"He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how" -Nietzsche
Right or left. Right to "safety." Left to death. An SS officer and the point of a finger, was what decided every prisoners fate. Viktor Frankl, now #119104, was sent right to the "safety" of labor camp. Frankl and the other prisoners who had passed selection, were escorted to the showers. They were instructed to strip and were shaved completely, then showered. All the while being harassed by various SS officers and Capos.
It's essential to understand the hierarchy among prisoners in order to fully understand the concentration camp dynamic. There are those destined for the gas chambers (the sick, old, or wounded), the laborers, the Capos. Frankl falls into the labor category. He worked doing hard manual labor, and as a camp doctor very briefly. Capos are prisoners that are given privileges and authority over the other prisoners who often despised them. The Capos and other prisoners were all under the control of the SS, Hitler's personal military.
The human body can do surprising things, especially when forced into horrific situations. Frankl notices this fairly quickly. Although forced to stand outside sopping wet in the cold, none of the prisoners caught a cold. Although they couldn't brush their teeth, their gums were extremely healthy. Although they slept nine people on a 6.5-8 ft board with two blankets and no pillows, they always slept through the night. Although they couldn't wash themselves, the sores and abrasions that covered their hands and feet never suppurated. Frankl quotes Dostoevsky by saying, "Yes, man can get used to anything, but do not ask us how."
These observations are followed by an explanation of the first stage of psychological reactions. First a man longs for his family and home, then he feels disgust. Disgust at everything around him. But Frankl makes it clear that the first stage doesn't last long. Soon enough the prisoner enters the second stage, which is filled with apathy. The prisoner is no longer disgusted, but unmoved by the many horrific daily occurrences of a concentration camp. Prisoners become unmoved by the constant beatings from the Capos, and the corpses found in their hut. Frankl claims this state of apathy is a necessary act of self defense against the prisoners surroundings.
The mind of a prisoner is primitive. A constant state of hunger meant conversation was almost explicitly about food. Prisoners would often discuss their favorite meals when the Capos weren't around. Debates about when and how to eat the small bread ration they were given happened frequently. The prisoner's mind was solely devoted to keeping himself alive, there wasn't time or energy to do anything else. There is a small part of the prisoner that has hope, Frankl calls this the "delusion of reprieve," in which a man facing death holds out a hope of reprieval until the very end. Such hope could be found in almost every prisoner.
Thus far, Frankl has condensed a lot of information into very few pages. I've found his writing style enjoyable and his words extremely impressionable. Although he writes about his time in various concentration camps, his explanations of the psychology can often be applied to every day life. Frankl makes something unimaginable, somewhat relatable, which is most likely why this book has been so successful.
It's essential to understand the hierarchy among prisoners in order to fully understand the concentration camp dynamic. There are those destined for the gas chambers (the sick, old, or wounded), the laborers, the Capos. Frankl falls into the labor category. He worked doing hard manual labor, and as a camp doctor very briefly. Capos are prisoners that are given privileges and authority over the other prisoners who often despised them. The Capos and other prisoners were all under the control of the SS, Hitler's personal military.
The human body can do surprising things, especially when forced into horrific situations. Frankl notices this fairly quickly. Although forced to stand outside sopping wet in the cold, none of the prisoners caught a cold. Although they couldn't brush their teeth, their gums were extremely healthy. Although they slept nine people on a 6.5-8 ft board with two blankets and no pillows, they always slept through the night. Although they couldn't wash themselves, the sores and abrasions that covered their hands and feet never suppurated. Frankl quotes Dostoevsky by saying, "Yes, man can get used to anything, but do not ask us how."
These observations are followed by an explanation of the first stage of psychological reactions. First a man longs for his family and home, then he feels disgust. Disgust at everything around him. But Frankl makes it clear that the first stage doesn't last long. Soon enough the prisoner enters the second stage, which is filled with apathy. The prisoner is no longer disgusted, but unmoved by the many horrific daily occurrences of a concentration camp. Prisoners become unmoved by the constant beatings from the Capos, and the corpses found in their hut. Frankl claims this state of apathy is a necessary act of self defense against the prisoners surroundings.
The mind of a prisoner is primitive. A constant state of hunger meant conversation was almost explicitly about food. Prisoners would often discuss their favorite meals when the Capos weren't around. Debates about when and how to eat the small bread ration they were given happened frequently. The prisoner's mind was solely devoted to keeping himself alive, there wasn't time or energy to do anything else. There is a small part of the prisoner that has hope, Frankl calls this the "delusion of reprieve," in which a man facing death holds out a hope of reprieval until the very end. Such hope could be found in almost every prisoner.
Thus far, Frankl has condensed a lot of information into very few pages. I've found his writing style enjoyable and his words extremely impressionable. Although he writes about his time in various concentration camps, his explanations of the psychology can often be applied to every day life. Frankl makes something unimaginable, somewhat relatable, which is most likely why this book has been so successful.
I've always been intrigued by Frankl's ability to reflect on these experiences in such a detailed way. He notes the "apathy" that a prisoner feels as an act of self-preservation, and it must be true that he felt it himself. Being able to psychologically go back to those horrific moments to better understand himself and others, and then record his reflections, makes him a hero for me.
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