Survival in Auschwitz shows the world the superhuman struggle to survive that these prisoners fought on a daily basis. And there are as many methods for survival in the camp as there are prisoners. Some help out fellow prisoners by sharing food and resources; some try to game the system by selling clothing, tools, and other valuable objects on the camp Exchange Market (an illegal black market); others resort to stealing spoons, bowls and food from other prisoners or even throwing compatriots under the bus to save one's own skin. The tragic fact is that the people locked up in Auschwitz like cattle had to do what they had to do to make it out alive to tell their stories.
Questions About Perseverance
- What were the general living conditions in the Lager, and how did some of the prisoners work to overcome them?
- At one point, Levi distinguishes between prisoners who are "drowned" and those who are "saved." What are the key differences between these two groups?
- What are some survival strategies that Primo, himself, uses in the camp?
- How did the Nazis try to accomplish their "demolition of man"?
Chew on This
We can't really judge some of the more questionable actions of the prisoners, because our systems of morals and ethics aren't applicable to what went on in the camp. It's impossible to imagine what a person might do when faced with starvation and death every single day.
Like Lorenzo and Alberto, Primo also remains "pure and uncontaminated." Even though he doubts his humanity at times, his actions show us that he never really lost it.