Tripods

__**Brooke 10-5-08**__
Soldier:  Today we had to get all of the Jews into a train. We tried putting families in the same boxcars but some families where not together. Once everybody was in the train I had to explain the rules to them and then I took all of their valuables. Some of the Jews had really nice things, which was good for me. Once we started moving along we kept on hearing this lady scream about fire, she was really loud and annoying, I wanted to just throw her off of the train. Once the train ride was over we took all of the Jews off of the train and led them in two different directions. Woman one-way and men the other way. We then separated the men in two directions, some men would go to the crematory and others would go to the prison. In the crematory we threw babies into the fire and I could tell by the expressions of the men’s faces that they were never going to forget that moment they just witnessed. Once men had gotten settled I had them remove their clothes and put on suits. Which where really old and had holes. When they where bare I looked for all of the strong men, which it seemed to be all of them where scrawny. All of the men had to work differently depending on their size and age. With all of the Jews at work I had the right to just shoot them on the spot if they disobeyed the slightest. This was entertainment for me. When it came to sleeping I had all of the men stand up in mud and go to sleep. As days went on we gave all of the Jews numbers that they would now go by. Everyday we had to do roll call, which was really annoying after a few days. But we had to do it to keep all of the Jews in check.After many days of work, we transferred the Jews to a new camp. __**Brooke 10-07-08**__ Once the Jews came to Buna we had them take showers, and the showers where water that was acid. This is always the best way to welcome people to a new camp. After they took showers they were informed that many of the boys and girls would be used for pleasure. I was always staying up late after my day shift to go and make love to a girl. Many of the Jews where not working so I got to go around and beat them. It was one of the weirdest things to see their family’s reactions but if you are not working there are consequences. One day came when we let the Jews have extra time to sleep in and we didn’t have to watch guard. While this was happening some people had escaped. I was furious at the site of this. When we went to look for the men who had escaped we had left the soup in the common area and some stupid man had the courage to go and take some. He was hung, other men where hung and we even hung a little boy. Every person had a trial before they are hung but I said we just should of hung them all no matter what. Jews are worthless. As winter came around we had to give the Jews warmer clothes but they would still get frostbite and some of them froze to death. Some Jews also had to go to the hospital because their conditions where so bad. After weeks of the brutal winter we had all of the Jews pack their bags and head to a new camp. Where they were going was a mystery to all of us. We started our trek to the new camp; we had all of the Jews march block by block into the cold winter. Once we got started I was I in a big rush and it was freezing so I had all of the Jews run. Some of the Jews disobeyed and started to walk... I just shot them. After hours of running all of the soldiers started to get cold and tired so we let the Jews rest in a shack. I got to rest in a very warm room and it was entertaining to watch the Jews freeze to death while sleeping. Most of the Jews stayed awake though because they knew what would happen if they didn’t. Once I got my strength back I had al of the Jews start running again. This time I got to ride on a motorcycle, which was much easier. We only had a few more hours until the train station so I kept on yelling at the Jews to get a move on. Once we reached the train station I just pushed all of the dirty Jews onto each boxcar. We tried to fit as many as we could on each one. The train was moving and we gave them a ration of bread, some of the Jews ate snow too. After a while someone decided to throw bread in each box car and it was really funny to watch the Jews fight each other for crumbs of bread. We did have to make a couple of stops because the smell of dead Jews was around the train so we would stop and throw the dead ones off of the train. After more hours of crying Jews we had finally made it to the new camp. Like usually once we get to a new camp the Jews have to take showers, all of the Jews went running to the showers and it was hard to control them, I would randomly slash a Jew in the face but it would still jut cause more confusion. Some of the Jews would lie down into the snow to die. That was fine with me because there would be less of them to take care of. So many Jews had made it this far; it was hard to believe… I just wish we could shoot them all. We did the same routines with the Jews working, eating and sleeping. It was funny to watch Jews die slowly next to heir family’s side. After months went by things started to get weird because of Hitler and the Americans. We started to not do roll call and we didn’t feed the Jews food. Finally in April the Jews where done. Seeing all who made it threw leave I just wanted to beat them over the head; they do not deserve to go back home, they need to die like there friends and family. But it was all over and the lives of the Jews who had survived would be changed forever.
 * __Brooke 10-15-08__** The Jews were all gathering together in the end of the summer because they thought they got to go [[image:http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o14/blinb/Jews.gif?t=1224126909 width="115" height="160" align="left"]]home… Well they where wrong. We wanted to work the Jews longer and harder. Later on we did selection, this is always really weird, I hate selection because we have to see all the men run naked and judge them on their strength. I can tell that most men are not strong because of what we feed them and how much they work. Still the men should be strong enough, if they are not then I will be more than happy to throw them in the crematory. Once we selected the people who would be killed because of their weakness you could tell how devastated they all where; with tears dripping down their dirty worthless faces.


 * __

Aleyana Hartley 10-5-08 __** **Ellie Wiesel **  ** Ellie Wiesel  **
 * Dear diary, **
 * Tzipora, dad, mom, and me were shipped off to a camp. A family friend went mad while we were on the train, she kept yelling about a fire. People whipped her and slapped her trying to get her to be quiet. It worked for a little while, but then she started screaming again. Her young boy held her hand the entire time and stayed by her side. This sight ruined me inside. When we reached the camp the soldiers led us off the train and separated us, women went one way and the men went the other. I looked back at my sister and my mom knowing that this was going to be the last time that I will ever see them again. I grabbed a hold of my father’s hand and walked in the direction that I was told. The air smelled like burning flesh. The soldiers think that I am 18 and my dad 40, that way we could stick together. My views have now changed forever. The sight of seeing children and babies burning was awful. A man slapped my father I really wanted to charge at him, my father told me that it didn’t hurt even though you could see the bright red on his face where he had been hit. We work as a laborer every day, only getting 2 meals a day consisting of bread and margarine and soup. At first I didn’t want any part of it, but now I am famished and need food. There were times that we all had to take off all of our clothes, take a hot shower and freeze in the night’s air. I strongly hate these people doing this to us. I sometimes wonder where my mother and sister are and if they are still alive or not. None of us talk about who is or isn’t living though, but dad said that mother is still a young woman and Tzipora is now a woman, so they must be in a labor camp. We all try to think and talk positive. Some nights us Jews sing and pray the word of the Lord. I have troubles with it though. I still believe in the spirit of God, but I don’t understand how he is letting this happen to us. I was told that Jesus is probably just testing our faith, I don’t know if this is true or not. The rest of us 100 or so laborers were sent to another camp. As we left I seen the sign for the hundredth time that read “Work is liberty”, I want to throw this sign in the crematory. I had no problem that the guards were in no hurry to get there. They flirted with some German girls that giggled and flaunted themselves. During this time no guns or shouts were said, which was pleasing. After finally walking 4 hours we reached the gate of Buna, our new camp. The iron gates then closed behind us as we reached the inside. **
 * Aleyana Hartley 10-15-08 **
 * Ten thousand men attended the solemn service for the dead ones. I no longer believe in my faith. How could God let this happen? The Germans separated the strong from the weak. I worried for my father because he has aged so much and isn’t as strong as he used to be. I did not know if he would make it or not since we had gotten split up, but I ran as hard and fast as I could to show the evaluators that I was still strong and that they shouldn’t send me to the crematory. After we were done hauling the big rocks and stones I was able to see my father; if he was alive. Luckily he was where we would normally meet; this was good news for me. Eventually though we found out that my father’s number was written down, but it wasn’t quite official yet, he was to go to a second examination to see if he lives or dies. His life was saved because they decided to let him go on. **
 * I got a terrible infection in my foot and it became horribly swollen. I was taken to the hospital and I was incredibly thankful to have a Jewish doctor. He told me that I had pus all in the heel of my right foot and I was to have an operation. I got my operation without being put to sleep, I just watched as my doctor operated on me. Eventually, I passed out. I awoke with the man’s face overlooking mine. I could not feel my leg and I had great fear that my leg was amputated. The doctor said that I would be walking in no time though. He had not amputated my leg. I had found out that the whole camp was to be evacuated; we were going to another concentration camp. I ran outside not feeling the pain and coldness on my bare wounded foot, looking for my father. My father and I decided to leave together. I cannot even imagine life without him in this hell. We had also forgotten our promise to the little rabbi to say the Kaddish, 3 days after his death. **
 * Juliek was killed this morning. The last thing that I heard from him was his violin music. We are all starving. All that I can think about is food. I hope everyday that we will get thicker soup. There are many kids. Another killing rampage broke out and thousands were killed, many being children, so young in life. My father and I were walking and he had fallen down. I tried to help him, but I was forced to keep going. They decided to starve him and I tried to feed him with little portions of bread, but it didn’t really help. I awoke one day to notice that my father’s bed was occupied by another Jew. I looked at the crematory. I wanted to cry, but I just didn’t have any tears left. My last thought of him is him calling my name and me just walking by as though he is a stranger. **
 * Free at last. None of us really know what to do. Our first thoughts are of food, not of family or friends. Many guys went to get food and clothes and sleep with girls as a sign of revenge. Three days after my leaving I was on the verge of life and death for 2 weeks due to food poisoning. Once well enough to walk, I looked at my reflection through the mirror, all that I could see was a corpse. This image is an image that could kill you alone and I am forever haunted by it. **

   Jesse 10/05/08 [Father]

We had high hopes, that the war would never affect us, or even get close to us. We had heard that the Russian and American fronts were moving very fast and defeat the Germans before they had a chance to get us. Our thoughts were changed when German troops stormed through our town. I was scared for my son Elie and for my Jewish community. I am very proud of my children and their studies, and elie wanting to cabbala at such a young age, but he is still to young at the age of 12, he needs to be of at least 30 to venture into such studies. He spends many hours with Moishe the Beadle, i don't mind this, Moishe can be a good influence on Elie with his life experiences. One day all the foreign Jews were sent off on cattle trains, only Moishe returned, he is a changed man he told horrible stories of what happened to the jews upon the train, but noone believes him, not even Elie. German troops have made it to Sighet. They seemed very nice, but on the seventh day of passover that all changed. We were forced to stay in our houses under penalty of death. Moshe came and said "i warned you" before fleeing, this gave me a sick feeling in my stomach from the other stories he had told us, what else might happen from them? The same day the Hungarian Police came and took any thing of value of everyone on our street, but i buried our savings in the cellar. All Jews were made to wear a yellow star, many people in the community came to see me about it, since i have connections within the Hungarian Police. I didn't know, so i merely told them it won't kill them.... The Hungarian Police separated us into 2 ghettos, these weren't too bad, we established a Jewish Council which i was apart of. Then one day while i was telling one of my stories i was notified that we needed an emergency meeting where i learned we were going to a concetration camp, i just told everyone we were leaving, so people wouldnt be worried. i had Elie go wake up the neighbors to get them ready to leave. We were forcefully put on trains and left. We got off the trains and they split us up between men and women with young children. I was deeply hurt to see my wife and daughters go, but i had to look strong for Elie, so he wouldn't be scared. We were in line to go into the crematory.It was a shame Elie wasn't with his mother, and not in this line to die. I was becoming very nervous as we approached the large columns of smoke especially with my only son in front of me. Luckily as he was next to go the Gestapos stopped us and sent us to a barrack. On our way we got tips to lie about our age and occupations, to make it better for us. We were given prisoner uniforms to wear. We kept getting moved to different barracks. Eventually we stayed at one for 3 weeks, it was very mellow, same routine everyday. Black coffee, roll call, and our bread then back to bed about 9. FInally we were moved to another camp in Buna where we got transferred into different units. Elie got us into a very easy one in a warehouse dealing with electronics. This is all i can write for now, must go before the gestapos find my ink and journal.

10/07/08

The work in our unit is very easy, we just count bolts, light bulbs, and other electronic parts every day. Elie got called to the hospital block for his gold crown, but they didn't take it, he is a smart boy. He probably got out of them taking it. The other day he came to ask if he should give his gold crown to Franek the foremen, i immediately said no. Afterwards Franek became very hard on me and my poor rhyme with marching, every day for two weeks i would be hit and slapped. I figured out that Elie gave up his gold crown for him to stop. I was severely beat by idek, aparantly i wasn't working hard enough, but loading diesal engines is not an easy job, especially being weak as we are. Elie was also beat by this mad man, but we jsut keep it in. Even one day before work was over there was an usual roll call then elie recieved whippings. Why? i do not know but i felt much agony seeing my son in so much pain and suffering. Our morale was helped greatly one day. Allied bombers were bombing the nearby town, i was thankful my factory didnt get hit, but serveral other buildings were completely flattened. We had to clean up the debris but we did it with smiles on our faces! Apparently during the air raid some young men, jewish of course, stole goods. The brutal germans forced us to watch these horrific hangings, it just turns my stomach to watch these. There is pride in me when they yell "LONG LIVE LIBERTY" and i know this all will be over one day, i just have to wait it out.

10/16/08

I'm very weary and ill, i do not feel like i can go on any farther, only my son has been keeping me alive ever since we arrived here in Buchenwald. Our trip here was brutal. It has taken all the life our of me. have i never even dreamed of how tired and starved we had become. The whole reason we were forced to leave Buna, which had become a "safe" haven for us. was because the Red Army was approaching. We had to RUN for such an immense distance, through the blizzard of snow every step of the way. We ran to Gleiwitz, we stayed for a week and didn't receive a thing to eat, like we weren't starving already. From there we were put onto cattle cars, for 10 days and 10 nights which brought out the other prisoners to their anamil instinces. The German citizens through peices of bread into our cars, not to try and help us out, but to watch in their sick amusment as men tear at each other just for a little piece of bread. Even a father was killed by his own son just for a crumb of bread, how sick can these people be? I made sure elie and i stayed out of it of course, the camps had turned these civilized human beings into savage beats. As if hungar wasn't bad enough the cold made everypart of my body ache, become stiff and almost to the point of death. i was so grateful that my son was there to keep them from throwing me off the train, only for him do i strive to stay alive, he is all i have to live for and i love him so much, just being together we have been able to keep strong through whatever we are put through, our love for each other. Finally the train stopped 100 of us has got on, only 12 of us got off, including elie and myself. I can feel life slipping away from me ever since we have been here, i've had a terrible fever and the doctors arn't going to do anything. I keep trying to just lay down and sleep, let this hell pass by, but elie wont let me, he keeps me alive. The other prisoners beat me for my bread, but i don't care anymore, they can have it, all i want it water since im always buring up. I feel that death is creeping closer to me everything day, i merely called for my son, but i was just beaten by the guard, i still dont care they have done everything they can do to me. I just want to be with my son, but this morning before anyone was awake a couple guards picked my up and took me to the crematory. As we approached those raging flames and dark colomns of smoke i seemed to forget about my pending death but to remember my happy family going to the synagogue to pray and be with out friends all before this indescribable hell started