he presented, he was a strong man, but Yossi was really helpful in the sad moments. One day, Yossi was caught for having stolen some bread, just one or two pieces, that was his worst mistake, the decisive one. An SS officer killed him at the moment; a bullet right in the heart, Yossi lasted 10 seconds alive. His last words were: Look for Julia and take care of her.
Jacob cried for a moment, he just had a tear. Then he decided to go out from that obstacle alive, for Yossi, for Anne, for himself!
A week later they were freed, they were fed with some soup and bread. He had no other thought but to go and ask for Anne and Julia. Would have them survived?
He was looking for them, almost 3 days spent on asking for them. Finally, he found a lady who told him where he could find a woman called Anne, he was not sure if she would be the right one, but he had to try.
He ran to the block he was told. There was a beautiful woman, who even when she was mistreated and really thin, with no enough strength to walk for more than 5 minutes, she was still beautiful, her eyes had no shine but she was Anne. That lady was Jacob’s love of his life, she was the one.
Anne almost ran to hug Jacob, she had no more life in her face, but they were together again. They had survived to the impossible, they were their own heroes.
After some months, when both of them had good health, they decided to go and look if Julia was still alive.
It was a miracle, Julia was alive and she had good health as well. She had no life in her eyes, but all was a time’s matter.
Jacob told them about his stay in the camp and he told Julia about Yossi’s death, Julia was really sad for the notice, but she was prepared, that was a possibility till the very beginning.
Jacob kept Yossi’s last wish: they took care of Julia, until she decided to go Paris, give history lessons and start a new life.
About Jacob and Anne, she lost the baby, obviously. They started from zero, and they decided to have other baby, whose name would be the same and he would be the most precious gift on their life, because they had the luck of being together and being alive.
« Which was the motto of the survivors of the Holocaust?
“Forgive but never forget”
miércoles, 1 de abril de 2009
viernes, 27 de marzo de 2009
NiiGht
1.- What was the “Final Solution”? Who proposed it?
How to get rid of the Jews was a question answered by Adolf Hitler. His answer was to murder Jews throughout Europe along with other races that were believed to be sub-humans. This answer was called the “Final Solution,” a solution that started in the summer of 1941 and was believed to answer the “Jewish Question” and create an end to the Jews.
Hitler first explained and thought about his “solution” since 1919. Hitler believed his race was pure, which was the Aryan race. Wanting to protect racial purity, he then thought about getting rid of all Jews throughout Europe, along with other races he believed to be sub-human, including Slavs, Gypsies, Homosexuals, the mentally ill and disabled people.
2.- Which was the first alternative for the Final Solution?
The Germans began to kill Jews using simple methods at first. They fired at them with guns and put the bodies in pits. This did not work well as planned, it killed very few using too much time. On 1941, techniques were developed.
3.- What is the “D” Day?
The day that 150,000 Allied soldiers landed on the shores of Normandy is the D Day for us. And with ships, landing craft and planes leaving port by the tens of thousands for a hostile shore, it is believed that this day has a D on it because of “disembarkation" or "departed”.
4.- Mention 2 of the most important SS officers.
Karl Hocker
Der jüdische
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/sfeature/sf_info.html
library.thinkquest.org/trio/TTQ03068/finalsolution.htm
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/holocaust_and_genocide_studies/v020/20.3waite.html
How to get rid of the Jews was a question answered by Adolf Hitler. His answer was to murder Jews throughout Europe along with other races that were believed to be sub-humans. This answer was called the “Final Solution,” a solution that started in the summer of 1941 and was believed to answer the “Jewish Question” and create an end to the Jews.
Hitler first explained and thought about his “solution” since 1919. Hitler believed his race was pure, which was the Aryan race. Wanting to protect racial purity, he then thought about getting rid of all Jews throughout Europe, along with other races he believed to be sub-human, including Slavs, Gypsies, Homosexuals, the mentally ill and disabled people.
2.- Which was the first alternative for the Final Solution?
The Germans began to kill Jews using simple methods at first. They fired at them with guns and put the bodies in pits. This did not work well as planned, it killed very few using too much time. On 1941, techniques were developed.
3.- What is the “D” Day?
The day that 150,000 Allied soldiers landed on the shores of Normandy is the D Day for us. And with ships, landing craft and planes leaving port by the tens of thousands for a hostile shore, it is believed that this day has a D on it because of “disembarkation" or "departed”.
4.- Mention 2 of the most important SS officers.
Karl Hocker
Der jüdische
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/sfeature/sf_info.html
library.thinkquest.org/trio/TTQ03068/finalsolution.htm
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/holocaust_and_genocide_studies/v020/20.3waite.html
Night's Summary
Page 66-84
The Jewish year was finishing and Ellie asked himself why all men who were there praised for an invisible God, the one who let them die and suffer in that way. He decided not to pray more, not to believe in God. Instead of talking to God, he just asked for forgiveness, he no longer believed.
He started to rebel against God, he would show Him he was capable of surviving even in that horrible place, where all had a painful face.
He went with his father ant they remained silent, they understood so good that they hadn’t to say a single word.
The new year was “good”, the roll call didn’t last so much time. The soup and bread were good, they even received a little bit more bread and soup. They were explained that Buna, time before was like hell, there were no clothing, no blankets, less soup and bread. They were thankful to this, but they still felt like nothing.
Their Blockälteste told them human words before the next selection, he was not bad at all, he didn’t want to stay there, he didn’t want to see more people dying, it was really depressing. So he told Jews not to fall, to run faster than ever, and feel sure about them. The most important here was not to be written down as the next victim. His father give him a spoon and a knife to keep, because he was sure he was not going to survive, but Ellie told him that if he passed he would return to him those things. Ellie and his friends passed the proof; they gave everything they could to run fast. The selection was perfect because apparently his father’s number was not written down.
Some days after the Blockälteste said 10 numbers to stay in the camp before going to work, they knew they were the chosen by the officers in the selection and they were totally afraid, the did not want to die. But Ellie’s father was in the list, so his father gave him a spoon and a knife to keep, because he was sure he was not going to survive, but Ellie told him that if he passed he would return to him those things. But a miracle happened: his father was alive.
Then the person who said Kaddish for all Jews left, he was taken for the selection, certainly he was going to die, they all promised to say Kaddish after his death, but no one remembered to do so at the moment.
The winter came and Eliezer’s foot started to swell because of the cold, he went to the doctor and the foot had to be operated. The next day the operation would take place. The operation went good, in two weeks the foot would be fully recovered but he had to be smart, because in the infirmary had selection too, and more frequently.
Two days later there were rumors about the Red Army was racing Buna. The evacuation would take place the day after in the night; Eliezer was upset because after the evacuation the camp would blow up.
Eliezer’s father had some faith on Eliezer, about his foot. Hopefully, the foot would resist. He didn’t want to stay in the infirmary, because they would probably be killed.
After the war he noticed they were saved by Russians.
The last night in Buna was sleepless, his foot was like on fire, it hurted a lot. At the next day he could only put a blanket around his feet, in order to not suffer a lot in the journey.
The next day, the Blockälteste forced them to clean the camp. What for? For letting now the army that MEN occupied that place, at the end they were men?
After that they were order to stay in ranks, after few moments the doors were opened, they started to march to a unknown destiny over the snow.
The Jewish year was finishing and Ellie asked himself why all men who were there praised for an invisible God, the one who let them die and suffer in that way. He decided not to pray more, not to believe in God. Instead of talking to God, he just asked for forgiveness, he no longer believed.
He started to rebel against God, he would show Him he was capable of surviving even in that horrible place, where all had a painful face.
He went with his father ant they remained silent, they understood so good that they hadn’t to say a single word.
The new year was “good”, the roll call didn’t last so much time. The soup and bread were good, they even received a little bit more bread and soup. They were explained that Buna, time before was like hell, there were no clothing, no blankets, less soup and bread. They were thankful to this, but they still felt like nothing.
Their Blockälteste told them human words before the next selection, he was not bad at all, he didn’t want to stay there, he didn’t want to see more people dying, it was really depressing. So he told Jews not to fall, to run faster than ever, and feel sure about them. The most important here was not to be written down as the next victim. His father give him a spoon and a knife to keep, because he was sure he was not going to survive, but Ellie told him that if he passed he would return to him those things. Ellie and his friends passed the proof; they gave everything they could to run fast. The selection was perfect because apparently his father’s number was not written down.
Some days after the Blockälteste said 10 numbers to stay in the camp before going to work, they knew they were the chosen by the officers in the selection and they were totally afraid, the did not want to die. But Ellie’s father was in the list, so his father gave him a spoon and a knife to keep, because he was sure he was not going to survive, but Ellie told him that if he passed he would return to him those things. But a miracle happened: his father was alive.
Then the person who said Kaddish for all Jews left, he was taken for the selection, certainly he was going to die, they all promised to say Kaddish after his death, but no one remembered to do so at the moment.
The winter came and Eliezer’s foot started to swell because of the cold, he went to the doctor and the foot had to be operated. The next day the operation would take place. The operation went good, in two weeks the foot would be fully recovered but he had to be smart, because in the infirmary had selection too, and more frequently.
Two days later there were rumors about the Red Army was racing Buna. The evacuation would take place the day after in the night; Eliezer was upset because after the evacuation the camp would blow up.
Eliezer’s father had some faith on Eliezer, about his foot. Hopefully, the foot would resist. He didn’t want to stay in the infirmary, because they would probably be killed.
After the war he noticed they were saved by Russians.
The last night in Buna was sleepless, his foot was like on fire, it hurted a lot. At the next day he could only put a blanket around his feet, in order to not suffer a lot in the journey.
The next day, the Blockälteste forced them to clean the camp. What for? For letting now the army that MEN occupied that place, at the end they were men?
After that they were order to stay in ranks, after few moments the doors were opened, they started to march to a unknown destiny over the snow.
jueves, 19 de marzo de 2009
NiGht'S SUmmAry.. 3Rd dEliivEry
Pages 47-65
In the new camp, Buna, they were well received by the other Jews, according to them, it was a good camp, but the most important thing was not to be sent to the construction Kommando.
They passed by the showers and after that they knew their new leader, he was a fat German, and he like children very much. He told Ellie to give him his shoes, but Ellie refused to give them to him. The leader helped him to stay with his father in the new Kommando.
The next days, he was checked by the doctors and by a dentist who noticed he had a gold crown in his teeth, and he was listed by his number.
They were assigned to the orchestra block, in which there was music at all times, and they had to march, al ways the same. After that, they were told to go out while marching; Ellie and his father knew new neighbors, the musicians. According to them the work was not difficult, just a little bit tired, at the end it was a good Kommando. The unique bad thing was the Kapo, he had bad moments, so they had to be out of his way.
In the work he was near his father, he felt very happy. There they met Yossi and Tibi, two brothers whose parents had already died.
One day, Ellie was told to go after the meal to meet the dentist. When he was there he told the dentist he didn’t feel ok, so he asked for some time to feel better, the dentist said yes. Of course it was all an excuse, but he returned a week later with the same excuse, the dentist agreed with the child and he allowed coming back later. A week after the dentist was taken and exterminated, his gold crown was safe, he was glad, and he didn’t feel pity for the man.
He knew a French girl from the work, but she never spoke, Ellie thought he didn’t know German. One day he was hit by Idek, when he was mad at nothing. Ellie crossed his path and he started hitting him, as Ellie didn’t shout the Kapo thought it was a defiance sign so he continued hitting him until he calmed down.
After this the Kapo sent him to work again, as if nothing had happened.
Blood was everywhere in his body and the French girl smiled at him, after a moment of fear; she neared and told him not to be afraid, in an almost perfect German.
Years later, after the liberation Ellie found this girl in the metro, in Paris.
He spoke to her for a long time, and he found out that she was a Jew and she spoke German.
One day Franek noticed his gold crown and told him to give it to him, after a lot of fights. Franek got the crown because a dentist took it out with a spoon. He sometimes received and extra soup. Two weeks later Poles were transferred to another camp.
After the Poles left he had a horrible experience, he discovered Idek was with a girl, and he started laughing, but Idek knew who was the person who was spying him and he received a punishment for that. He was given 25 lashes in front of all the Jews, then he had to stand up and he was told not to say anything to anyone.
Days after, the alert started sounding. Everybody was ordered to go inside the blocks, the camp seemed abandoned, but in middle of the street were two cauldrons of soup, all of them were hungry and wanted the soup but just one person decided to go for it, he was eating when someone shot and killed him. By that moment the factory was being bombed, all the Jews were happy to know it, even they were happy to clear the ruins.
Another day, Ellie remember a special hanging where an Oberkapo who was giant and good person, was the victim.
He was called pipel, and he was extremely beautiful, like an angel. After come situations the pipel was tortured, for possessing arms but he remained silent, then he was condemned to death.
In a roll call, they were going to die. All the Jews were looking at the boy, even the Lagerkapo refused to act as executioner, and the child keep silent. At one moment, the three chairs of the three men were removed, the two men died, but the child was still breathing, and he remained like that for more than half an hour, and the others were forced to look how the angel lingered between life and death.
Behind Ellie was a man asking: “For God’s sake, where is God?”
In the new camp, Buna, they were well received by the other Jews, according to them, it was a good camp, but the most important thing was not to be sent to the construction Kommando.
They passed by the showers and after that they knew their new leader, he was a fat German, and he like children very much. He told Ellie to give him his shoes, but Ellie refused to give them to him. The leader helped him to stay with his father in the new Kommando.
The next days, he was checked by the doctors and by a dentist who noticed he had a gold crown in his teeth, and he was listed by his number.
They were assigned to the orchestra block, in which there was music at all times, and they had to march, al ways the same. After that, they were told to go out while marching; Ellie and his father knew new neighbors, the musicians. According to them the work was not difficult, just a little bit tired, at the end it was a good Kommando. The unique bad thing was the Kapo, he had bad moments, so they had to be out of his way.
In the work he was near his father, he felt very happy. There they met Yossi and Tibi, two brothers whose parents had already died.
One day, Ellie was told to go after the meal to meet the dentist. When he was there he told the dentist he didn’t feel ok, so he asked for some time to feel better, the dentist said yes. Of course it was all an excuse, but he returned a week later with the same excuse, the dentist agreed with the child and he allowed coming back later. A week after the dentist was taken and exterminated, his gold crown was safe, he was glad, and he didn’t feel pity for the man.
He knew a French girl from the work, but she never spoke, Ellie thought he didn’t know German. One day he was hit by Idek, when he was mad at nothing. Ellie crossed his path and he started hitting him, as Ellie didn’t shout the Kapo thought it was a defiance sign so he continued hitting him until he calmed down.
After this the Kapo sent him to work again, as if nothing had happened.
Blood was everywhere in his body and the French girl smiled at him, after a moment of fear; she neared and told him not to be afraid, in an almost perfect German.
Years later, after the liberation Ellie found this girl in the metro, in Paris.
He spoke to her for a long time, and he found out that she was a Jew and she spoke German.
One day Franek noticed his gold crown and told him to give it to him, after a lot of fights. Franek got the crown because a dentist took it out with a spoon. He sometimes received and extra soup. Two weeks later Poles were transferred to another camp.
After the Poles left he had a horrible experience, he discovered Idek was with a girl, and he started laughing, but Idek knew who was the person who was spying him and he received a punishment for that. He was given 25 lashes in front of all the Jews, then he had to stand up and he was told not to say anything to anyone.
Days after, the alert started sounding. Everybody was ordered to go inside the blocks, the camp seemed abandoned, but in middle of the street were two cauldrons of soup, all of them were hungry and wanted the soup but just one person decided to go for it, he was eating when someone shot and killed him. By that moment the factory was being bombed, all the Jews were happy to know it, even they were happy to clear the ruins.
Another day, Ellie remember a special hanging where an Oberkapo who was giant and good person, was the victim.
He was called pipel, and he was extremely beautiful, like an angel. After come situations the pipel was tortured, for possessing arms but he remained silent, then he was condemned to death.
In a roll call, they were going to die. All the Jews were looking at the boy, even the Lagerkapo refused to act as executioner, and the child keep silent. At one moment, the three chairs of the three men were removed, the two men died, but the child was still breathing, and he remained like that for more than half an hour, and the others were forced to look how the angel lingered between life and death.
Behind Ellie was a man asking: “For God’s sake, where is God?”
NiiGht..
Why were the prisoners tattooed or marked on their forearms? Does this action have a religious implication? Why?
Jews in the Holocaust were tattooed to be identified by the “authorities” of the camps. These were the reasons they gave for the tattoos, but I think there are more foolish reasons for tattooing Jews, reason for making Jews feel as nothing.
I think these types of actions were psychological, if the Jews had a number in which they were called by the officers, so they would feel as if they were Germany’s property and to try to keep them in line, as if the other actions were not enough for them.
Germans tried to make them understand that they had no rights, and of course they didn’t have an identity, they had no name for the society, so they were given numbers just to be known by the officers. Jews didn’t have value in front of Germany, so how could they make them suffer a little bit more? Tattoos.
Tattoos are not allowed by the Torah, this document is the most important book for Jews, and it’s supposed to be written by Moises himself. Tattoos are against this law, so Jews were even more humiliated by having a tattoo in their forearms. They were suffering because of their believes and Germans made them go against it.
Who were the Kapos? Why did their fellowmen fear these leaders?
The Kapos were prisoners who were trusted by the SS officers, they took charge of other prisoners in the camps, and they received orders from Nazis.
If they obeyed all those orders, they would gain personal power and privileges from all the officers, so they would live better than the others.
They were in charge of distributing the food, or they just collaborated on others Jew’s death. Most of them were persecuted after the war because of their crimes and brutality, their punishment could be prison or even death.
They were feared because of their brutality, most of them seemed to enjoy these actions. They had the right to whip prisoners of minor charges. The worst parte is that some of them were Jewish, and they treated others with harsh treatments.
How did SS officers select their victims? Support your answer.
They select Jews because of the physical appearance, plus they had to do some proves, like running. They had to have the appearance of being strong enough to work on the factories, of being efficient.
If the SS officers saw a person who was too skinny, a slow person, and a weak man, so they would surely write his number down. After the selection, they would have to go to the crematoria.
Page 71
“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you.” For the first time, his voice quivered. “In a few moments, selection will take place. You will have to undress completely. Then you will go, one by one, before the SS doctors. I hope you will all pass. But you must try to increase your chances. Before you go into the next room, try to move your limbs, give yourself some color. Don’t walk slowly, run! Run as if you had the devil at your heels! Don’t look at the SS. Run, straight in front of you”
He paused and then added:
“And most important, don’t be afraid!”
This was an example of how they had to show themselves in front of the SS officers. This was an advice from a Blockälteste, he knew how the SS would choose their victims, so he tried to tell them how to act, because they were doing that, acting.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/kapos.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_a_Kapo_or_Capo_in_the_Holocaust
Jews in the Holocaust were tattooed to be identified by the “authorities” of the camps. These were the reasons they gave for the tattoos, but I think there are more foolish reasons for tattooing Jews, reason for making Jews feel as nothing.
I think these types of actions were psychological, if the Jews had a number in which they were called by the officers, so they would feel as if they were Germany’s property and to try to keep them in line, as if the other actions were not enough for them.
Germans tried to make them understand that they had no rights, and of course they didn’t have an identity, they had no name for the society, so they were given numbers just to be known by the officers. Jews didn’t have value in front of Germany, so how could they make them suffer a little bit more? Tattoos.
Tattoos are not allowed by the Torah, this document is the most important book for Jews, and it’s supposed to be written by Moises himself. Tattoos are against this law, so Jews were even more humiliated by having a tattoo in their forearms. They were suffering because of their believes and Germans made them go against it.
Who were the Kapos? Why did their fellowmen fear these leaders?
The Kapos were prisoners who were trusted by the SS officers, they took charge of other prisoners in the camps, and they received orders from Nazis.
If they obeyed all those orders, they would gain personal power and privileges from all the officers, so they would live better than the others.
They were in charge of distributing the food, or they just collaborated on others Jew’s death. Most of them were persecuted after the war because of their crimes and brutality, their punishment could be prison or even death.
They were feared because of their brutality, most of them seemed to enjoy these actions. They had the right to whip prisoners of minor charges. The worst parte is that some of them were Jewish, and they treated others with harsh treatments.
How did SS officers select their victims? Support your answer.
They select Jews because of the physical appearance, plus they had to do some proves, like running. They had to have the appearance of being strong enough to work on the factories, of being efficient.
If the SS officers saw a person who was too skinny, a slow person, and a weak man, so they would surely write his number down. After the selection, they would have to go to the crematoria.
Page 71
“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you.” For the first time, his voice quivered. “In a few moments, selection will take place. You will have to undress completely. Then you will go, one by one, before the SS doctors. I hope you will all pass. But you must try to increase your chances. Before you go into the next room, try to move your limbs, give yourself some color. Don’t walk slowly, run! Run as if you had the devil at your heels! Don’t look at the SS. Run, straight in front of you”
He paused and then added:
“And most important, don’t be afraid!”
This was an example of how they had to show themselves in front of the SS officers. This was an advice from a Blockälteste, he knew how the SS would choose their victims, so he tried to tell them how to act, because they were doing that, acting.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/kapos.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_a_Kapo_or_Capo_in_the_Holocaust
jueves, 12 de marzo de 2009
ExtErmiinAtiOn & COncEntrAtiiOn cAmpS
Concentration and Extermination Camps
« Locate the following camps in a map and explain if they are concentration or extermination camps:
« Bergen- Belzen: Concentration camp
« Auschwittz: Concentration and Extermination camp
« Dachau: Concentration Camp
« Treblinka: Extermination Camp
« Buchenwald: Concentration Camp
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~baustin/holocamp.html
NiiGht'S SUmmAry*
Pg. 23-46
The train advanced for days and Jews couldn’t even sit. They were all tired, hungry and thirsty, but they didn’t know where they were taken so that was so much important. During that time a woman called Mrs. Schächter, kept on shouting day and night, she said she saw flames and fire, but when Jews went to the windows there was nothing but darkness.
Ellie thought he would be shouting like the woman in just few more days.
After a long trip they arrived Auschwitz, someone told that was their final destination. They were told there was job for everyone, food and family, God was again with them, or at least they believed so.
The train moved again and after some Mrs. Schächter began shouting, Jews saw through the window and after some false alarms it was true. There was fire rising form a tall chimney and a second after they were taken out from the train. They arrived Birkenau around midnight.
They were told to separate men from women, this was the last moment Ellie saw his mother and his little sister, but he didn’t even notice… he was shaking, he was afraid of the next step.
Someone told him and his father to lie about their ages, he “was” 18 years old and his father was 40.
They passed the first step, they were not sent to the crematoria, they were still useful for the Nazis, Ellie thought of running into the electrified barbed wire, but he had to stay with his father, he was all the family left for him. They were alive but in some way they feel sad and with no reason to celebrate they were not dead.
Ellie describes how the camp looked, he won’t forget that night until the day he stop breathing, all the images in his head were repulsive, he no longer believed in innocence, not even in dreams or hope.
The next day the SS officers looked for strong men, they were lucky for not being chosen; otherwise they would have seen all their mates dying in the chimney. They were sent to the barber, they were forced to take out their clothes. Then some friends met each other and they started crying, I don’t know if they were because of finding the others alive or because Death was living with them.
Next day, they wake up early and Kapos ordered them to run naked as the day before, then a hot shower came and finally they were given new clothes, better called uniforms, all of them were of different sizes so they began to exchange clothes. They were transferred to different barracks and finally they got out of the concentration camp, a great day of May, the sun was shining and they were walking to Auschwitz. The entrance had an inscription: Work makes you free.
The first impression about the new camp was not that bad, they got some black coffee and soup, new clothes and at least, the first night they got their first human words until all this mess began, the man in charge told them good and helping words. They ate the same always, but that was not a problem, the also took naps.
One day, some men tattooed numbers in on Ellie’s left arm, his new name was A-7713, he had no other name, after that they had a roll call, as always.
Days went by, and then someone started to ask for Wiesel from Sighet, Ellie’s father. Later they realized the man who was asking was their relative, Reizel’s husband. Reizel was the sister of Ellie’s mother. He asked for Reizel, and Ellie had to lie, he saw his relative’s face and he couldn’t say the truth, he said Reizel and the children were ok, but Ellie’s mother hadn’t received any letter from her sister since 1940.
After a long time, their relative decided to go for news and they didn’t see him again. Sometimes Ellie asked himself where might be his mother and his sister, his dad tried to tell him they were ok, they pretended to believe so but at the end they knew that couldn’t be true.
They left too, after few some days, they were sent to a new camp: Buna.
The train advanced for days and Jews couldn’t even sit. They were all tired, hungry and thirsty, but they didn’t know where they were taken so that was so much important. During that time a woman called Mrs. Schächter, kept on shouting day and night, she said she saw flames and fire, but when Jews went to the windows there was nothing but darkness.
Ellie thought he would be shouting like the woman in just few more days.
After a long trip they arrived Auschwitz, someone told that was their final destination. They were told there was job for everyone, food and family, God was again with them, or at least they believed so.
The train moved again and after some Mrs. Schächter began shouting, Jews saw through the window and after some false alarms it was true. There was fire rising form a tall chimney and a second after they were taken out from the train. They arrived Birkenau around midnight.
They were told to separate men from women, this was the last moment Ellie saw his mother and his little sister, but he didn’t even notice… he was shaking, he was afraid of the next step.
Someone told him and his father to lie about their ages, he “was” 18 years old and his father was 40.
They passed the first step, they were not sent to the crematoria, they were still useful for the Nazis, Ellie thought of running into the electrified barbed wire, but he had to stay with his father, he was all the family left for him. They were alive but in some way they feel sad and with no reason to celebrate they were not dead.
Ellie describes how the camp looked, he won’t forget that night until the day he stop breathing, all the images in his head were repulsive, he no longer believed in innocence, not even in dreams or hope.
The next day the SS officers looked for strong men, they were lucky for not being chosen; otherwise they would have seen all their mates dying in the chimney. They were sent to the barber, they were forced to take out their clothes. Then some friends met each other and they started crying, I don’t know if they were because of finding the others alive or because Death was living with them.
Next day, they wake up early and Kapos ordered them to run naked as the day before, then a hot shower came and finally they were given new clothes, better called uniforms, all of them were of different sizes so they began to exchange clothes. They were transferred to different barracks and finally they got out of the concentration camp, a great day of May, the sun was shining and they were walking to Auschwitz. The entrance had an inscription: Work makes you free.
The first impression about the new camp was not that bad, they got some black coffee and soup, new clothes and at least, the first night they got their first human words until all this mess began, the man in charge told them good and helping words. They ate the same always, but that was not a problem, the also took naps.
One day, some men tattooed numbers in on Ellie’s left arm, his new name was A-7713, he had no other name, after that they had a roll call, as always.
Days went by, and then someone started to ask for Wiesel from Sighet, Ellie’s father. Later they realized the man who was asking was their relative, Reizel’s husband. Reizel was the sister of Ellie’s mother. He asked for Reizel, and Ellie had to lie, he saw his relative’s face and he couldn’t say the truth, he said Reizel and the children were ok, but Ellie’s mother hadn’t received any letter from her sister since 1940.
After a long time, their relative decided to go for news and they didn’t see him again. Sometimes Ellie asked himself where might be his mother and his sister, his dad tried to tell him they were ok, they pretended to believe so but at the end they knew that couldn’t be true.
They left too, after few some days, they were sent to a new camp: Buna.
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