If this is a Man: Reflection To free men take care not to suffer in your own homes what is inflicted on us here

Primo Levi lived during a time when anti-Semitism and racial and political persecutions were increasing. During the reign of Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy many persecutions of Jews, Socialists, homosexuals, gypsies, and many other groups were taking place as part of the final solution. The final solution was to purge anyone deemed impure by the regimes in power. In 1933 Europes Jewish population was about nine million, by 1945 two-thirds of the Jewish population was murdered in concentration or extermination camps. If this is a Man is Primo Levis story of his time in Auschwitz, a concentration camp in Poland. Before Primo Levis time in Auschwitz he was the part of the anti-fascist resistance and was captured in the Mountains of Italy. After his stay in a detention facility Levi was loaded onto a cramped boxcar with many other detainees. During the five day journey to Auschwitz Levi was given no water or food, despite their pleas. To add to the degradation the prisoners were not given a place to use the restroom or a place to sleep. Once the detainees arrived at Auschwitz, women, the elderly, sick and children were separated into one group. All of the economically useful men were grouped into another. Soon after the separation the women and others were led off, never to be seen again. During this introduction detainees had the hopes of seeing their loved ones again. They would soon learn the horrors to which they underwent.

The men in their groups were stripped of their clothing and shoes and shortly thereafter their beards and hair was shaved off. Soon each man was disinfected with hot water, covered in delousing powder, and an identifying number was tattooed to each mans left forearm. The winter weather began to bite at their exposed flesh with no respite. Although they were parched from their long journey, there was no water to drink, for even the wells were contaminated. Primos stomach began to ache from hunger and describes them as slaves deprived of every right, exposed to every insult, condemned to certain death. The only water the prisoners were to drink was the liquid within their potato and turnip soup, fed to them twice a day, accompanied by a small grey piece of bread. Each man was given wooden shoes and a woolen shirt and pants. The shoes which do not fit rub against the foot and often caused blisters. Blisters were a feared sign of permanent foot swelling which would often lead to death by selection. The selection process was usually carried out by an SS officer who separated those who were viable to work and those who were not. Those who would be selected would be sent to the gas chamber and then the crematorium, the ending place for their wives, parents, and children. The tasks carried out through the brutalizing winter were harsh to say the least. Each man was assigned a Kommando, or a job to do. In the case of Primo, he was to unload items off of a train. Their clothing barely covers their bodies as the inmates lift, carry, dig, and build through freezing snow, savage abuse, hunger, and exhaustion. Sleeping (if you can call it that) was challenging with two men to a bed and rows of bunks stacked to the ceiling. Often, men slept with one man with his feet at the face of another. At bed of straw was provided and when the signal to awaken was given the bed must be made

perfectly. The only true form of rest within the camp was a trip to the infirmary, of which there was no guarantee of return. Levi, after injuring his foot on a piece of metal was able to rest in the infirmary or Ka-Be. He was able to rest and regain some of his strength, without being selected by SS soldiers. After Primos release from the Ka-Be he runs into his good friend Alberto, who is in the same housing dormitory. This brightens his spirits somewhat and the two often go out of their way to work together on their Kommando. Alberto often walks with his head high and lives in here unscathed and uncorrupted and understood before any of us life is war. In addition to the discovery of his friend Primo is learning the difference between the drowned and the saved those who can find a niche to survive and rise above the rest, and those who will not, the musselmen. Primo discusses skills to live a long life in Auschwitz such as knowing many languages, being a ruthless individual, a cunning thief, a methodical and patient tactician, and a mentally unbalanced hard-worker. In order to survive Primo explains battle every hour against exhaustion, hunger, cold, and the resulting inertia; to resist enemies and have no pity for rivals; to sharpen ones wits build up patiencestrength willpower. Primo himself was but an intelligent chemist, who is eligible to take an examination for a position in the chemical Kommando. Primo did not learn the result of his examination right away, but that did not bother him because winter was coming to an end. As the winter faded, morale improved, making work somewhat more bearable. Snow does not collect on their wooden shoes, forcing the workers to sink and slide in the mud. Warmed by the summer sun, the cold wind does not weave through their thin wool clothing. In addition to morale improvements Primo found an ally, an Italian

citizen worker named Lorenzo. Lorenzo saved Primo some bread rations as well as sent and received letters for Primo. Lorenzo asked Primo for nothing in return, and acted only out of the kindness of his heart. As winter approached the prisoners are aware that from October to April seven out of ten will die. And the grueling task of walking in snow and mud covered shoes, and little clothing is again upon the prisoners. During October of 1944 in Auschwitz many prisoners were brought in from neighboring camps. Russians were advancing on the German forces thus the SS had to make room for new inmates. A sweeping selection took place with two groups formed one for those fit to work and those who were less fit, and condemned to die. The men are ordered to disrobe and run naked in a line around the SS officer who would decide their fate. Primo passes the test. After working for a few weeks in the harsh winter weather Primo is one of three selected to work as a chemist in the Buna Werke. The Buna plant was a subsidiary of IG Farben and created synthetic rubbers to be used in the Nazi war effort; no rubber was ever produced. Primo escaped the harsh winter by working in the plant and enjoyed pleasures such as reading and working with chemistry tools. In addition, Primo was able to smuggle out a broom and other things to assist his comrades outside of the Buna Werke. Primo and his allies were not the only brave souls within the camp. A prisoner is publicly hanged for an explosion in the crematorium. His last words were Comrades, I am the last one and forces Primo to reflect on his passivity while in the camp. Primo felt as if this man was an indestructible spirit who never gave in to the Nazis cruel punishments. Primo is hard on

because he has not done anything to stop the atrocities, but he has survived which is no small fortune! As the winter drags on Russian troops are closing in on Auschwitz. Air raids and bombs are getting closer and there is talk of an evacuation. As the Russians draw near Primo falls ill with scarlet fever and is confined to an infirmary bed. Even when the SS come to order a mass evacuation of inmates, Primo is so sick he cant move himself out of bed. There are quite a few who stayed behind and subsequently died from illness or cold. Those who left with the SS were never seen again. Although the camp is nearly deserted Primo and his room-mates are tasked with finding food. Out of the eleven in the room only three, Primo and two others are capable of finding food. The snow and ground within the infirmary is so contaminated with urine, sickness, and fecal matter, that there is great difficulty in finding usable snow to drink and food. The three manage through discovery and ingenuity, finding a stove to cook on and finding an old working battery to light their room on. Even through food discovery and power, many of the remaining in the infirmary died. As war planes fly overhead in the grey winter sky those remaining think of freedom. As the Russians came to liberate the camp Primo and one of his mates were carrying out the body of a dead comrade. Primo and the others are free, but can never flee from the memories.