“At the evening we recived bread and margarine. Everyone was allowed to take as many blankets as they wished. Outside it was severly cold. On the district were left around 140 sick, unable to march. We already knew, that we would turn right, in the direction where earlier columns went. We went out, our hearts beating in anxiety, seeing on the side of the road bodies of those shot by SS soldiers. […] We didn’t now where we are being taken, and not long after the strat of our march, first shots could be heard at the back of the column. The weakest ones were shot without mercy.”[1]
It was the beginning of evacuation for those, who survived in the camp till 2nd half of January 1945. They have been rushed on a cold, winter morning on a way, which later became a part of the history known as the “Death March”. Every one of the prisoners of Auschwitz complex tried to take with him what he had most precious. Their clothing consisted mostly of ragged, striped prison uniform, elements of deceased Russian prisoners uniforms, or civilian clothing from deportation transports to camp. Their feet covered with prison clogs, so called “dutchies”, or shoes with uppers made of rags or leather, and piece of wood as a sole. Blankets, which not everyone had, were mostly torn and ragged. It was the only warm cover on the backs of the walkers. Some of them carried the most precious treasure, which in the camp was a spoon and a bowl, or cup.
From the witnesses’ testimonies we know, that the prisoners looked like a procession of emanciated spectres in rags, clattering on the ground with wooden sole shoes. The first part of their march finished on the railway station in Wodzislav of Silesia. la przyszłości, pod red. Jarko Mensfelt, Brzeszcze 2009, s. 324.
In the camp life, most of the items used by the priosners were brought into camp in baggage with transports of deported to Auschwitz, and later handed to them in a chaotic way. Like in the case of this enamelled bowl with Hungarian signature of the enamel factory, or cup brought with transport from Slovakia, signed C.A. SCHOLTZ MATEJOVCE.
“I was half conscious, when we were told to embark coal wagon filled with snow. I dont know how many people were forced into each wagon, but we were really squished inside. When the train moved, and gained some speed, the icy air cut our faces like razor blade.[…] When the cart doors were opened, not many of us were able to disembark. Many died of the cold.”[2]
Displayed items come from a huge private collection, of which our Foundation takes conservation and merithoric care. They have all been secured from further decay. At the moment we try to raise funds to treat the items with proper, professional conservation. Everyone can help. Hundreds of items await conservation, all of them are remaining of KonzetrationsLager Auschwitz.
[1] Wspomnienie Herman Raffowicz Nr 57 256 w: Jawischowitz podobóz Auschwitz. 45 deportowanych 8 polskich górników składa świadectwo dla przyszłości, pod red. Jarko Mensfelt, Brzeszcze 2009, s. 400.
[2] Wspomnienie Henri Moschkowitch Nr 126 094 w: Jawischowitz podobóz Auschwitz. 45 deportowanych 8 polskich górników składa świadectwo dla przyszłości, pod red. Jarko Mensfelt, Brzeszcze 2009, s. 324.
