Journal 8: This Side of Good and Evil

We now invite the reader to contemplate the possible meaning in the Lager of the words ‘good’ and ‘evil’, ‘just’ and ‘unjust’; let everybody judge, on the basis of the picture we have outlined and of the examples given above, how much of our ordinary moral world could survive in this side of the barbed wire.
Every human has been created on the foundation of a moral fibre. For some, this moral fibre might be weak and for others, it may be the strongest trait of their character. At Auschwitz, people with diverse moralities could be seen. Detainees like Alberto possessed uncorrupted minds, and while every one else’s morality dwindled, Alberto did not lose to circumstances and retained his peace loving, and strong-minded temperament. In contrast to Alberto were the SS guards who maintained a ridiculous, hypocritical nature. While theft in the Buna was encouraged by the SS, theft in the camp was suppressed severely.
Also, the occurrence of thefts at Auschwitz adds another dimension to Auschwitz that has been present throughout, but not discussed in a strong sense, the perception of God and Faith. In my opinion, even though the Jews may have different religious or spiritual beliefs, they still possess a similar code of conduct, and base their beliefs on a set of ethics and values. By committing the sin of theft, they made a compromise with their faith. Keeping in mind the dismal conditions, they were living in; stealing may have been a way to survive. Yet, they could have stood up to their faith and belief systems, and abstained from stealing. Even though the living conditions may have been different on both sides of the barbed wire, the truth is God was present on both sides and watched over everyone. This reveals the intrinsic complexity of human life and thoughts. It also shows what Auschwitz had reduced them to. Previously men pursuing honorable professions, they had to now steal to sustain themselves. It is believed that Man has been created in the image of God. Yet, Auschwitz throttled this divine spark, denying them the basic rights of humanity, and reducing them to a state that can definitely not be called “human.”

These battered hand are all you own
This broken heart has turned to stone
Go hang your glory on the wall
There comes a time when castles fall
And all that's left is shifting in the sand
You're out of time, you're out of place
Look at your face
That's the measure of a man~ The Measure of a Man by Elton John (Available on the soundtrack of Rocky Balboa)