These days were the worst in my life. Yesterday, the first thing I hear when I wake up is a Nazi breaking down my door! He told all the jews to come out and I got and got dressed Fast! We hurried out side to a big crowd of jews. Than my mother told a man who had asked what was going, "They are going to deport us." Than my little brother Jacob asked me, "What does that mean?" I had to lie, for his safety, "It means they settle you somewhere else."
After that we stood. We stood there all the way till late afternoon. Finally after that we started to move. Some people were so stiff from standing they could barely walk. The effect on me was not nearly as bad as others since as so used to working but I this was still very bad none the less. I could tell everyone was scared about what was going on. We went around picking up jews, 900 in total, and I could see some people hiding behind curtains. Remember that letter I got from the Nazi official? Well when we people in the group started a be separated into smaller groups, I decided muster up all my courage and show and tell the Nazi when it was our turn, "I am an electrician's helper. My mother and my brother and I can work." I said as I showed the letter. I when I did this they would let us go back to our home. But I was wrong.
I was pushed to the right side well my family was pushed to the left. I had lost my family. This was the worst moment of my life. I was really depressed about this but I knew I had to remain strong, for my family and my father. I noticed that there were no woman, no children, and no elderly in this group. My uncle was on the other side as well. Than trucks pull up. The put us in the back and they drove us through the village.
Once we arrived several hours later I was so confused. What was this place, people in blue-and-gray striped uniforms rushing from building to building. Than they started beating us with rubber truncheons trying to get to go somewhere. They wanted us to know that we would be hurt if we didn't do what we were told. And it worked. Next we were told that we are now prisoners of Hitlers SS, special forces, in Blechhammer concentration camp, in Germany. And that we had only one right, to die. After having our hair shaved, being coated with an anti-lice chemical, being given a uniform like everyones else's, and getting our id number, I used the latrine I went off to bed in the barracks.
When I was awoken this morning by Kapo, (the prisoner in charge of the ones in the barracks) I quickly got up with my can and followed the other prisoners. We waited in a huge deperate line for something to eat. But it smelled really bad. When it was my turn, I really lucked out! I got a potato in my soup! This was really lucky as some prisoners only seemed to get water. I drank the disgusting soup and as I went to put my can away I met a helpful man named Aaron. He told me what to hurry to the latrine after I put my can away so I did.
After that was roll call and work. During roll call we stood there for a few hours in the sun as the Kapos called us off. Out corner of my eye I saw a dog on a leash and a SS officer holding it. That was really scary for me. After that long time of standing, we finally were sent into the forest to work. I told myself "Don't get hit." Once we got to the forest, we pulled out trees pain fully with only axes and chains to make a new road. It was very miserable. I was very hungry was thirsty from working in the sun all day. While we were pulling out one tree stump, a prisoner had stumbled, causing the tree to fall back in to place. The guards instantly started beating him until he was unconscious.
When we were walking back someone said to me, "Someone will shoot him in 1 or 2 days, if you can't work your dead." With people in the camps there are two philosophies, one is to try to work as little as possible to conserve energy, others tried to work hard to avoid beating. I believe the latter is better. When we got back to the camp, I got my loaf of bread and all most choked on my first bite. I noticed the bread was really gritty. After that, I hurried off to the latrine.
When I reached my bed, I asked Aaron, "Where were you today." He said, "Except on days when i shave new prisoners, I cut the hair of SS officers and guards and give them shaves." After I told how was so exhausted and hungry he told me the bread was full of sawdust. I thought I had miss heard him. He told me "They use sawdust as filler. Thats why it tastes to terrible." "Always?" I asked. "The food will not get better, this is all they will give you." He responded. He gave me an extra piece of bread because he had two and told me not question it and that he would wake me up early tomorrow so that I could shower. Than a Kapo yelled "No Talking!" After eating the bread, I went to bed frightened and sore.
*Pg 43 *Pg 44 *Pg46 *Pg60 *Pg61
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