Walking Corpses

One of the following days, all of us were escorted to the bathhouse, as usual with armed SS guards at our sides. Being in a death camp for a long time, one learns to live with the sight of the many corpses, but it will always be a sight of dread and horror. Nothing, however, could describe the sight that unfolded as we marched down this day. It was so horrific, incomprehensible to the human mind and a heart-piercing spectacle to human sense. That was how I felt anyhow.

Looking at their direction, one could see in the courtyard of block ten a multitude of creatures that looked more like skeletons than human beings. They looked like animated corpses. Some just stood about, while others collapsed and then wallowed in the mud and in their own filth. As we advanced, I noticed that a giant hill had just risen in front of the latrine at the rear of block ten. This gigantic hill was made of the skeleton corpses - the former bodies of inmates - mostly Jews - males that were transferred to Bergen-Belsen from the other main concentration camps (like Dachau) in their skeleton-like condition. They were brought here because Bergen-Belsen had a working crematorium with which the Nazis could get rid of the Jewish corpses as quickly as possible. Those early deaths resulted from inhuman treatment by the German Nazis.

After this heart-rending sight, we marched back gloomily to the barrack with our heads bowed down. I was so overtaken with sadness that I forgot to glance over the big gate and yearn for the free world that existed on the other side.

Some time later, still in block thirty-six, we again received a small Red Cross package, now from the kind and generous Swedish people - God bless them too. Its contents were some tasty biscuits and margarine. We heartily consumed the package as soon as we received it, experiencing a human feeling through our stomach.

© David Muskal, 2001