Living Nighmare

Scott Uria       

Professor Warren

ENC 1102

April 28, 2013

Living Nightmare

            Screaming, crying, than separated! This is the experience that the Holocaust survivors went through. I recently had to opportunity to watch a film called Forgiving Dr. Mengele. I know a little about the Holocaust, but ashamed to say that I don’t know enough. During this film Eva Kor, a survivor, talked about her experiences at Auschwitz, her life-long anger, and her ability to forgive. During her road to forgiveness, she traveled back to Auschwitz. There she met up with a former Nazi Dr. looking for answers on the experiments that was conducted on the children in Auschwitz. Although he had little information to offer, he apologized and the two embraced in a moment of recovery. Her ability to forgive has not set well with other Holocaust survivors, but she viewed it as a way to get her life back, and not allow that nightmare continue to control her life. Now that this film caught my attention, I was hungry to learn more. After I did some research, I feel that the Holocaust is the most horrific time in our world history.

            So, what is the Holocaust? As defined in the Holocaust Encyclopedia (ushmm.org), The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored, persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. The Nazi regime not only targeted Jews, but also gypsies and homosexuals. Upon arrival to the concentration camps, each adult and child were forced to give up their clothing, and all bodily hair was shaved off. After hair removal, a disinfectant was applied before led to the showers, and then quarantined. This was done to help prevent diseases from striking across the camps. Their new article of clothing would be the camp uniform. Each prisoner was identified by a tattoo serial number, which was inked on their left forearm. The so called “meals” were issued three times a day. The first meal of the day usually consisted of herbal tea, or some black coffee. The second meal of the day was normally a form of soup, which many referred to it as having a nasty, unforgiving taste. The final meal of the day would consist of sausage, bread, and a spoonful of jam. I’m not sure how many died of starvation or malnutrition, but I would have to believe the number is startling high!

The largest concentration camp was located in Southern Poland, known as Auschwitz. It was here that families were separated, kids off in one direction, while parents were taken the opposite direction. The living conditions were inhumane. The barracks were either made of brick, or they were wooden. Some of the wooden barracks were initially built for horse stables. The bunks were stacked three high, and made out of wood. It was not uncommon to have 700-800 people assigned to on barrack. Dr. Josef Mengele, also known as the “Angel of Death,” would conduct laboratory experiments on the children, many who were twins. During these experiments the children were place in rooms for 6-8 hours naked and compared the size of their eyes, skulls, and taken to the blood lab. Dr. Mengele would “inject each child with an unknown substance” (Kor), which normally lead to sickness, and sometimes death. The parents were used as slaves to keep the camp maintained, while some were used during barbaric medical experiences. Unfortunately, many were sent to the gas chamber to take their last breath.

For the parents with children, could you imagine the separation moment? For a young child who has little knowledge as to what was happening, could you imagine the tears? As a father of four, I sat and tried to imagine the pain. The only thing I could come up with was the times I deployed while in the military. I can remember boarding the ship, and standing up along the rails as each mooring line was released. Looking down at the pier watching my kids wiping away the tears, and the emptiness I felt knowing I would not see my kids for 6-8 months. While reflecting back on those somber moments, it’s not even a drop in the glass compared to the pain and sorrow of each family separation during the Holocaust. Those parents are ripped away, knowing that they will never see their child again. And for the child who, if they survived, will have to live their life without the guidance and love of their parents. I’m pretty sure that I am speaking for most parents’ it’s a nightmare we would not want to live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

 Forgiving Dr. Mengele. Dir. Bob Hercules and Cheri Pugh. Perf. Eva Kor. Media Process Group Inc, 2006. Documentary.

 "History.com/topics/the-holocaust." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.

 "Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team." Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.

 "Home | Jewish Virtual Library." Home | Jewish Virtual Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.

"John Demjanjuk: Prosecution of A Nazi Collaborator." Holocaust Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.