The Daily Life
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The inner structure
of Auschwitz was in many ways similar to a monarchy. At the top stood the
"Lageraltester" (camp senior). Each block (living barracks) was presided
over by a "Blockaltester" (block senior), each "Stube" (living room) by
a "Stubenbaltester". All prisoners had to work. They were put in Prisoner's
Commandos which were led by "Capos".
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In order to keep
the inmates in check the officers and sergeants put "name tags" on every
prisoner. This consisted of a tattoo for men. Women and men also had to
sew his/her index number on his/her left breast pocket of his/her shirt,
together with a colored triangle nicknamed "Winkel" with the prisoners
category, the reason he/she was alive. With this the person lost their
names and individualities.
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After registering the prisoners were to undress completely at the "Sauna" and be deprived of all possessions, civilian clothing, and mainly their dignity. "Barbers" shaved all their hair on head and body. Women suffered especially from that first humiliation; being naked and losing all their hair. Afterwards the prisoners took either an ice-cold or a burning hot shower, following by a disinfection with badly smelling, blue-green liquor.