ONE : The Journey

gen·o·cide-noun-the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.


Even the slightest thought of the word may impact the individual on how extreme it would be to put forth action according to the word. It is a common understanding that the Germans had done the undoable to the Jews. There is no doubt that the Germans, during World War II were determined to exterminate a whole race, thus, causing the holocaust. In the present, there have been numerous counts of studies and observations on the motives and reasons why the ‘Germans’ exterminated the ‘Jews’.

The first chapter of the book, “Survival in Auschwitz’ was nevertheless astonishing by the treatments that the Germans had exploited towards the Jews, despite the fact that they weren’t even close to the concentration camps. Even though it is easily predictable on how harsh the characters of the book will be treated, it is hard to comprehend the fact that it was on ‘true account’.

Primo Levi was a survivor of the camps in Germany. What determined who would live and who would die? That was up to the German SS soldiers. Luck had a great contribution to the future of the Jews. As I read on with the chapter, the cruelty of the Germans was shown in the beginning of the shipment of the Jews. Even during the journey to the camps, Germans were condescending towards the Jewish race. The chapter and its contents then suddenly made myself think of what should never have been thought of. I abruptly thought that the presence of God had left Germany. That God and his love was no more reaching the Germans. On what account could the Germans act as though they were superior over other races?

When the Jews arrived to the concentration camps, the German SS soldiers asked questions regarding health and physical status. By asking these questions, the Jews were then separated into groups of women, children, the workable and the unworkable. From this, each individual was already destined for survival, or death. Those who were not worthy of physical labor were sent to the gas chambers for mass extermination.

Mass extermination. God’s presence could no where be seen.