[Narrator, archive and Survivor Testimony]
The Nazis didn’t want to leave witnesses to their crimes, but thought Jewish prisoners might still be useful as labourers or as bargaining chips for negotiating with the allies. So they ordered those who could walk on long, hard marches West, towards Germany. Thousands of people died on these death marches from exhaustion, starvation, exposure or a bullet. Manfred was 14-years-old when he was forced to join a death march. He describes how the pace of the march was set by the well-fed, strong SS guards who led it. Anyone who couldn’t keep up was immediately shot, and their bodies left where they fell. A lot of people died because the prisoners were so weak after months and years of slave labour and starvation.
[Narrator, archive and Survivor Testimony]
The Nazis didn’t want to leave witnesses to their crimes, but thought Jewish prisoners might still be useful as labourers or as bargaining chips for negotiating with the allies. So they ordered those who could walk on long, hard marches West, towards Germany. Thousands of people died on these death marches from exhaustion, starvation, exposure or a bullet. Manfred was 14-years-old when he was forced to join a death march. He describes how the pace of the march was set by the well-fed, strong SS guards who led it. Anyone who couldn’t keep up was immediately shot, and their bodies left where they fell. A lot of people died because the prisoners were so weak after months and years of slave labour and starvation.
Gerhard witnessed how elderly Jews were abused as slave labourers by local collaborators.
Manfred was 12 when he was a slave labourer in a work camp in Poland.
Steven was 8 when he was attacked by a guard dog at Westerbork Transit Camp in the Netherlands.
Steven was 8 when he was a prisoner in Westerbork Transit Camp. He describes the unsanitary conditions.
Steven was 9 when he came to Theresienstadt Ghetto. He talks about hunger.
Susan was 14 when she arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau. She describes the selection process for life, or death.
Mala was 14 when she was sent to Ravensbruck. She describes what happened to her when she arrived.
Susan was 14 when she was marched before Mengele to decide if she was suitable for slave labour.
Ludwika was a Polish prisoner nurse at Auschwitz-Birkenau who worked for Joseph Mengele.
Mala was 14 when she arrived at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Peter was 5 when he was transported to Bergen-Belsen with his mother.
