17/12/2022
THINK ITS COLD AND YOU HAVE IT BAD:
Words from the autobiography of Auschwitz concentration camp SURVIVOR. Arriving at the concentration camp we first had to strip off all our clothes and then were shaved of all hair from our bodies, then were herded into the showers. We were aware of what happens in these camps but we had no option. Needless to say, we were elated when the shower heads sent down water, albeit cold and silly jokes pursued, maybe in elation. . We were then taken outside naked and shivering into the cold wintry frost, to dry naturally in the air as we stood there. We were issued with clothes not like our own, striped similar to pyjamas and very thin and worn. I recall one winter's day of hard frost we were ushered outside to stand on the ice, and cuddled together for warmth. The concentration camp gate opened and we slowly walked forward. whatever injuries we had from beatings or whatever we could not allow the guards to notice, as it meant not fit for the work, that meant we would be taken off duty and the next day entering the gas chambers. So with blistered chapped cold feet, we had to pretend we were well with straightened back and avoiding limping. It was a daily business of staying alive and avoiding the guards noticing our weakness... As we walked through the gates I noticed many of the prisoners had feet problems like me. some had cut down their boots as they were either too small or too large which in turn caused blisters and bleeding. They were nothing like our original shoes taken from us by the guards. We devised ways to make shoes fit a little better by gutting the sides down and opening them up. Later we found this not such a good idea as when the guards saw them it meant a severe beating. Something hard to endure even in good health and weight. I like many were tight skin over a bony body having lost 80 pounds in weight in such a short time.
Many including me walked with bare feet the 2 miles to the work site. There we dug in the ice-hard ground two feet down to lay pipes. The only meal of the day was watery soup, seldom warm and 8 oz of stall dry bread. I remember one day we found an old can and filled it with twigs and anything that would burn. A guard noticed and walked over while smiling at us, this we knew was not going to be good. He kicked over the fire into the snow, walking away laughing aloud while we watched the fire flicker out in the melting snow. It was a better part of the day when the light started to dim, this meant a walk back. not so good but in the huts, we had a bunk bed each with wood slats as a base, no mattress, and nothing else except a blanket but it was a resting place. We went to sleep almost immediately. If we noticed a college having a nightmare we never woke them up as whatever it was it was not as bad as reality when they awoke.. Mr remembered words from "Viktor Frankl" how could I forget that read?
