Levi

Levi identifies the most demonic thing done as the “Special Squads” that were established at the various concentration camps. Levi talks about how it was obviously very difficult to be able to survive these through these concentration camps before the “final solution” and that prisoners would often seek ways to make their lives a little easier at these camps. They wanted to receive preferential treatments from the Nazis and they attempted to do this by joining these squads. These special squads were in charge of running the crematoriums at the camps. They had to salvage certain items from their fellow dead Jews and turn over certain things to the Nazis. Levi attempts to explain the Nazis’ motives in making such groups by stating, “We, the master race, are your destroyers, but you are no better than we are; if we wish so, and we do wish so, we can destroy not only your bodies but also your souls, just as we have destroyed ours.” (pg. 53- 54) Levi is explaining that the worst thing that the Nazis did was not only have all of these Jews killed but then have all of their own people get rid of the bodies and covering up their own people’s murders’ crime. The people who became part of this group did not even truly gain anything from it. They only obtained enough food to live off of for a couple of months and in the end had to suffer the same fate as all the other people in the camp. Levi mentions that the way to inherit this position was cremating the bodies of the former members of the squad. I agree with Levi that is one of the most demonic things that Nazis did. It most have clearly broken this people in every way possible.