PSYCHICAL STRESS

The newcomers were first exposed to a shock when arriving in the camp. They had just come from a long, demanding trip full of privations and were exhausted. And then, they had no idea where they would be taken , the tearing-apart of whole families caused a big uncertainty. The sad surrounding, the big rush, the many soldiers and sheep dogs, the loud and hard commanding tone of the SS and the strokes - all these circumstances contributed to a big fear in many newcomer's heads. All those ones, who first survived the selections and were not immediately gassed, had to endure these disgraceful admission rituals. The death rate was between 70 and 95 %.

Nobody understood this irreality and inhumanity. After surviving the first weeks, many started to loose reaction on their surrounding anymore. But that didn't help. Despite of all apathy, the fear of strokes, of being sent to gas, was everywhere. The steady organising of things in order to stay alive, wore out the people in the camp.

But also the fact that one had to face other people dying, that even one's own family was killed, led to an enormous psychic stress. Each prisoner was helplessly dependent on the SS's will.