Search
Main page
On DEGOB
The Survivor Witnesses
Glossary
Encylopedia of Camps
Supporters

The person in question has given us the following information We were entrained at the brickyard of Munkács, and we arrived in Auschwitz after a journey that lasted for 3 days and nights. In Auschwitz Dr. Mengele, the physician of the camp, selected us. I was holding my 5-month-old son in my arms; Dr. Mengele took him from my hands and gave him to my mother standing by me. She was a 56-year-old woman with grey hair. The German soldier standing next to me told me that I would get the child back in two hours. I was restlessly waiting for the hours to pass; when I was sent to the block and I inquired at the Blockälteste about my child, she slapped me on the face instead of answering. As I got to know, my poor child and my mother had been put on the right side, that is, they had been taken to the gas chamber on that day when we arrived. They had been burnt in the crematorium. We did not have to work in Auschwitz; we were lining up for roll call all day long. In rain and wind and snow we were standing there just the same. It was very difficult to wash, because the water pipes were locked most of the time during the day; as a consequence of that a large number of people were infested with itching. I remember that 2 of my female comrades became mad because of the torments, while others ran into the wire fence, which was electrified all the time. Five weeks later they entrained us and took us to Stutthof. We did not have to work at all, but there was a reveille at 5 o’clock. We lived under better circumstances in the beginning, but later the conditions became worse and worse. Polish Aryan men kept beating us without the smallest reason. Then we were taken to Praust, where we arrived completely famished. Our work was to build an airport, which involved levelling, using pick axes and pushing heavy iron trolleys. We were treated in a very strict manner: if somebody had a little rest while working, or if she talked with the French prisoners, her number was noted down. When we finished working, the one was taken before the Oberaufseherin, who sentenced her to 25 blows, or her hair was cut completely. We worked in two shifts and we generally worked 9-10 hours a day. We starved very much and a large number of people died from complete exhaustion. Some people got festering wounds because of sunburn; these received medical treatment in the infirmary. They were selected every six weeks, and they were taken to Stutthof to be burnt in the crematorium. In early January the camp was evacuated and we were set off on foot. Marching meant a terrible torment for us; most of the people fell behind because they could not bear it, and they were shot down by the SS. I escaped with a group and we managed to get to Héla in Poland, where the Russian troops liberated us.

Labour Service