Aushwitz-Birkeneau

As the train chugged into the camp, I didn't know what to expect. Our train was crammed from wall to wall. Men, women and their children stuffed into the big wagon that held us all captive. Only a little gap in the train door allowed us to breathe. I'll never forget looking round as best I could and seeing grown men who didn't look capable of crying, sobbing.

The train came to a halt.

Then the big bulky wooden doors slid open giving a screach similar to the sreams I had to take in on the 2 hour journey from Krakow.

Guards stood big and looking proud of themselves. Standing in their fancy green suits, guns by their side, they marched us out of the train like we were cows at a cattle market.

"All women and children on the left, all men on the right!" barked a young soldier who could only be in his late teens.

So after a minute of separating from loved ones and friends, we were split up.

"You will approach the doctor one at a time, he will point for you to go left or right. You go to the side he tells you! Those who are told to go to the left will be escorted for a nice hot shower. Those on the right will be taken to your new home. Is this understood?!"

A few nods signalled we understood. I looked behind to see a long queue that must have stretched for at least 800 meters, full of confused and sad individuals.

One hour had passed and I was approaching the front of the queue.

"I hope I get put to the left for a nice shower after that train ride," I whispered to myself

"NEXT!" the doctor ordered.

I stumbled forward. He paused. Then after a couple of seconds of eyeing me up and down he told me to go to the right.

Disappointed I sighed and walked to the right, where a tall skinny man took me and a few others to our new home. I was shocked at what I seen.

Expecting comfortable heated rooms, I was taken back by our 'new home' we were to stay in. Worse than the slums we had been in previously. I gazed out of the window, looking to the other side of camp where I seen buildings where the others who were told to go to the left headed for. They had big chimneys with a thick black smoke waving out.

They must be the lucky ones, getting heated rooms. I wish I had gone that way...