Terezin (Theresienstadt)
In Terezin Concentration Camp, Hitler transported thousands of Jews to "protect them" from the vagaries and stresses of the war. Although Terezin was not a death camp compared to Auschwitz; the people were not gassed or murdered in many ways and to the survivors, it seemed as a place to avoid a worse fate. It took on the role as more of a prison than a death camp. During the peak of the war, Terezin had over 55,000 Jews in the camp. With the high number in the camps, Terezin developed a feeling of family and a sense of deepened community. Also, because of the high population, thousands died from malnutrition and exposure.
The Red Cross was allowed to visit Terezin once but the Nazis had staged the camp to look more presentable; some of the inmates were dressed up, bakeries were suddenly full of baked goods, and candy shops were filled with bon-bons and other goods. After their visit, the Red Cross said that the Jews were treated alright. Large numbers of families were sent to Terezin and then another large number of families would but transported out of Terezin to Auschwitz, to the east of Terezin. Some of the people who were sent to Terezin were musicians, artists, political prisoners, and more. Some of the artists were sent there for having stole paper to record life in Terezin. Six thousand drawings were hidden and later successfully retrieved. |