The Abbeville Boys

Chapter 8: Reality of Dachau

      The next morning at zero six hundred hours the cadets were awakened by their officers. They quickly made their bunks and got dressed in the uniform of the day. The new uniforms looked sharp. They're blue/gray with pants that blouse at the top but taper down, so they fit in boots. Their rank insignia is on the collar boards. They're all Lieutenants. The uniforms are topped off with officer service caps.

      After a short time, they walked over to the officer’s mess. A tradition in the mess was an officer had to come to attention when a superior officer entered. All the new guys were constantly coming to attention because they were the lowest rank. They managed to eat and formed up in the quad. This area was for marching, and they were going to learn how to march.

      Kurt had never been interested in the Nazi party. He was being assimilated into the military at this airbase with the uniforms and the alure of flying. This type of pageantry appealed to young men. He watched as a combat platoon marched on the field. They had the stylish German helmets, and uniforms. Even the combat uniforms looked good with the bright red arm bands and swastikas. They had a full battle pack, and jackboots. The men goose stepped in perfect unison, and it was impressive as the leader bounced high on every step.

      Kurt was feeling invigorated. The recruits were lined up to teach them how to march. The officers were yelling, and everyone complied. Within twenty minutes the group was marching as the combat platoon had marched. They were goose stepping in unison and responded to the command, “Eyes right.” It was as if the Fuhrer himself were inspecting them.

      The men went through the rest of the day learning military protocol. The next day was the same. By the time it was over Kurt was a devout Nazi. On the third day pilot training started.

      Occasionally, Kurt wondered about Joseph. It bothered him the way he didn’t see Joseph before he left. He had no way of finding out now. When things settled down, he would contact Joseph’s family. Kurt still had no idea Joseph was taken to Dachau.

      Joseph was completely beat down at the concentration camp and exhausted from the work he was forced to do. He wanted to communicate with someone but there were no letters in or out. He was stuck there. The work was grueling, and many men died.

      After several weeks he was not taken on the work detail. They took him into an office and several SS officers stood over him as he was put on his knees. They started asking him questions with no purpose, “You were trying to overthrow the Third Reich weren’t you!” As they asked the question he was whipped with a riding crop.

      Joseph looked up and was bloody, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Germany is my home. I’ve never done anything against her.”

      The SS continued, “You’re a lying Jew. Tell us what you were planning.”

      Joseph finally passed out from the beating. The guards tied his hands behind his back and hoisted him up to a post above the ground. The agony of being hung with his hands tied behind him was excruciating. It was hard to breathe in that position. They kept him there for hours as he passed out and came to, only to pass out again.

      Joseph was released and sent back to the housing area. He collapsed on his bed as fellow inmates gathered around to see how he was. They brought water to put on his open wounds. Other inmates began rubbing his chest and back trying to get some feeling in them.

      Joseph began to wake up. He saw the inmates around him, working on the wounds. He said, “Thank you, thank you all. They took me in the office and beat me with a riding crop and then hung me with my wrists tied behind my back.” He started to cry.

      An older man was right there with him, “They do that to everyone son. There’s no reason for it. They just like to torture Jews. Now relax and we’ll bring you some food later.” Covers were pulled up on Joseph and he fell asleep.

      Several hours later Joseph was awakened by the old man. He had a bowl of soup and a small piece of bread. He sat on the edge of the bed as Joseph woke up. He gave Joseph the bread and fed him the soup with a spoon. Joseph felt bad because he was supposed to be the young strong man and was having to be taken care of by an old man.

      As the old man fed Joseph he said, “You need to get stronger for tomorrow because they’ll be taking you again with the work crew.”

      Joseph’s spirits sank even lower. He couldn’t imagine going out there again and working those ditches.

      The old man continued, “Some people try to end it at the barbed wire. Don’t do it. You must survive. The allies are coming for us. We get word from the new prisoners. They say the British are getting ready to battle the Germans. Stay strong.”

      Joseph stared at him trying to maintain some semblance of sanity, “Yes, you’re right. I’ll try to hang on.” The old man continued feeding him and Joseph eventually felt better.

      The next day Joseph was sore and still tired, but he went out with the other workers. He had no choice. After a few hours Joseph was beaten down, but he kept going. He was lucky. By the end of the day the Jewish trustees had killed two men. Joseph was appalled Jewish people would kill other jews. He kind of understood their desperation though. Everyone was trying to survive. They were seeing and doing things they wouldn’t have believed possible a few months ago.

      Joseph was staggering under the concentration camp rules. He had no clue where his mother and father were. He had given up hope of contacting Kurt. He was wondering if Kurt continued to go through with his flight training for the Third Riech or if he had decided the Nazis were evil and needed to be done away with. There were two different points of view at stake here. Joseph and Kurt’s perspectives were completely different and neither one knew what the other was thinking. It was because of lack of communication.