Read Online Spark of Life by Erich Maria Remarque - Free Book Online
Authors: Erich Maria Remarque
Ads: Link
the shadow thrown by the buildings. The contours of the crematorium, of the gate and even of the gallows were sharply outlined on the grounds.
“Leap back!”
The lines leapt back out of the light into the dark. Men toppled over. SS-men, kapos and block seniors beat them until they got up again. The yelling could hardly be heard above the scraping of the innumerable feet.
“Forward! Back! Forward! Back! Halt!”
Now began the real geography lesson. It consisted of the prisoners having to throw themselves down, crawl along the ground, jump up, throw themselves down again and go on crawling. In this manner they received a painfully exact knowledge of the earth on the dance ground. After a short while the ground was a mass ofhuge swarming striped maggots which seemed to have few human traits left. They protected the wounded as best they could; but in the haste and fear it was not always possible.
After a quarter of an hour Weber ordered a halt. But the quarter hour had wrought havoc among the exhausted prisoners. Everywhere men lay around who couldn’t go on.
“Fall in line according to blocks!”
The men dragged themselves back. They fetched the ones who had broken down and between them supported those still able to stand. The others they laid down next to the wounded.
The camp stood still. Weber stepped forward. “What you have just been doing has taken place in your own interest. You have learned how to take cover during an air raid.”
A few SS-men sniggered. Weber cast a glance across at them and continued: “Today you have learned in the flesh about the sort of inhuman enemy with whom we have to deal. Germany, who has always only desired peace, has been attacked in a brutal way. The enemy, who has been beaten all along the front, is resorting in his despair to extreme measures; he is violating all international law by bombing open, peaceful German towns in the most cowardly manner. He is destroying churches and hospitals. He is murdering helpless women and children. Nothing else could be expected from subhuman brutes and monsters. We shall not keep them waiting for an answer. Beginning tomorrow, the camp Command orders an increase in the performance of work. The labor gangs will march out one hour earlier in order to clear up. Until further notice there will be no more free time on Sundays. Jews will receive no bread for two days. For all this you can thank the enemy incendiaries.”
Weber was silent. The camp did not move. Up the mountain came the high humming of a powerful car, approaching fast. It was Neubauer’s Mercedes.
“Sing!” Weber commanded.
“Deutschland, Deutschland über alles!”
The blocks did not start at once. They were surprised. During recent months the order to sing had not often been given any more—and when it was, it had always been for folk songs. As a rule the command to sing was given when corporal punishment was under way. While the tortured men screamed, the other prisoners had to accompany them by singing lyrical songs. The old national anthem from pre-Nazi days had not been ordered for years.
“Start, you bastards!”
In Block 13, Muenzer began to sing. The others joined in. Those who no longer knew the words went through the motions. The main thing was that all mouths should keep moving.
“Why?” Muenzer whispered, after some time, without turning his head toward his neighbor Werner and yet giving the impression of continuing to sing.
“What?”
The melody turned into a thin squawking. They hadn’t started in a low enough key and now the voices, unable to reach the high jubilating notes of the last line, broke off. Besides, the prisoners hadn’t much breath left.
“What kind of filthy yelping is that?” shouted the second camp leader. “Start again from the beginning. If it doesn’t work out this time, you’ll stay here the whole night!”
The prisoners started in a lower key. Now the song went better.
“What?” Werner repeated.
“Why
“Leap back!”
The lines leapt back out of the light into the dark. Men toppled over. SS-men, kapos and block seniors beat them until they got up again. The yelling could hardly be heard above the scraping of the innumerable feet.
“Forward! Back! Forward! Back! Halt!”
Now began the real geography lesson. It consisted of the prisoners having to throw themselves down, crawl along the ground, jump up, throw themselves down again and go on crawling. In this manner they received a painfully exact knowledge of the earth on the dance ground. After a short while the ground was a mass ofhuge swarming striped maggots which seemed to have few human traits left. They protected the wounded as best they could; but in the haste and fear it was not always possible.
After a quarter of an hour Weber ordered a halt. But the quarter hour had wrought havoc among the exhausted prisoners. Everywhere men lay around who couldn’t go on.
“Fall in line according to blocks!”
The men dragged themselves back. They fetched the ones who had broken down and between them supported those still able to stand. The others they laid down next to the wounded.
The camp stood still. Weber stepped forward. “What you have just been doing has taken place in your own interest. You have learned how to take cover during an air raid.”
A few SS-men sniggered. Weber cast a glance across at them and continued: “Today you have learned in the flesh about the sort of inhuman enemy with whom we have to deal. Germany, who has always only desired peace, has been attacked in a brutal way. The enemy, who has been beaten all along the front, is resorting in his despair to extreme measures; he is violating all international law by bombing open, peaceful German towns in the most cowardly manner. He is destroying churches and hospitals. He is murdering helpless women and children. Nothing else could be expected from subhuman brutes and monsters. We shall not keep them waiting for an answer. Beginning tomorrow, the camp Command orders an increase in the performance of work. The labor gangs will march out one hour earlier in order to clear up. Until further notice there will be no more free time on Sundays. Jews will receive no bread for two days. For all this you can thank the enemy incendiaries.”
Weber was silent. The camp did not move. Up the mountain came the high humming of a powerful car, approaching fast. It was Neubauer’s Mercedes.
“Sing!” Weber commanded.
“Deutschland, Deutschland über alles!”
The blocks did not start at once. They were surprised. During recent months the order to sing had not often been given any more—and when it was, it had always been for folk songs. As a rule the command to sing was given when corporal punishment was under way. While the tortured men screamed, the other prisoners had to accompany them by singing lyrical songs. The old national anthem from pre-Nazi days had not been ordered for years.
“Start, you bastards!”
In Block 13, Muenzer began to sing. The others joined in. Those who no longer knew the words went through the motions. The main thing was that all mouths should keep moving.
“Why?” Muenzer whispered, after some time, without turning his head toward his neighbor Werner and yet giving the impression of continuing to sing.
“What?”
The melody turned into a thin squawking. They hadn’t started in a low enough key and now the voices, unable to reach the high jubilating notes of the last line, broke off. Besides, the prisoners hadn’t much breath left.
“What kind of filthy yelping is that?” shouted the second camp leader. “Start again from the beginning. If it doesn’t work out this time, you’ll stay here the whole night!”
The prisoners started in a lower key. Now the song went better.
“What?” Werner repeated.
“Why
Similar Books
