Chapter Summary Of 'No Return' By Vacek
Chapter 1: No Return
The story begins as the author is notifying the reader about the Sunday rituals that are performed by the prisoners. The orders are given by Vacek who makes the prisoners produce whipping sounds with their caps. Eventually people began dying because they could not follow orders. In addition the Vacek killed disabled people, for example the man with the paralyzed arm and the deaf tailor. The killings did not stop and more people were killed. To make the scenario worse prisoners were killing other prisoners, a lawyer then spoke up talking about laws and screaming that innocent people are dying. As I read the story I continue to learn the conditions of their life even after Vacek dies. Typhus almost guarantees death to …show more content…
its host, therefore prisoners were checked for lice.
When the author describes the dinner scene I realized early into the story that the people operating the camp want to strip the prisoners of all hope, they worked to such an extent that even the food reached a new low level. The reader learns that Filip crawled out of bed with his bunk buddy and tried to get more tea. As a result, he and his friend were caught. This chapter makes me think about myself and what I would do if I was in Auschwitz, I would probably have died on the first day, this would not have been so bad if I think about it. Being with guards who beat prisoners for no reason and having to deal with a place that has no rules would be a disaster. In this first chapter I felt that everything that happened to the prisoners was wrong. (Questions: 1. I thought that Vacek was dead? 2. Is Vacek a title or a real person? …show more content…
3. What does SS stand for?)
Chapter 2: Into the crematorium
Filip and his friend were given a weird punishment as they were to remove the clothing from the dead bodies of the prisoners.
Filip was frightened because he never touched a dead body and he was in the crematorium where dead bodies were being incinerated. In order to stay alive Filip followed every order of Stark’s (Man operating crematorium). Soon he saw the process of how the dead bodies were brought in by truck loads and then burned. I think that Filip was very brave to continue working with the dead bodies and carry out orders. Although he had no other choice but to work, he didn’t do a bad job carrying out orders and staying alive. As I was saying earlier these people want to remove all hope from the prisoners. When Filip states that there was nothing but a dreaded end for him I saw that he was loosing his hope, which was his determination that kept him going. His new determination was now fear and it seems to be working out for now. During his work hours it seems that there was an accident and Filip along with some of his friends ended up between the corpses. Eventually, Filip was relieved of his duties by French prisoners. The jail cell was three paces by three paces and there was no light or windows inside the cell. The jobs the prisoners were forced to do are despicable and beyond grotesque. The German’s used the Jews to clean up their messes and caused the prisoners to suffer tremendously. All of the German officers that were part of the Nazi party are going to
hell for what they did to the prisoners. The new jail cell and clothes are symbols of hope that the Jewish prisoners lost when they were incarcerated in Auschwitz. Soon the officers had the idea to undress all of the prisoners before they get killed so that it would be easier to kill them and they would save the clothes. When I learned that the German officers used deceit to kill the prisoners, this made me uneasy and disturbed. The German’s that were killing showed no respect to the dead and they will pay the price for it with their own lives. In addition to killing innocent people the German officers blamed the Jews for the death of the German’s who were fighting in the war. Filip met his father, which was a crucial point in my opinion. The officer revealed that he works in the crematorium and this must have made Filip feel that he betrayed his people. He was assisting the German’s in killing the Jews.
Chapter 3: The new death factories
The facilities to execute the Jews were refined as a new chimney was installed in the crematorium, this did not go according to plan because bricks from the chimney would fall out, which in effect slowed down the process. In addition there were mass graves where people would be buried. These graves became so unsanitary that black ooze began leaking from the ground and dispelled an intoxicating smell. The year 1942 was over and 1943 began with more killings. Eventually the German’s found more uses for the skilled Jews and they began to practice their skills more often in the camp. It seems that the German’s have finally learned that the importance of the Jews and now they will exploit them for their skills and then kill them. As time went by more and more death facilities were established. I think there were up to five crematoriums at Auschwitz. Filip said that there more almost 3,000 bodies being cremated daily. This number right here tells us how the German’s were able to kill six million Jews. Filip describes his day as difficult because no matter what he has to fit 3,000 dead bodies and cremate them. I am astonished at the fact that the German’s can continue to massacre 3,000 people a day not feel and regret. I have a theory that the German’s also fear something as well, the German’s must fear a similar concentration camp where disobedient officers are held. As I read the story we discover that prisoners are finding couples so that they have something to hold on to. In the concentration camps families have been broken apart so now they must make new relations. This reminds me of the story Mr. Hanson shared with us about how one man married the woman he met in the concentration camps while his wife was also with him. He assumed that his wife was dead so he married this new girl. As I read on I found out that there were dentists stationed to remove the gold teeth from the mouths of the dead people. First HCl was used to remove real teeth, flesh, and bone, finally the dentists would pull the teeth out. Five to ten Kg of gold was melted and stored. I think that gold was used to finance the war and all of the stations. At that time gold must have been worth a lot. In addition the gold bars probably served as great trading bargains for the German’s. As Filip described the mother undressing her child I felt sorrow for the children because they are so innocent and have done nothing wrong. Eventually the prisoners caught on to the German’s plan of tricking the people to take showers when in reality they were really going to get gassed. One woman stood up against the officer and shouted it out to everyone. There was only one problem, even if people did believe her there was nothing that could be done to stop the German’s from killing them.
Chapter 4: The tragedy of the Family Camp Russian soldiers were found and by German kapos and there was an immediate killing of 200 people. In February of 1944 the Red Army was advancing and the German officers were scared that if they were caught then prisoners at the camp could testify against them, so a mass murder of all witnesses will be planned out. According to Filip the only way that anyone will survive is if there is a mass escape. This plan that Filip is thinking about seems to make sense. I also think that there is a good chance that he will succeed because Filip has been in Auschwitz since 1942 and he is still alive. Some of the prisoners don’t even make it to six months. With the help of one of the kapos Vladek who is great at conspiring the prisoners have a chance to escape. As the German’s are working frantically to remove the evidence, the crematorium’s are getting crowded and they cannot handle the load of people. I find this event good because it seems that the German’s are now going to get what they deserve for killing so man innocent people. This is also an auspicious event which is indicating to the people of the camp that they still have a chance to live. The German officers are now putting pressure on the workers to work faster and get everything into tiptop shape so that there is nothing left behind. They found more people to open mouths and removed more gold teeth. The commanding officers decided it was best to gas the family camp and everyone was terrified. No one knew how they could escape this mess. In the final hour of the people that were in the Family Camp, Filip tried to connect to them. He was able to see them as the changing room and gassing room were now connected. Eventually, the people realized the signing boards were fake and that they were going to die now. As the prisoners rebelled I was happy that finally they are resisting as a whole, but then the officers make a speech which crushes the hope that they are regaining. The German’s succeeded in killing all of these people because they snatched the one thing that matters the most, hope. Filip met a girl named Yana who was about to die and she gave Filip her gold chain to give to her boyfriend Sasha. When Sasha finds out his usual smile disappears quickly and then begins to cry. As he was leaving Sasha he heard officers yelling SING to the orchestra to keep the mood the same. Things will never be the same again, not after the Family Camp’s extermination. Although Filip has come through many hardships I believe that he will still make it through and that he will be free.
Chapter 5: The inferno
In the beginning of this chapter Filip tells us the story of Alfred and Walter who dug a fox hole and sprinkled the area with paraffin and tobacco so that the dogs cannot sniff them out. The officers efforts were in vain because Alfred and Walter escaped the camp. Filip also entrusted the two men with detailed accounts about the crematorium and all the people on duty. Everyone was expecting high hopes from them to bring help. It finally seems that the prisoners have gotten a win over the officers and now they will be able to get help from someone. Now the German officers doubled their efforts to remove evidence, get all the clothing and valuables from the prisoners, and kill as many Jews as possible. Soon all the Hungarian Jews were called forth and there imminent death awaited them. Filip explains that this was a blow that hurt the prisoners because the Red Army was closing in and now the workers would be forced to incinerate more people. Moll the man in charge demanded many holes be dug to throw bodies in, also the crematorium was holes were enlarged so more people could be burned. More holes and crematorium’s were made and Filip said that Dante’s Inferno was a garden. The Nazi’s have reached a new level of sadistic behavior. There is nothing left for them, yet they continue to work so that maybe they can live to see another day. The Nazi’s should realize that they deserve this kind of mess to clean up because of their actions and unrighteous killing of the Jewish population. Moll is an evil man who knows levels of torture that no other man knows. He lit a boy on fire for having two golden rings. This same routine of getting rid of people continued for months until October 7th. On this day, the prisoners were called out into a line, people were selected for transfers. When certain numbers were called and the person with that number did not appear it became clear to the officer that people were missing and that they were hiding. Some of the prisoners ambushed the officers and hit them with stones. It also seems that crematorium 4 was set on fire as well and SS officers were fleeing the sight. The resistance was finally rising up as Russian prisoners of war burnt their Kapos alive in some of the ovens. Also rebels continued to fight with their guns until their last bullet. Although the resistance fought bravely and they were able to burn one of the crematorium’s it did not matter because Moll’s approach of killing people only required ditches and pits. Crematorium’s 2 and 3 were dismantled and at during this time Flip was in crematorium 5 where he was making deals with fake gold teeth to get food and cigarettes. One cold January morning there was great panic and confusion going on in the camp. SS men were frantically running around the camps on bikes and motor cycles. Days passes and the camp was evacuated, everyone was given food. Reports were going around confirming that Americans are near by maybe 50km away. Soon in the crown one man screamed we are free. Finally, the Nazi’s were defeated and the prisoners were free. Three years after he was put in Auschwitz, Filip was still alive and now he was free.
The story itself was sad, but at the same time I was also intrigued and disgusted by the actions of the Nazi’s. The Nazi officers had power and used it in many ways. Some officers would abuse their power kill prisoners as a sport, while others were helpful. I noticed a series of patterns where all hope was eradicated in order to get inside the heads of the Jewish prisoners. At the same time I looked at the prisoners and how they felt because they didn’t have power. This book is similar to our other assignment, this book is not a book for leisure, it is a book to give new insight to people about the Holocaust along with World War II. The back of the book stated that Muller was no psychologist, but his intellect and reasoning is as good as a psychologist. I see that god protected the ones with hope such as Filip. Although he may have had the idea to commit suicide something in his mind or someone always saved him which inspired him to continue to live. I guess all the people that wanted to commit suicide are glad that they didn’t because they are now free again.
The story begins as the author is notifying the reader about the Sunday rituals that are performed by the prisoners. The orders are given by Vacek who makes the prisoners produce whipping sounds with their caps. Eventually people began dying because they could not follow orders. In addition the Vacek killed disabled people, for example the man with the paralyzed arm and the deaf tailor. The killings did not stop and more people were killed. To make the scenario worse prisoners were killing other prisoners, a lawyer then spoke up talking about laws and screaming that innocent people are dying. As I read the story I continue to learn the conditions of their life even after Vacek dies. Typhus almost guarantees death to …show more content…
its host, therefore prisoners were checked for lice.
When the author describes the dinner scene I realized early into the story that the people operating the camp want to strip the prisoners of all hope, they worked to such an extent that even the food reached a new low level. The reader learns that Filip crawled out of bed with his bunk buddy and tried to get more tea. As a result, he and his friend were caught. This chapter makes me think about myself and what I would do if I was in Auschwitz, I would probably have died on the first day, this would not have been so bad if I think about it. Being with guards who beat prisoners for no reason and having to deal with a place that has no rules would be a disaster. In this first chapter I felt that everything that happened to the prisoners was wrong. (Questions: 1. I thought that Vacek was dead? 2. Is Vacek a title or a real person? …show more content…
3. What does SS stand for?)
Chapter 2: Into the crematorium
Filip and his friend were given a weird punishment as they were to remove the clothing from the dead bodies of the prisoners.
Filip was frightened because he never touched a dead body and he was in the crematorium where dead bodies were being incinerated. In order to stay alive Filip followed every order of Stark’s (Man operating crematorium). Soon he saw the process of how the dead bodies were brought in by truck loads and then burned. I think that Filip was very brave to continue working with the dead bodies and carry out orders. Although he had no other choice but to work, he didn’t do a bad job carrying out orders and staying alive. As I was saying earlier these people want to remove all hope from the prisoners. When Filip states that there was nothing but a dreaded end for him I saw that he was loosing his hope, which was his determination that kept him going. His new determination was now fear and it seems to be working out for now. During his work hours it seems that there was an accident and Filip along with some of his friends ended up between the corpses. Eventually, Filip was relieved of his duties by French prisoners. The jail cell was three paces by three paces and there was no light or windows inside the cell. The jobs the prisoners were forced to do are despicable and beyond grotesque. The German’s used the Jews to clean up their messes and caused the prisoners to suffer tremendously. All of the German officers that were part of the Nazi party are going to
hell for what they did to the prisoners. The new jail cell and clothes are symbols of hope that the Jewish prisoners lost when they were incarcerated in Auschwitz. Soon the officers had the idea to undress all of the prisoners before they get killed so that it would be easier to kill them and they would save the clothes. When I learned that the German officers used deceit to kill the prisoners, this made me uneasy and disturbed. The German’s that were killing showed no respect to the dead and they will pay the price for it with their own lives. In addition to killing innocent people the German officers blamed the Jews for the death of the German’s who were fighting in the war. Filip met his father, which was a crucial point in my opinion. The officer revealed that he works in the crematorium and this must have made Filip feel that he betrayed his people. He was assisting the German’s in killing the Jews.
Chapter 3: The new death factories
The facilities to execute the Jews were refined as a new chimney was installed in the crematorium, this did not go according to plan because bricks from the chimney would fall out, which in effect slowed down the process. In addition there were mass graves where people would be buried. These graves became so unsanitary that black ooze began leaking from the ground and dispelled an intoxicating smell. The year 1942 was over and 1943 began with more killings. Eventually the German’s found more uses for the skilled Jews and they began to practice their skills more often in the camp. It seems that the German’s have finally learned that the importance of the Jews and now they will exploit them for their skills and then kill them. As time went by more and more death facilities were established. I think there were up to five crematoriums at Auschwitz. Filip said that there more almost 3,000 bodies being cremated daily. This number right here tells us how the German’s were able to kill six million Jews. Filip describes his day as difficult because no matter what he has to fit 3,000 dead bodies and cremate them. I am astonished at the fact that the German’s can continue to massacre 3,000 people a day not feel and regret. I have a theory that the German’s also fear something as well, the German’s must fear a similar concentration camp where disobedient officers are held. As I read the story we discover that prisoners are finding couples so that they have something to hold on to. In the concentration camps families have been broken apart so now they must make new relations. This reminds me of the story Mr. Hanson shared with us about how one man married the woman he met in the concentration camps while his wife was also with him. He assumed that his wife was dead so he married this new girl. As I read on I found out that there were dentists stationed to remove the gold teeth from the mouths of the dead people. First HCl was used to remove real teeth, flesh, and bone, finally the dentists would pull the teeth out. Five to ten Kg of gold was melted and stored. I think that gold was used to finance the war and all of the stations. At that time gold must have been worth a lot. In addition the gold bars probably served as great trading bargains for the German’s. As Filip described the mother undressing her child I felt sorrow for the children because they are so innocent and have done nothing wrong. Eventually the prisoners caught on to the German’s plan of tricking the people to take showers when in reality they were really going to get gassed. One woman stood up against the officer and shouted it out to everyone. There was only one problem, even if people did believe her there was nothing that could be done to stop the German’s from killing them.
Chapter 4: The tragedy of the Family Camp Russian soldiers were found and by German kapos and there was an immediate killing of 200 people. In February of 1944 the Red Army was advancing and the German officers were scared that if they were caught then prisoners at the camp could testify against them, so a mass murder of all witnesses will be planned out. According to Filip the only way that anyone will survive is if there is a mass escape. This plan that Filip is thinking about seems to make sense. I also think that there is a good chance that he will succeed because Filip has been in Auschwitz since 1942 and he is still alive. Some of the prisoners don’t even make it to six months. With the help of one of the kapos Vladek who is great at conspiring the prisoners have a chance to escape. As the German’s are working frantically to remove the evidence, the crematorium’s are getting crowded and they cannot handle the load of people. I find this event good because it seems that the German’s are now going to get what they deserve for killing so man innocent people. This is also an auspicious event which is indicating to the people of the camp that they still have a chance to live. The German officers are now putting pressure on the workers to work faster and get everything into tiptop shape so that there is nothing left behind. They found more people to open mouths and removed more gold teeth. The commanding officers decided it was best to gas the family camp and everyone was terrified. No one knew how they could escape this mess. In the final hour of the people that were in the Family Camp, Filip tried to connect to them. He was able to see them as the changing room and gassing room were now connected. Eventually, the people realized the signing boards were fake and that they were going to die now. As the prisoners rebelled I was happy that finally they are resisting as a whole, but then the officers make a speech which crushes the hope that they are regaining. The German’s succeeded in killing all of these people because they snatched the one thing that matters the most, hope. Filip met a girl named Yana who was about to die and she gave Filip her gold chain to give to her boyfriend Sasha. When Sasha finds out his usual smile disappears quickly and then begins to cry. As he was leaving Sasha he heard officers yelling SING to the orchestra to keep the mood the same. Things will never be the same again, not after the Family Camp’s extermination. Although Filip has come through many hardships I believe that he will still make it through and that he will be free.
Chapter 5: The inferno
In the beginning of this chapter Filip tells us the story of Alfred and Walter who dug a fox hole and sprinkled the area with paraffin and tobacco so that the dogs cannot sniff them out. The officers efforts were in vain because Alfred and Walter escaped the camp. Filip also entrusted the two men with detailed accounts about the crematorium and all the people on duty. Everyone was expecting high hopes from them to bring help. It finally seems that the prisoners have gotten a win over the officers and now they will be able to get help from someone. Now the German officers doubled their efforts to remove evidence, get all the clothing and valuables from the prisoners, and kill as many Jews as possible. Soon all the Hungarian Jews were called forth and there imminent death awaited them. Filip explains that this was a blow that hurt the prisoners because the Red Army was closing in and now the workers would be forced to incinerate more people. Moll the man in charge demanded many holes be dug to throw bodies in, also the crematorium was holes were enlarged so more people could be burned. More holes and crematorium’s were made and Filip said that Dante’s Inferno was a garden. The Nazi’s have reached a new level of sadistic behavior. There is nothing left for them, yet they continue to work so that maybe they can live to see another day. The Nazi’s should realize that they deserve this kind of mess to clean up because of their actions and unrighteous killing of the Jewish population. Moll is an evil man who knows levels of torture that no other man knows. He lit a boy on fire for having two golden rings. This same routine of getting rid of people continued for months until October 7th. On this day, the prisoners were called out into a line, people were selected for transfers. When certain numbers were called and the person with that number did not appear it became clear to the officer that people were missing and that they were hiding. Some of the prisoners ambushed the officers and hit them with stones. It also seems that crematorium 4 was set on fire as well and SS officers were fleeing the sight. The resistance was finally rising up as Russian prisoners of war burnt their Kapos alive in some of the ovens. Also rebels continued to fight with their guns until their last bullet. Although the resistance fought bravely and they were able to burn one of the crematorium’s it did not matter because Moll’s approach of killing people only required ditches and pits. Crematorium’s 2 and 3 were dismantled and at during this time Flip was in crematorium 5 where he was making deals with fake gold teeth to get food and cigarettes. One cold January morning there was great panic and confusion going on in the camp. SS men were frantically running around the camps on bikes and motor cycles. Days passes and the camp was evacuated, everyone was given food. Reports were going around confirming that Americans are near by maybe 50km away. Soon in the crown one man screamed we are free. Finally, the Nazi’s were defeated and the prisoners were free. Three years after he was put in Auschwitz, Filip was still alive and now he was free.
The story itself was sad, but at the same time I was also intrigued and disgusted by the actions of the Nazi’s. The Nazi officers had power and used it in many ways. Some officers would abuse their power kill prisoners as a sport, while others were helpful. I noticed a series of patterns where all hope was eradicated in order to get inside the heads of the Jewish prisoners. At the same time I looked at the prisoners and how they felt because they didn’t have power. This book is similar to our other assignment, this book is not a book for leisure, it is a book to give new insight to people about the Holocaust along with World War II. The back of the book stated that Muller was no psychologist, but his intellect and reasoning is as good as a psychologist. I see that god protected the ones with hope such as Filip. Although he may have had the idea to commit suicide something in his mind or someone always saved him which inspired him to continue to live. I guess all the people that wanted to commit suicide are glad that they didn’t because they are now free again.