Daily Life In Concentration Camp

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DAILY LIFE IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP The journey towards concentration camps of the Holocaust began with the arrival of the Jews at the concentration camps in trains, having travelled for several days without food and water. They were ordered to then get off the train, and get ready to work. The Jews were always criticized by officers, telling them that they ought to put their lives to some constructive use. Men were made to perform laborious tasks, while women were either to work with the men or maintain the house. Children were to go to school. Sometimes in defiance, the Jews would remain close together on the train, and refuse to move. This act of defiance was immediately met with an open fire on them by the German guards. They would be coaxed out of the train saying that work awaited them, and when they stepped out of the train, the guards opened fire on them. This left very few Jews in a condition to enter the camp. Such convincing methods were often used by the Germans to get work from the Jews and keep them going, until they died to illness and death, or until the humor of the German officers were fulfilled. After the Jews got off the trains, they were faced by a doctor at the entrance of the camp. Every prisoner was to be seen by the doctor, who would point to the left or the right with his thumb. An indication to the left meant the prisoner was to be put to death immediately. The stronger ones were directed to the right, leading to the concentration camp. Families were torn apart in the process. Men were put into barracks separate from their wives and children. A number was tattooed on their forearm, by which they were now recognized. Their names held no meaning, and this led to a complete loss of identity. More than ten thousand prisoners were huddled into barracks designed for a measly thousand. Prisoners were made to get up at 3 am, even in the peak of

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