Herman Shine died. He was one of the few to escape from Auschwitz. Less than 150 did. 1,100,000 didn’t. Some never made it to the gate. They died on the transport or were killed when they got off the train. Some were tortured by Mengele or raped by the soldiers before being executed. Shine was lucky to be young,fit and had help. The less lucky, children, the elderly and handicapped died quickly. Most died painfully from the gas.
The Jews weren’t the only ones killed here and in the camp across the tracks. Intellectuals went first. Gypsies, Russians, Polish sympathizers and other nationalities. No one said boo or boo hoo.
We will never understand how it happened or why. Our job is to honor the dead and to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
