Now You Know

What Were Concentration Camps Like?

To describe the course of the day in a concentration camp is a difficult undertaking. The following description is based on the common points found in several testimonies of survivors. Of course, the daily itinerary was not the same in all concentration camps. Several factors influenced the condition of life in the camps, such as the SS command of the camp, the nationality, and the category of prisoner (political, POW, Jewish, etc).

This account is based on testimonies collected in the following books: "L'ere des camps" by Olga Wormser-Migot, Union Generale d'Edition, 1973, collection 10-18; "The Theory and Practice of Hell" by Eugen Kogon (how the SS and camps worked); "Le Livre des Camps" by Ludo Van Eck, Editions Kritak (Belgium, 1979). Ludo Van Eck is a Belgian survivor of Dachau- this book is very difficult to find, but it is a real encyclopedia covering most of the concentration and extermination camps; "Dora 1943-1945" by Brigitte d'Hainaut and Christine Somerhausen, Editions Didier Hatier (Belgium).  History of the Belgian prisoners in Dora concentration camp, sub-camp of Buchenwald.

This essay is also based on testimonies from Mr. Richard Suffit (Auschwitz survivor) and Mr. Van Horen (Flossenburg survivor) as well as what the essay author's father, Edmond Chatel, told the author's mother about his experience in Vught Concentration Camp. Author: Vincent Chatel.

4 a.m- Awakening- You are awakened by the kapo* barking at you. Hurry up! You must raise, find your shoes (but maybe somebody stole them, which often means death, because you'll not be able to work) and start as soon as possible the 'bettenbau'. From the shapeless straw mattress, you'll have to make a perfect bed in a military manner, with blankets made up exactly over the straw mattress. Of course, this is nearly impossible to do, and the kapo knows it. The 'bettenbau' is just a good opportunity for him to beat the prisoners.

The bed is made now, and it's time for washing. You run out of the barrack and try to reach the sanitary facility. There are only a couple of sanitary facilities for hundreds of prisoners. You have just a couple of minutes for washing. It is nearly time for the morning roll call, and you know the kapos will beat the stragglers, sometimes to death.

The Breakfast- You must have your mess-tin in hand. No mess-tin, no food. A kapo gives you approximately 10 ounces of bread and some 'coffee'. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you'll receive some margarine or a thin slice of sausage with your bread. The 'coffee' is tasteless. No sugar and no milk, of course. The bread you just received will be the only solid food you'll receive until tomorrow. If you have strength of will, you'll try to spare it for the rest of the day. The distribution of food is once again a good opportunity for the kapos to have some "fun". Sometimes they throw the bread in the mud, or they push you while serving the coffee, wasting it on the ground. In any case, you'll receive nothing more, and you are risking punishment for wasting food.

Morning Roll Call- All the prisoners are lined up in rows of ten. All the prisoners must be at the roll call, including the ones who died during the night. There, poor bodies are aligned in front of you or in front of your barrack. Under control of the SS guards and officers, the kapos are counting the thousands of prisoners. A mistake during the counting, and everything must start again, making the kapos nervous and dangerous. During the roll call, you must stand at attention, even if it is raining or snowing. It is forbidden to move or to talk during the roll call. Your poor striped uniform, made from an incredibly rough cloth, does not protect you against the cold weather. Every day, several prisoners catch a cold during the roll call and die in the following days. Some others die during the roll call itself. They were too weak to stand at attention during hours. Their bodies, as well as the deaths of the night, will be sent to the crematories after the roll call.

Move Off The Kommandos- You run to join your work team. You'll leave the camp under the heavy guard of SS and kapos, always barking at you. You'll reach the yard by walk, of course. Maybe you'll have to march off to the beat of the music played by the camp orchestra. Or maybe the SS will order to your work team to sing during the march. Just at the gate of the camp, there is a row of SS waiting for your working team. Beatings, insults, barking again and again...