Punishments and executions |
Punishments and executions were often brutal and sometimes even fatal in Auschwitz.
There were many reasons to why prisoners were punished or executed reasons were any attempts at getting extra portions of food, working in n inadequate manner, wearing inappropriate camp clothing, relieving oneself at an unacceptable time, or attempting to commit suicide. Surprised there wasn't a punishment for breathing?
There were various types of punishments. One of these punishments included flogging. Flogging was a method of punishment where the victim would be hit with a whip or stick. While they were being hit, the victim was suppose to count out the number of lashes aloud in German. If they lost count then the punishment would begin all over again. Another punishment was preserved for prisoners who were suspected of having contact with the outside world. It was called Block 11. Block 11 was a black cell with no windows, just one metal screen. Prisoners had no contact with any other prisoners. There were also other punishments that were particularly painful. One was called "The Post." In this punishment, the victims hand were tied behind there back and was hung from a post so that his or her feet would not be able to touch the ground. The punishment would often be inflicted for several hours. The prisoner would sometimes pass out from the extreme pain. The punishment was so brutal, that often it would cause the rupture of tendons in the victims shoulders, leaving them unable to move their arms. This put them at risk of being sent to the gas chamber because they could not work.
Just as there were many punishments, there were many executions as well. There was a shooting where selected prisoners would be put in front of the "death wall" and be shot. Then, there were of course your traditional hangings, which took place in public, frequently during roll call. Lastly, there would be a simple starvation to death. Here, prisoners would be taken to Block 11 and held there without food until they died.
There were many reasons to why prisoners were punished or executed reasons were any attempts at getting extra portions of food, working in n inadequate manner, wearing inappropriate camp clothing, relieving oneself at an unacceptable time, or attempting to commit suicide. Surprised there wasn't a punishment for breathing?
There were various types of punishments. One of these punishments included flogging. Flogging was a method of punishment where the victim would be hit with a whip or stick. While they were being hit, the victim was suppose to count out the number of lashes aloud in German. If they lost count then the punishment would begin all over again. Another punishment was preserved for prisoners who were suspected of having contact with the outside world. It was called Block 11. Block 11 was a black cell with no windows, just one metal screen. Prisoners had no contact with any other prisoners. There were also other punishments that were particularly painful. One was called "The Post." In this punishment, the victims hand were tied behind there back and was hung from a post so that his or her feet would not be able to touch the ground. The punishment would often be inflicted for several hours. The prisoner would sometimes pass out from the extreme pain. The punishment was so brutal, that often it would cause the rupture of tendons in the victims shoulders, leaving them unable to move their arms. This put them at risk of being sent to the gas chamber because they could not work.
Just as there were many punishments, there were many executions as well. There was a shooting where selected prisoners would be put in front of the "death wall" and be shot. Then, there were of course your traditional hangings, which took place in public, frequently during roll call. Lastly, there would be a simple starvation to death. Here, prisoners would be taken to Block 11 and held there without food until they died.