Detailed Notes on Life in Flossenburg Concentration Camp

Experiences in the Flossenburg Concentration Camp

• Conditions in the Camp:

  • Life in Flossenburg was marked by extreme cruelty and inhumane treatment of inmates.
  • Food:
  • The daily ration included 250 grams of bread, often mixed with sawdust to prevent sticking.
  • Soup was scarce; only a quart was available if you were fortunate enough to be at the front of the line.
  • Early morning rations included ersatz coffee (a coffee substitute) that was blackened and often unpalatable.
  • It was noted that surviving more than nine months on this diet was exceptionally rare; the speaker lasted nine and a half months.

• Executions and Cruelty:

  • The camp witnessed public executions, often eliciting enjoyment from the SS guards.
  • Example of an Execution:
  • A Russian general was executed in public after bravely declaring his loyalty to freedom.
  • He was hanged after being paraded and addressing the crowd, showcasing the psychological manipulation employed by the guards.
  • An instance of Admiral Canaris' torture was also recounted where he was brutally treated, leading to his death after being tortured with a corkscrew device.

• Entertainment for Guards:

  • The SS guards treated executions as entertainment, featuring orchestral music and enjoying the sight of smoke from the crematorium during such events.

Transportation and Death March

• Forced March to Czechoslovakia:

  • On April 14, 1945, all Jews in Flossenburg were ordered to gather and were heavily guarded for a march to a nearby railway station at Floss, where they were loaded onto cattle cars.
  • American P-38 planes strafed the train during their march, leading to many casualties among the prisoners.
  • After a second attack on the train, the commandant decided to hide prisoners during the day and force them to march at night due to the inability to travel by train after repeated attacks.

• Experience during the March:

  • Witnessed horrific executions during the march, where individuals suspected of weakness were shot by guards.
  • At one point, they were put into a barn, and individuals were executed periodically away from the group, highlighting the devaluation of life during these events.

Aftermath and Liberation

• Survival:

  • Only about 200 out of the initial 2600 prisoners survived the march from April 14 to April 23, 1945.
  • After liberation, individuals faced difficulties with food intake, as many had issues tolerating normal diets after so long without proper nourishment.

• Hospitalization:

  • Post-liberation, the individual spent time in a hospital in Neuenburg, cared for by an order of nuns and supported by international relief organizations.
  • Highlight horrific treatment issues such as one prisoner dying from overconsumption of food after liberation due to not knowing when he might eat again.

• Long-Term Impacts:

  • The testimony indicates lasting trauma and the struggle of integrating back into society after such brutal experiences.
  • The survivor stayed in Germany until 1949 before emigrating to the United States.
  • Post-war life included working in various places, including a pawn shop and eventually serving in the army during the Korean War.

Reflections on War and Survival

• Difficulties in Returning to Germany:

  • The survivor reflected on the emotional impact of returning to Germany after having survived the Holocaust, noting a bittersweet relationship with his past.

• Life After the Holocaust:

  • Experiences after liberation focused on recovery, both physically and emotionally, highlighting the long road to rebuilding a life after the trauma of concentration camps and the war itself.