THE DEVIL’S ARITHMETIC True Aspects of the Story By: Alena Pitts “Work makes you free”

“Nightmare Journeys in Cattle Cars…” The author states multiple aspects of the story that are true such as the transportation for Jews being sent to concentration camps. Transportation to the concentration camps took multiple days. The author often uses the word “herded” as how they were transported. This word definitely sums up the transportation. The Jews were locked in the box cars not knowing where they were going. They were treated just like cattle. The SS officers loaded the Jews in based on an evil plan. They would shove women, children, and elders in first because they could do the least work. If they were being shoved to the back with the least oxygen in a cattle car, and not eating or drinking, they would become weak and die before they got to the camps. SS officer smiles at the sight of a cattle car full of dead Jews.

“The Shaving of Heads” The Jews had to have their heads shaven. The main reason for this was to keep out lice and protect camp guards from the lice. Some believe it was used for other purposes. An example of this is using the hair for purposes such as threading or using it for furniture. This was also done to dehumanize the Jews.

“The Tattooing of Numbers” The main reason of the tattoos was to identify the Jews. I also believe that it was used to dehumanize the Jews by making them a number and not a name. The Auschwitz Concentration Camp was the only location where prisoners were systematically tattooed.

“The Separation of Families” Many families were separated because of the war. Men and women were separated causing spouses to rarely see each other. Young children were ripped from their mother’s arms and killed. If the children or mothers were not willing to leave each other, sometimes they would both be killed. Mother clutching on to her child while being shot.

“The Malnutrition” There was much malnutrition, lack of nutrition, during the Holocaust. Jews were fed 3 meals a day, but the food had rarely, if any, nutrition. The Jews were fed watery soup and a small, stale, piece of bread. The lack of meals and starvation claimed many lives every day.

“The Musselmen” A musselman was a prisoner in a concentration camp that was in poor physical condition and had given up the will to live. Many prisoners became musselmen. Rivka refers to her brother, Wolfe, as the walking dead/musselman.

“The Lack of Proper Clothing” When the prisoners arrived at the camps, they were forced to take their clothing off and turn it in. In return, the prisoners were usually given striped uniforms. The prisoners wore wooden clogs as shoes. Wooden clogs were in no way helpful. They were not suitable for work. They made feet blister and created sores. Prisoners were required to sleep and work in the same clothing which was very dirty and unsanitary.

“ Choosings ” Prisoners were “chosen”, killed, every single day during the Holocaust. There were many reasons for a “choosing”, but sometimes it was just for fun. One of the main reasons a “choosing” was done was because they were sick or were unable to work. The Nazis chose people to die because they needed a full load, more people to kill. Prisoners waiting inside of gas chambers.

“The Midden Pile” The midden pile was basically the garbage dump where the Germans refused to go. The midden pile was where the children went to go hide when ever the commandant came. Children were not allowed at the camps because they could not work. They hid in the midden pile so that when the commandant came, they would not be found and killed.

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