SIXTEEN : The Last One

Chapter 16, a chapter in which the mind begins to ponder, whether the prisoners of the camp were ‘normal’ ever in their lives. A chapter in which we realize the grimness of the situation that had occurred. In which we begin to connect our lives with those unfortunate of the commodities that we are privileged with. I believe that this chapter helps those who read the book how great a situation we are bestowed upon. We often complain how ‘better’ our lives could have been, how ‘more’ we deserve until this chapter makes us realize, ‘my position isn’t even close to horrible’.

As the ‘last’ rebellious soul was executed, the pride and dignity of the prisoners, the Jews, were destroyed. Even in the presence of the ‘last one’s’ execution, the prisoners had not said anything or acted upon anything. The SS soldiers had achieved victory upon their plans for genocide. Physically, bodies of the Jews were alive and the race existed on earth, but mentally, spiritually, the Jews were dead. They were no longer of any value because they had given up their self-esteem and dignity. No more were the Jews that could achieve victory against the Germans. They had already lost to fight that had never begun.