Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land

Toward the end of 1944 Russian planes used to fly over Auschwitz more frequently, and the wailing of the air-raid sirens could be heard not only at night but also during the day. I remember especially one alarm that sounded at noon time. A young SS man came to hide in our infirmary, a little embarrassed by the fact that he was seeking safety among us, "because," as he explained it, "the Russians won't drop any bombs on you." He was frightened to death, but we had to hide the joy we felt to hear the Russians bombing. That day a few women who had been working outside the camp perished during the attack. In the evening the returning komando brought their corpses with them.

In October that year the women's camp was moved to the former gypsy camp. The infirmary was located in a large barrack, with a large comfortable furnished room in the back for us. Instead of Magda there was now a young Russian girl who did the cleaning. She was bright and happy. The German doctors did not bother much with us. We felt the taste of freedom, and maybe the taste of death.

Marusia, Mancy, Kwieta, and Helena received packages from the free side, so we did not lack for food. Sometimes our friends came to visit us. They brought us linen, bandages, and sometimes they would sit with us for a few hours in our room. The SS men who came with them did not bother us. We started to see the future in rosy colors.

One afternoon toward the end of November 1944, after checking the sick into the hospital, we were sitting around in our room eating lunch. Completely unexpectedly, Mengele came to the infirmary. We became very frightened when we saw him, since he was an ill wind that never blew any good and since we were totally unprepared for his visit.

"Women from the new transport will be brought here very soon. Receive all of them into the area, and keep them waiting in the infirmary until I get here to take a look at them. I'll be back in a few hours."

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