Buchenwald: Everyone Gets What He Deserves

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During World War II the most horrific display of the cruelness man can inflict on fellow man was demonstrated in Germany during the Holocaust. From 1939-1945, concentration camps and death camps were built in order to systematically enact a genocide to crush the spirits’ of millions considered “undesirable” by fascist leader, Adolf Hitler (Whitlock 9) These “undesirables” were religiously persecuted and actively discriminated against; Jews, Masons, Communists and gypsies alike were all put to death or, some would say a fate worse than death, sent to the infamous work camps (Whitlock 14 ). Buchenwald was among the worst of these extremist slave labor camps, and was known for its ghastly conditions and literally working its people to death. …show more content…

The prisoners were forced to march five miles uphill from the city of Weimar to the camp (Saldinger 17-18). The main gate didn't have the contemptible phrase that all the polish death camps shared in metal letters “Arbeit Macht Frei” in english translated to “work will set you free”, but another ironic phrase that reads “Jeden Das Sein” translated from english to “Everyone Gets What He Deserves”(Whitlock 10). Once in the camp they would be forced to give up all their belongings and shaved of all their body hair, which was used to stuff mattresses. Each inmate was given a set of striped uniforms and a number sewn above where the breast pocket would be. The method used to distinguish between inmates were color coded triangles (Whitlock 34). Buchenwald was a work camp that was primarily built for political criminals or war prisoners, but that quickly changed as they realized more people could be “accommodated” in the massive camp …show more content…

To this day, people are very largely affected by this genocide. Countless memorials and museums are dedicated to the holocaust in remembrance of those mercilessly killed by the Nazi party. Among these is the Buchenwald Concentration camp, preserved as a memorial to those who suffered in the hellish place. These shrines are not only in memory of, but also serve as a reminder and caution to all nations that hate and blame corrupts people, and a nation lead by a hateful leader will undoubtedly, ultimately fail. We must resist the urge to repeat such tendencies but it can be hard to be optimistic when the flaws of man were so exposed in the Holocaust. Still, we can only remain hopeful that mankind will learn from the unfortunate

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