Survival in Auschwitz - The Nazi Assault on Humanity essays

Survival in Auschwitz - The Nazi Assault on Humanity essays Twenty five year old Primo Levi, a chemist (and poet) who was an Italian citizen of Jewish Race, was arrested for being a member of the anti-Fascist resistance by Italian fascists and taken from his native Turin in Northern Italy to Auschwitz. Along with about 650 others he was transported by freight train. There were 45 people in Primos car. Only four of them saw their homes again. The trip took about 4 days and they were not given any food or water, and were not permitted to leave the train for any reason on its many stops. When they arrived at Auschwitz, Poland, they were subjected to the first of several selections into groups. The German SS soldiers divided them into two groups, the ones who could work and the ones who couldnt such as women, children, and older men. Husbands and wives were split from each other with the promise they would be together again later. One hundred and thirty-five on Levis train went into Auschwitz and the rest straight to the gas chamber. Of the 650 or so people who went on the train with Primo, fifteen men and nine women survived. They were herded into the camp after being stripped naked and having their heads shaved. They were given old striped uniforms and shoes made of cloth with wooden souls to wear. They each had an identification number tattooed on their arms just above the wrist. Primos number was 174517 (Hundert Vierundsiebzig Funf Hundert Siebzehn). The numbers signified the group they were with. The higher the number, the shorter the time they had been there. Primo felt humiliation as he was forced to grow accustomed to his new surroundings. The food rations were too small to ward off the hunger and thousands suffered and died as a result. Even though he was new to the camp, his own observations and his experience with others told him any protests or disobedience would end swiftly with a beating or death. Upon entering the front gate at A...