"This was also the last time the gallows would be brought out for a public hanging. Public hangings were used as an example for us all; in case we should think of trying an escape.
We had to watch the hangings for a couple of hours while the music played and the fellow, a Russian or Polish, I think, were slowly hung up and left to die. Everybody was compelled to look upon it during that time.
His executioner, an S.S., would give a speech about daring to escape and that was it! I always thought that there were two that I saw but from where I stood I had a rather awkward view and what with moving about, the helpers and the posts, my view from the distance was somewhat impeded.
Winter went by with snow and freezing temperatures and I had the only woman's fur coat in the camp. It kept me decently warm, it was a bit thin and worn out but kept the freezing wind out very well. It also covered up my escape outfit. My hair was nearly normal now, no brush cut to spoil the effect!
The winter was made harder by the long roll calls. We had to be counted and recounted until late into the night - they always found mistakes to be dealt with unless the S.S. was a slow poke. We all quickly came to the conclusion that the long roll calls were a direct result of sour grapes on their part because of all the set backs they now had to face.
All of their fronts were now crumbling - even the home front! However, they probably felt the need to preserve their institutions as long as they could and we were the shield in front of them. That was the intended finale; to use us as human shields, our sole hope was to get and receive help from our Allies.
Churchill had refused the arms drop we had asked for in return for the destruction of the secret arsenal. We thought that this would have given us the chance of getting the equalizer for which we had hoped. It was believed that Churchill would not give us what we wanted because of potential reprisals against the other camps...
Wing Commander Yeo Thomas had his reservations too! He had been saved by the Camp Resistance (very much like myself), for its uses. That is how he escaped death at the hands of the Gestapo and Nazis, not otherwise as the film suggested from the death transport.....
To be continued ...
We had to watch the hangings for a couple of hours while the music played and the fellow, a Russian or Polish, I think, were slowly hung up and left to die. Everybody was compelled to look upon it during that time.
His executioner, an S.S., would give a speech about daring to escape and that was it! I always thought that there were two that I saw but from where I stood I had a rather awkward view and what with moving about, the helpers and the posts, my view from the distance was somewhat impeded.
Winter went by with snow and freezing temperatures and I had the only woman's fur coat in the camp. It kept me decently warm, it was a bit thin and worn out but kept the freezing wind out very well. It also covered up my escape outfit. My hair was nearly normal now, no brush cut to spoil the effect!
The winter was made harder by the long roll calls. We had to be counted and recounted until late into the night - they always found mistakes to be dealt with unless the S.S. was a slow poke. We all quickly came to the conclusion that the long roll calls were a direct result of sour grapes on their part because of all the set backs they now had to face.
All of their fronts were now crumbling - even the home front! However, they probably felt the need to preserve their institutions as long as they could and we were the shield in front of them. That was the intended finale; to use us as human shields, our sole hope was to get and receive help from our Allies.
Churchill had refused the arms drop we had asked for in return for the destruction of the secret arsenal. We thought that this would have given us the chance of getting the equalizer for which we had hoped. It was believed that Churchill would not give us what we wanted because of potential reprisals against the other camps...
Wing Commander Yeo Thomas had his reservations too! He had been saved by the Camp Resistance (very much like myself), for its uses. That is how he escaped death at the hands of the Gestapo and Nazis, not otherwise as the film suggested from the death transport.....
To be continued ...
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