I - The work, at Auschwitz, how was it?

PL - The camps were divided: Birkenau, for example, was divided into sectors. Some of them worked also for the weapon industry. My camp, Monowitz, with l0,000 prisoners, was part of an industry which was an enormous chemical trust, now dismantled. The point was to build a new factory of chemical products over an area of some 6 square Km. The construction was in its advanced stages and all the prisoners of war - British, French, Russian - were working on it; Germans, too, naturally, and free Polish workers, volunteers; Some Italian volunteers as well. About 40,0000 individuals, of which us 10,000 Jews represented the lowest group in the hierarchy.

photo: Marco Sorrentino

PL - The Monowitz lager was supposed to supply the unqualified labor; But in spite of everything, since specialized labor was very scarce, on account of all men being at the front, starting from a certain period they searched among us - who were technically manual workers, slaves - for specialists. Beginning from the first day, when we entered the camp of Monowitz, there was a thorough search. They asked everyone their age and level of education and skill and this was one of my fortunes, because I said I was a chemist, without knowing that we were assigned to a chemical products' factory; And later on this brought me a few advantages, because in the last 2 months I worked inside a lab.