The shocking truth on how people were treated in concentration camps- If This Is A Woman
Hello everybody and welcome back to another blog post,
As I've mentioned in my previous post, I'm currently reading a very interesting historical book called If This Is A Woman by Sarah Helm. Whilst it's a very accurate and fascinating book on Ravensbrück concentration camp for women, it does reveal some shocking truths on how people were treated. Drawn to the 'red Vienna,' a woman named Hanna Sturm, joined a trade union and helped fight anti-fascist battles during Austria's turmoil of the 1930s. However, this often lead her being imprisoned behind bars. Sentenced to 'aggravated arrest' in Ravensbrück, Hanna was confined to a small wooden cell which was 2 metres wide and 2 metres in length. The cell was dark so whilst she tried to get used to the darkness, she often lost track of time. She also had no bed, no mattress but the floor to sit on and only a proper meal was provided on Thursday once a week. 100g of bread and a bowl of so-called coffee was given on all the other days. When she needed the toilet, she had to find her way through the darkness to the bucket provided. However, even though she couldn't see anything, Hanna could hear a great deal. Soon after her imprisonment in the cell, Hanna could hear screaming and shouting outside. Through a chunk in the wall, Hanna could see a terrified Gypsy, who was being dragged inside the Strafblock opposite. Then camethesound of beating from a guard named Zimmer. This just goes to show that all along, we can say that the Nazis had a plan for prisoners in their camps, the whole time. Not only did Hanna have to go through physical suffering upon herself, she also had to deal with the suffering of other prisoners, which whilst isn't inflicting suffering her, can be psychologically detrimental. This was what many Nazis wanted at the time since mental suffering can kill someone too.
This becomes apparent when a woman named Marianne, ends up sharing her cell with another woman who was mad. Zimmer threw Hanna's door open and shoved Hedwig Apfel, the new woman, inside. Hanna however, didn't think that she was that insane and even ended up befriending her. This was not to Zimmer's liking so she ended splitting them up. Marianne Wachstein was a woman who arrived at Ravensbrück in her nightgown, from Vienna. Marianne recounts her story of being put into a straightjacket in the wooden cell. Zimmer was yelling at her in the darkness. Koegel's deputy Egon Sill, woke Marianne up, thumped her on the nose and feet whilst Zimmer was pulling her hair. Marianne passed out due to pain and woke up lying in her own excrement. She was being sentenced to a further three weeks' arrest 'for screaming in the cell and lying in her own excrement'. Like Hanna, Marianne ends up sharing her cell with Hedwig Apfel. Though, she knew that she was insane. Apfel threw her water at Zimmer and spat on her and on the straw sack that Marianne was given. She says 'she has diarrhoea and does not clean herself at all. She spits into her hands and rubs it into her own face.' Even Zimmer didn't dare go in. Eventually however, Zimmer sent another woman called Margot Kaiser into the cell and Marrianne was transferred to another cell, before being sent back to her block. This just shows how the guard's at Ravensbrück wanted to inflict terror amongst the prisoners themselves so that they would be violent towards each other and they wouldn't have to do it themselves. This technique was used in other camps such as Sachsenhausen concentration camp for men.
One thing that I never knew existed in concentration camps, were Blockovas. Olga Benario was a striking, handsome figure even in her striped uniform and Langefeld, a guard, had known Olga since her time at Litchenburg and was well aware of her story. She called her out of line, made her stand to attention and made her the Blockova of the Jewish block. This meant that she had control over fellow inmates in that block. Olga could have refused the Blockova job. She was brave enough to stand up against it in the past, but that was before she became a mother and had to give up her baby at Litchenburg. One December morning, a three-year-old Gypsy girl slept a little longer than usual. The child was ill said Jewish survivor, Alice Bernstein. Olga covered her with a woollen blanket. She was discovered by SS man Johann Kantschuster. He grabbed her by the hair, took her to the lake, and drowned her. Not only does this show that the Nazis themselves were inflicting pain upon inmates themselves, it also shows that they were trying to get some of the inmates to do that for them. Appointing Olga as Blockova of the Jewish block, was designed for that to happen. Due to the fact that she had the power over prisoners, she could inflict suffering upon them too.
As I've mentioned in my previous post, I'm currently reading a very interesting historical book called If This Is A Woman by Sarah Helm. Whilst it's a very accurate and fascinating book on Ravensbrück concentration camp for women, it does reveal some shocking truths on how people were treated. Drawn to the 'red Vienna,' a woman named Hanna Sturm, joined a trade union and helped fight anti-fascist battles during Austria's turmoil of the 1930s. However, this often lead her being imprisoned behind bars. Sentenced to 'aggravated arrest' in Ravensbrück, Hanna was confined to a small wooden cell which was 2 metres wide and 2 metres in length. The cell was dark so whilst she tried to get used to the darkness, she often lost track of time. She also had no bed, no mattress but the floor to sit on and only a proper meal was provided on Thursday once a week. 100g of bread and a bowl of so-called coffee was given on all the other days. When she needed the toilet, she had to find her way through the darkness to the bucket provided. However, even though she couldn't see anything, Hanna could hear a great deal. Soon after her imprisonment in the cell, Hanna could hear screaming and shouting outside. Through a chunk in the wall, Hanna could see a terrified Gypsy, who was being dragged inside the Strafblock opposite. Then camethesound of beating from a guard named Zimmer. This just goes to show that all along, we can say that the Nazis had a plan for prisoners in their camps, the whole time. Not only did Hanna have to go through physical suffering upon herself, she also had to deal with the suffering of other prisoners, which whilst isn't inflicting suffering her, can be psychologically detrimental. This was what many Nazis wanted at the time since mental suffering can kill someone too.
This becomes apparent when a woman named Marianne, ends up sharing her cell with another woman who was mad. Zimmer threw Hanna's door open and shoved Hedwig Apfel, the new woman, inside. Hanna however, didn't think that she was that insane and even ended up befriending her. This was not to Zimmer's liking so she ended splitting them up. Marianne Wachstein was a woman who arrived at Ravensbrück in her nightgown, from Vienna. Marianne recounts her story of being put into a straightjacket in the wooden cell. Zimmer was yelling at her in the darkness. Koegel's deputy Egon Sill, woke Marianne up, thumped her on the nose and feet whilst Zimmer was pulling her hair. Marianne passed out due to pain and woke up lying in her own excrement. She was being sentenced to a further three weeks' arrest 'for screaming in the cell and lying in her own excrement'. Like Hanna, Marianne ends up sharing her cell with Hedwig Apfel. Though, she knew that she was insane. Apfel threw her water at Zimmer and spat on her and on the straw sack that Marianne was given. She says 'she has diarrhoea and does not clean herself at all. She spits into her hands and rubs it into her own face.' Even Zimmer didn't dare go in. Eventually however, Zimmer sent another woman called Margot Kaiser into the cell and Marrianne was transferred to another cell, before being sent back to her block. This just shows how the guard's at Ravensbrück wanted to inflict terror amongst the prisoners themselves so that they would be violent towards each other and they wouldn't have to do it themselves. This technique was used in other camps such as Sachsenhausen concentration camp for men.
One thing that I never knew existed in concentration camps, were Blockovas. Olga Benario was a striking, handsome figure even in her striped uniform and Langefeld, a guard, had known Olga since her time at Litchenburg and was well aware of her story. She called her out of line, made her stand to attention and made her the Blockova of the Jewish block. This meant that she had control over fellow inmates in that block. Olga could have refused the Blockova job. She was brave enough to stand up against it in the past, but that was before she became a mother and had to give up her baby at Litchenburg. One December morning, a three-year-old Gypsy girl slept a little longer than usual. The child was ill said Jewish survivor, Alice Bernstein. Olga covered her with a woollen blanket. She was discovered by SS man Johann Kantschuster. He grabbed her by the hair, took her to the lake, and drowned her. Not only does this show that the Nazis themselves were inflicting pain upon inmates themselves, it also shows that they were trying to get some of the inmates to do that for them. Appointing Olga as Blockova of the Jewish block, was designed for that to happen. Due to the fact that she had the power over prisoners, she could inflict suffering upon them too.
I know that this book isn't for everyone. It definitely contains some graphic details about what really happened in these terrifying concentration camps. However, it does educate us about how we need to use our power and the way that the Nazis used theirs, was certainly the wrong way indeed.
How should we be using our power and influence over other people? Let me know in the comments below and I'll be sure to reply to them. I ♡ hearing from you!
On a lighter note, I hope you have a great rest of your half term,
See you next time,
Bye,
XOX, Juliette
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