Father's Death

Elie and his father were at the entrance of camp, a veteran of Buchenwald told them that they would be directed into the showers. They would take a shower, and be directed to a block to sleep in their cots. Elie began to tell his father soon they would be able to rest. Many prisoners were so weak, that many would sit on the snow. Elie’s father wanted to do the same, he moaned saying that he could go any longer. Elie’s father begged Elie to leave him there and to continue without him, Elie began to yell saying that he wouldn’t leave him. Elie began pointing to the corpses around them, they also wanted to sleep. Elie began to yell at him saying that they weren’t sleeping, but they were actually dead. They continued to argue for a long time, they weren’t fighting with each other but with death itself. The sirens began to wail, and all the prisoner were rushed into blocks. The next morning, Elie recalled that he ran with the mob and abandoned his father. Elie Went out to look for him. After, some time looking, A voice from behind him called for him to bring them coffee. It was Elie’s father, Elie grabbed a cup of coffee like a wildebeest, he took a gulp and gave the rest to his father. Everyday, Elie’s father was getting weaker and weaker. His eyes were watery and his face the color of dead leaves. Elie's father was suffering from dysentery, Elie would exchange beds for bread with others to be able to be with his father, Elie would take him to a doctor. However, the doctor rejected them and said he was a surgeon.

His father began to cry saying that people were beating him. It was some of his neighbors, they could no longer stand Elie’s father. The following day, he complained that they had taken his ration of bread.  A blockalteste asked about Elie’s father, he told Elie that in the condition his father is in the doctor isn’t able to do anything for him. He told Elie that he should remember that is is in a concentration camp, it is all about survival and that in there, there's no father, brother, or friend. He told Elie that he should stop giving his food to his father, and that he is hurting himself. He said that Elie should be getting his father's ration, Elie began to agree with him, but began to feel guilty. Elie laid down on the upper bunk. In front of the block were a SS officer, Elie’s father began moaning and calling for Elie. The SS officer told him to be quiet, he didn't stop so the officer violently hit his head. Elie didn’t move, his father groaned and called his name. The next day, another person was on his father’s cot. They must have sent him to the crematories, his last word was Elie’s name. Deep inside he felt fee from his father. Last blog post.

Prisoners: "What's that smell?"
Father: