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to the death camp

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Marten Schälicke

Free Account, Frankfurt (Oder)

to the death camp

Yad Vashem. Jerusalem. Israel.

Unter der Brücke mit dem Waggon.
Mit Blick auf die englisch sprachige Version des Textes.

Marten Schälicke 15/07/2009 18:47
„Over 100 people were packed in our cattle car... It is impossible to describe the tragic situation in our airless, closed car. Everyone tried to push his way to a small air opening. I found a crack in one of the floorboards into which I pushed my nose to get a little air. The stench in the car was unbearable. People were defecating in all four corners of the car... After some time, the train suddenly stopped. A guard entered the car. He had come to rob us. He took everything that not had been well hidden: money, watches, valuables... water! We pleaded the railroad workers. We would pay them well. I paid 500 Zlotys and recieved a cup of water – about half a liter. As I began to drink, a woman, whose child had fainted, attacked me. She was determined to make me leave her a little water. I did leave a bit of water at the bottom of the cup, and watched the child drink. The situation in the cattle car was deteriorating. The car was sweltering in the sun. The men lay half naked. Some of the women lay in their undergarments. People struggled to get some air, and some no longer moved... the train reached the camp. Many lay inert on the cattle car floor. Some were no longer alive.“

In a cattle car to the death camp – Testimony of a survivor
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