Death Marches
The Death Marches were a way to evacuate the Jews from Auschwitz when the Nazis found out that the Soviets were coming. A death march is the “forced march of prisoners of war or other captives/deportees with the intent to kill, brutalize, weaken, and/or demoralize as many of the captives as possible along the way” (“What were the Death Marches?”). The Nazis forced the 60,000 prisoners to march 30 to 35 miles toward Wodzislaw Ślaski. The helpless prisoners were exposed to freezing cold temperatures and starvation. Anyone who fell behind the group or was struggling was shot on sight. (“Death March from Auschwitz”). Raizl Kibel recalls, “In such a way [shot] were thousands who had endured camp life up to the last moment murdered, a moment before liberation” (“Evacuation and the Death Marches”). Little did any of the prisoners know that liberation was on its way.
Liberation for those on the death march occurred as Soviet and US forces pushed toward Torgau, eventually meeting there on April 25,1945. “The German armed forces surrendered unconditionally in the west on May 7 and in the east on May 9, 1945” (“Death Marches”). When the liberators arrived, the prisoners were in near death condition. Immediate medical assistance was given in an attempt to save the lives of the weak. This was worst case-scenario for the Germans. The whole idea of the death march was to kill every last prisoner so no one was alive to tell of the horror inflicted on them. Without the help of the liberators, this very well may have happened, for the Nazis had already mastered mass killing (“Death marches”).
Liberation for those on the death march occurred as Soviet and US forces pushed toward Torgau, eventually meeting there on April 25,1945. “The German armed forces surrendered unconditionally in the west on May 7 and in the east on May 9, 1945” (“Death Marches”). When the liberators arrived, the prisoners were in near death condition. Immediate medical assistance was given in an attempt to save the lives of the weak. This was worst case-scenario for the Germans. The whole idea of the death march was to kill every last prisoner so no one was alive to tell of the horror inflicted on them. Without the help of the liberators, this very well may have happened, for the Nazis had already mastered mass killing (“Death marches”).