The Holocaust is one of the grimmest episodes of humanity. Many people who were responsible for it would like it to be forgotten. Millions of people died in Auschwitz only. The worst thing is that they would die for no reason at all. The journey once they were captured would start with a train ride. About 100 prisoners were transported in each wooden wagon.
People arrive at Auschwitz II – Birkenau. Step 1 is the selection process. Young and strong workers are selected here. Children, women, the elderly and handicapped are immediately sent to the gas chambers. People are told they will have a better life. Once they finish their work at the camp they will be free. They are told to carry a small suitcase with only their necessary belongings. They are also instructed to write their name and address, so they can get them back once they are done working.
People are either sent to the gas chambers or go to the what is called the “death wall”. People who are sent to the gas chamber are first stripped down and then sent there. People who went to the death wall did not even have time to say goodbye. They are told they will be placed in separate rooms where they will be staying. They will be immediately killed.
The Germans have various rooms where they store what they took from them. One room full of shoes, even to this day. One room for orthopedic equipment, another for glasses. They line up all the suitcases in another room. If any of them have any gold teeth, they are immediately removed. No anesthesia is used for these procedures.
Some of the personal items were also taken by the soldiers. Other items were buried. Archeologists are working in the sited trying to recover them. They have found many things including valuable items. One of them runs across a mug. It was a metal mug that looks ordinary. They run some tests on it to determine if there was something else with it. When they see the X-Rays, they see something that amazes them.
The mug has a false bottom. They cannot make out what it contains. It seems to be some sort of ring or bracelet. Nestled securely in the bottom, completely out of sight, are a ring and a necklace. It is heartbreaking to find the hidden jewelry. Its owner most likely does not make it out alive. The idea the Germans have is that the prisoners would take their last valuables, which they do. The finding suggests that the Jews continued to hold onto hope. Even when everything was turning very dark for them.
