As We Don't Have A History Section...
Discussion
I had heard that messages were found buried in the ground at some concentration camps - so the prisoners must have been holding onto some hope that their plight would be uncovered. In such an unimaginably horrific situation I'd be interested to know just how they managed to hold onto any threads of hope and not simply give up.
Although I did also hear that suicide was frequent amongst the prisoners that were given the task of loading the corpses into the furnaces, this was a job given to the larger and stronger prisoners and infact one of the 'better' jobs to have was lavatory cleaning duties..
...Which leads me to something I've often also considered, especially where lots of humans are in close contact (let alone in the awful sanitary conditions in the camps) How did they keep healthy? I certainly can't imagine any medication was offered, and becoming ill must have been an excuse to have you singled out for termination.
Although I did also hear that suicide was frequent amongst the prisoners that were given the task of loading the corpses into the furnaces, this was a job given to the larger and stronger prisoners and infact one of the 'better' jobs to have was lavatory cleaning duties..
...Which leads me to something I've often also considered, especially where lots of humans are in close contact (let alone in the awful sanitary conditions in the camps) How did they keep healthy? I certainly can't imagine any medication was offered, and becoming ill must have been an excuse to have you singled out for termination.
You could ask them about their hopes and fears for the Jewish community in Europe at present. I assume they are Jewish there, knowing that not all victims of the Holocaust were Jewish.
You could ask them if they see any parallels in the way the Nazis demonised the Jews back then and the way that Jews (and Muslims) may be being demonised now.
After all they have lived through it once before, they may have a better insight into the chain of events, warning signs etc.
You could ask them if they see any parallels in the way the Nazis demonised the Jews back then and the way that Jews (and Muslims) may be being demonised now.
After all they have lived through it once before, they may have a better insight into the chain of events, warning signs etc.
What extra did you do to survive? I.e. Smuggle food, steal if necessary.
What extremes did you see people,go,to survive?
Did you see any moments of humanity from German guards/kapos?
What gave you hope?
I'm such horrible times did you see acts of kindness from one prisoner to another? I.e. Giving food, taking on extra work etc
What extremes did you see people,go,to survive?
Did you see any moments of humanity from German guards/kapos?
What gave you hope?
I'm such horrible times did you see acts of kindness from one prisoner to another? I.e. Giving food, taking on extra work etc
Maybe the reason why we don't discuss the Nazis here too much is because whenever the topic is raised someone is bound to pipe up "Goodwin's Law". I find it tiresome.
We must NEVER forget what they did - precisely because so much of the lead up to the ultimate horror they perpetrated began in very similar ways to the way we also have a tendency to demonise and ostracise minorities tody.
This documentary series is chilling - and should be compulsory viewing in schools -
My question to your guest - how long were they incarcerated for and how did thy keep their sanity?
We must NEVER forget what they did - precisely because so much of the lead up to the ultimate horror they perpetrated began in very similar ways to the way we also have a tendency to demonise and ostracise minorities tody.
This documentary series is chilling - and should be compulsory viewing in schools -
My question to your guest - how long were they incarcerated for and how did thy keep their sanity?
I'd be very interested to hear what happened in the few years after they were liberated.
There is loads of information about the holocaust itself, but how were the survivors cared for after they were liberated? How did they recover? How did they rebuild their lives?
I think the stories of recovery after the concentration camps are just as inspiring as those about survival in the camps.
There is loads of information about the holocaust itself, but how were the survivors cared for after they were liberated? How did they recover? How did they rebuild their lives?
I think the stories of recovery after the concentration camps are just as inspiring as those about survival in the camps.
R_U_LOCAL said:
There is loads of information about the holocaust itself, but how were the survivors cared for after they were liberated? How did they recover? How did they rebuild their lives?
If the prisoners were from the USSR and were liberated by the Red Army it was not exactly a humanitarian approach...Does the OP know which camp the survivor was in?
World War 2 related.
In my second year at University we rented a large 3 storey house about 50 yards from the pub. There was a basement flat, and in it lived an elderly gentleman. We didn't see him that regularly - he kept himself to himself - but was always polite and smiled when our paths crossed.
We were planning to have a big party at the house. As we were all decent lads, we decided to let the old chap know out of courtesy. I got the job of going downstairs to speak with him.
I knocked on the door and he opened it. I explained the reason why I had come to see him and said that if there were any issues, just to let us know and we would keep the noise down etc. At this point he asked me if I wanted to come inside for a cup of tea. I had lots of other things that I would rather be doing, but out of politeness I accepted.
As I walked through the kitchen into his living room I was presented with something that looked like a living museum out of the 1940's. On the wall were lots of pictures - one of them was of a dashing young chap in a royal air force uniform.
I asked who the man in the photo was, and received the reply "that man is me".
It turned out that the elderly gentleman who lived in the basement flat beneath a group of rowdy students was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot - who had seen out the full duration flying in a squadron of Hurricanes. He'd survived without a scratch, despite being shot down over the channel and bailing out. He had dozens of photos of the squadron and pictures of the planes/base/ground crew which he said he had taken before the Luftwaffe started putting the pressure on. One photo on the wall was of his squadron prior to the commencement of the battle - of this group he was one of only two who survived. Looking at this group of lads really did put things into perspective for me as they were of a similar age to my friends and I at the time - only they were giving their lives fighting over the south coast of Britain, whilst we spent our time necking pints and singing rugby songs at the local pub.
I spent a few hours with him, listening to his stories of how exhausted and utterly terrified he and his fellow pilots were as they desperately fought of waves of German bombers and BF 109's. One of the things he recounted was just how quick the battles started and ended - further towards London the German Fighters could only fight for 5 minutes or so before they had to turn back.
There was also one photo of a very attractive young woman. Again I asked who this person was. Turns out it was his fiancé - they had planned to marry because of the likelihood that he would be killed in combat. Tragically, she died in the blitz.... and he never married anyone else.
I mentioned my conversation to the lads when I went back upstairs - they didn't believe me at first. After that we had the party and from time to time the old chap downstairs would pass us in the shared hallway or street. I won't forget the experience to this day.
In my second year at University we rented a large 3 storey house about 50 yards from the pub. There was a basement flat, and in it lived an elderly gentleman. We didn't see him that regularly - he kept himself to himself - but was always polite and smiled when our paths crossed.
We were planning to have a big party at the house. As we were all decent lads, we decided to let the old chap know out of courtesy. I got the job of going downstairs to speak with him.
I knocked on the door and he opened it. I explained the reason why I had come to see him and said that if there were any issues, just to let us know and we would keep the noise down etc. At this point he asked me if I wanted to come inside for a cup of tea. I had lots of other things that I would rather be doing, but out of politeness I accepted.
As I walked through the kitchen into his living room I was presented with something that looked like a living museum out of the 1940's. On the wall were lots of pictures - one of them was of a dashing young chap in a royal air force uniform.
I asked who the man in the photo was, and received the reply "that man is me".
It turned out that the elderly gentleman who lived in the basement flat beneath a group of rowdy students was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot - who had seen out the full duration flying in a squadron of Hurricanes. He'd survived without a scratch, despite being shot down over the channel and bailing out. He had dozens of photos of the squadron and pictures of the planes/base/ground crew which he said he had taken before the Luftwaffe started putting the pressure on. One photo on the wall was of his squadron prior to the commencement of the battle - of this group he was one of only two who survived. Looking at this group of lads really did put things into perspective for me as they were of a similar age to my friends and I at the time - only they were giving their lives fighting over the south coast of Britain, whilst we spent our time necking pints and singing rugby songs at the local pub.
I spent a few hours with him, listening to his stories of how exhausted and utterly terrified he and his fellow pilots were as they desperately fought of waves of German bombers and BF 109's. One of the things he recounted was just how quick the battles started and ended - further towards London the German Fighters could only fight for 5 minutes or so before they had to turn back.
There was also one photo of a very attractive young woman. Again I asked who this person was. Turns out it was his fiancé - they had planned to marry because of the likelihood that he would be killed in combat. Tragically, she died in the blitz.... and he never married anyone else.
I mentioned my conversation to the lads when I went back upstairs - they didn't believe me at first. After that we had the party and from time to time the old chap downstairs would pass us in the shared hallway or street. I won't forget the experience to this day.
buggalugs said:
I would ask their opinion on what caused the holocaust and how we can avoid doing it again.
People seem to suggest such things a lot, but this person isn't necessarily qualified in any way (quite possibly no more than you or I) to offer anything more than misguided speculation on that matter. This person is almost guaranteed to be an expert on his or her personal experiences, but I can't see why there would be any other insight into it.R_U_LOCAL said:
I'd be very interested to hear what happened in the few years after they were liberated.
There is loads of information about the holocaust itself, but how were the survivors cared for after they were liberated? How did they recover? How did they rebuild their lives?
I think the stories of recovery after the concentration camps are just as inspiring as those about survival in the camps.
Very good point. ALl the books I have read end with 'liberation'.There is loads of information about the holocaust itself, but how were the survivors cared for after they were liberated? How did they recover? How did they rebuild their lives?
I think the stories of recovery after the concentration camps are just as inspiring as those about survival in the camps.
There must be thousands of heart-breaking/inspiring stories out there of orphaned children forging lives, separate families trying to find each other and I'd like to hear how it was for those who returned to their home towns. Were they hated or treated with guilt?
Not a particularly easy question to ask but I'd be interested in knowing...:
What were the guards like? We hear that so many of them were living in an organisation of fear, forced to do unspeakable things that they would never ordinarily countenance - was this the case in the eyes of this person?
Did the guards keep their heads down and just do as instructed or were any/some/many of them relishing the opportunity to punish those that the Nazi High Command hated so much?
Also:
What was the population of the camp like vis numbers of Jews, Gypsies, Artists and other non-desirables? Did they mix or did they keep to themselves in groups?
What were the guards like? We hear that so many of them were living in an organisation of fear, forced to do unspeakable things that they would never ordinarily countenance - was this the case in the eyes of this person?
Did the guards keep their heads down and just do as instructed or were any/some/many of them relishing the opportunity to punish those that the Nazi High Command hated so much?
Also:
What was the population of the camp like vis numbers of Jews, Gypsies, Artists and other non-desirables? Did they mix or did they keep to themselves in groups?
She died over Christmas, but a good friend was a Holocaust survivor - as a Jewish Gypsy baby. Her entire family were killed and she somehow survived, presumably through being cared for by other prisoners.
Her life was amazing - she sold decommissioned weaponry to museums and collectors (there's a gratitude plaque at the museum in Southsea as she donated a hell of a lot of stuff to them when she shut shop, including one of the tanks that sits outside).
Then went on to do things like being a reptile keeper at London Zoo, as well as loads of other amazing stuff.
Hearing her recount it, it was difficult to believe - she saw the look on my face, pulled her sleeve up to show a big Blue mark on her arm and said 'after that I figured the best way to live life was to do whatever you wanted on every day you can'.
Sobering stuff.
Her life was amazing - she sold decommissioned weaponry to museums and collectors (there's a gratitude plaque at the museum in Southsea as she donated a hell of a lot of stuff to them when she shut shop, including one of the tanks that sits outside).
Then went on to do things like being a reptile keeper at London Zoo, as well as loads of other amazing stuff.
Hearing her recount it, it was difficult to believe - she saw the look on my face, pulled her sleeve up to show a big Blue mark on her arm and said 'after that I figured the best way to live life was to do whatever you wanted on every day you can'.
Sobering stuff.
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