Holocaust Concentration Camp

Holocaust, The Concentration Camps

…the first anti – Semitic measures taken by the National Socialist immediately after taking over government in 1933. The measures represent the end of the equality of citizenship that Jews had enjoyed throughout Germany since 1871. By gradually removing the citizenship rights of German Jews the Nazi’s were fulfilling one of the principal demands that radical anti – Semites had been making since the 1870’s. ¹

Holocaust is defined as the systematic, bureaucratic, state – sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews including 1.5 million Jewish children in Europe by the Nazi regime and its collaborators that took place between 1933 – 1945. ² The Holocaust has always been a story worth
investigating and never forgetting. Working with the AMERICAN RED CROSS in a predominantly Jewish community in Maryland provided the inspiration for this paper. The stories told by members of the community detailing the separation of their families and unknown of that family members’ fate supports the need to re-visit what really happened during the Holocaust. It is extremely important to history classes and students of every level, to understand the unnerving atrocities that took place during the 1930’s and 1940’s which will continue to be remembered and homage be paid to the Jews who have since passed away. The separation of families during the 1930’s would mainly occur at the trains transporting Jews from their homes to ghettos and concentration camps. Concentration camps were established soon after Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor; these camps varied in there functions but, ultimately led to the deaths of many. This paper will primarily focus on the daily living of the Jews, the forced labor the Jews had to perform, and the death of many Jews in the concentration camps in Germany. Everyday life in concentration camps rarely enabled moments of joy and laughter but, called upon all of one’s strength to overcome the daily routine. This routine began with Jews being forced to wake early hours in the morning, arrange their bed’s of straw, report to lineup to be counted and march to labor. Before reporting back to the concentration camp the Jews and others being retained at the concentration camp were usually fed one meal consisting of a watery vegetable soup and half a piece of bread which is insufficient for people doing hard labor.

In the mornings: black coffee. At midday: soup. By the third day, I was eargerly eating any kind of soup… At six o’clock in the afternoon: roll call. Followed by bread with something. At nine o’clock: bedtime. ³

The conclusion of a day in the concentration camp consisted of returning from hours of hard labor to what has been described as one of the most horrific aspects of ones life in a camp; this event was a collection of inhumane acts inflicted upon Jews and other members.
They were forced to line up, stand completely still, often for hours at a time, exposed to the elements of cold, rain, and/or snow, and living with the terror of sudden violence by the Nazi guards at any time. They would then retire to the barracks for bed. Ultimately the daily routine was one of fear, malnourishment, fatigue from hard labor and terror that they may not see another day. Daily life in a concentration camp provided very little peace but, those contained in the camps retained hope that the next day would be the day that they regained their freedom and that the next day would maybe, just maybe be the day that they were reunited with their
families. Since bible day’s, specifically before Christ, good work ethic has been embedded in Judaism; Jews believe that one should work hard and conscientiously while at work. Solomon, the author of Proverbs, wrote "One who works his land will be sated with bread, but one who runs after empty things lacks understanding"4 and "The slothful person desires but has nothing; but the soul of the diligent will be sated" 5; these statements speak to the overall premise for good work ethic in Judaism. Though the ethic was for good work ethic, Judaism vehemently rejects the idea of finding meaning in life through work and professional achievement. By doing forced labor Jews had to find meaning for their lives through work that consumed their day and some of their night. The forced labor in concentration camps went against the very basis of Judaism established, in writing, by the Bible. The act of forced labor in concentration camps was used to holistically fragment the Jewish people.
The forced labor was and is repulsive for the obvious reasons; removing ones freedom and making them perform laborious task through abusive measures and under extreme duress, for example. The Jews were not the only ones forced in to labor camps but, the imprisoned as well.

“As it happens, he doesn’t recognize the difference between the imprisoned and civilian Jews. And in the interests of our staying here he thinks it’s better if there are no differences. So the time has come to make my situation clear…they were civilian Jews. An answer, of course, that was meant to do us harm. Which it did at once, because the commandant said that he didn’t distinguish among Jews and that they had to do the heaviest work. The Kapo added to this that they also get the least food and, besides, they get a good beating once in a while.”6

Those in labor camps endured back breaking work but, the worst of the labor occurred at death camps. After, Jews were led to gas chambers and suffocated with the use of carbon monoxide gas, the Jewish prisoners forced to work were sent in to remove the bodies of those murdered, and burn their bodies so that no proof of the murder would be left. This was one of the measures used to destroy the Jewish people. Death was the on – going and reoccurring theme of the Holocaust and it continued for the course of twelve years. Millions met death not because of old age or an accident; they met death due to murder. Starvation, unclean living areas, or duress from hard labor are a few of the ways that those who worked in the concentration camps died. But, most that were brought to the concentration camps only lived for a few days maximum; they were either shot on the spot or killed with the use of poisonous gases. Decades after the Holocaust had taken place; the executions that had taken place were still being discovered.
“She combed the forest with her team, all of whom were wearing large white bags on their back in which to pick up the scattered body parts. Suddenly she appeared alone on the screen with a metal detector…“Why a metal detector?”… “Where there are cartridges, there are bodies”…I knew that where there was a cartridge, an execution had taken place.” 7

The death total at the concentration camps is and will most likely always remain unknown. In conclusion, the above provided a brief description of the daily life, labor and death that occurred on a concentration camp.
These stories are now captured in many written forms around the world. But, the stories live on and are told by families and friends directly effected and impacted by the activities that took place during the Holocaust. However, there are those in denial that the holocaust has never occurred and that it is a conspiracy. In Germany and some of the areas surrounding the country the Holocaust and the atrocities committed against the many people persecuted and killed was denied for decades. The need for the stories of the holocaust to be shared is so that such a tragedy never occurs again in the world and that the ideas that spurred the genocide are publicized as a way of prevention. People from all walks of life are moved by the endurance of the Jews and their resilience. As a way to guarantee that stories of the Holocaust are told, in many areas around the world, there is a law passed requiring the topic be taught. In researching this topic and gaining an abundance of knowledge, there is an even greater appreciation for the need to have the Holocaust taught in every school around the
world.
Notes
1. Peter Longerich, “Holocaust: The Nazi Persecution and Murder of the Jews”, (Oxford University Press Inc., 2010), 10.
2. Quoted in What is the Holocaust, A brief Introduction of the Holocaust, (www.holocaustcenterpgh.org), 1.
3. Elie Wiesel, Night, (Hill and Wang, 2006), 43.
4. Solomon, Quoted in The Bible, Proverbs, 12:11.
5. Solomon, 13:4.
6. David Koker, At The Edge of The Abyss, (Northwestern University Press, 2012), 267.
7. Father Patrick Desbois, The Holocaust By Bullets, (PALGRAVE MACMILLAN, 2008), 51.

Bibliography

Desbois, Father Patrick. The Holocaust By Bullets. New York: PALGRAVE
MACMILLAN, 2008.
Koker, David. At the Edge of the Abyss. New York: Northwestern University Press,
2012.
Longerich, Peter. “Holocaust: The Nazi Persecution and Murder of the Jews”.
New York: Oxford University Press Inc, 2010
Solomon. “The Holy Bible” Proverbs. Thomas Nelson Bibles, 2003
Unknown. A brief Introduction of the Holocaust. www.Holocaustcenterpgh.org :1
Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Hill and Wang, 2006