Aelintari

I've read several books on the Holocaust and have seen many documentaries. Of late, I haven't been fortunate enough to attend a talk by survivors. In my obsession (I've even read what is available from the Nuremberg Trials) I have found very little on the experience in the train carts, rightfully so given the short timespan in comparison with that spent at a concentration camp.

Still I am interested in what happened particularly in the train carts. What do you remember of the transport inside the carts? Were you all crammed in with no food and water for days? How did people relieve their bowels? What of children or babies that there may have been present? Please elaborate if you can on the atmosphere. Were there any plots made to try and escape?

Thank you for doing this AMA and the work you do to teach others about the horrors so many underwent and in some countries today many are still facing.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful answers, not to just to my question but to all the questions you've answered so far.

May you and yours be blessed with many more meaningful years.

I already asked a question but I feel I must monopolize on this AMA opportunity. Given that Jews weren't the only targets of the Nazis, did you meet any nonJews at the camps? Such as Roma or homosexuals? Was their treatment any different (not in terms of food but perhaps in targeting at the camps)? Was there an even greater feeling of isolation for them?

Also, even though Jews were taught to be like vermin did rapes still occur?

Thank you again so much for the work you do and this ama.

Part of why the movie The Reader is so powerful. It didn't take an evil person to support the Nazis. Regular everyday folks did it. But afterward if anyone could hide their support they did so.

Edit: my MIL worked for the redcross helping reconnect families who got separated in concentration camps. She told me about this one story of a guy who went back to his father's village in Germany. He was in a bar at his father's old town when conversations got started and people found out who he was and said they remembered his father. They praised him with stories about his dad and lots of other sweet talk. Same people he heard his father tell him about that betrayed him to the SS and sent him to the camps.

Thank you! I can't wait to read it! Edit: Just started reading it (ordered the kindle) and wow. Thank you for the suggestion!