Dachau: The Harrowing of Hell

22. Friction

22 FRICTION The measures taken to curb the typhus fever epidemic-the quarantine and mass dusting program-are showing results. Now, sufficient vaccine has become available, as well as an organization to administer it, so that the third step in combating the epidemic can be taken: the vaccination of all the inmates. This began yesterday, May 7, at Allach, where 7,000 injections were gIVen. The Typhus Commission also advises an important fourth step in the fight against the disease: the "decompression" of the inner camp to relieve the overcrowding that contributes to the survival of body lice. Everyone has been in favor of such action since the very first day, but progress is slow. Perhaps the Commission 's report will speed things up. Sometimes a picturesque word like "decompression" is more effective than a prosaic word like "overcrowding." The admission of patients into the American hospitals has helped, but only a little, despite the transfer of 400 sick people daily. When the epidemic struck the camp during the previous winter , the prisoner-physicians treated their patients with convalescent serum, which they believed to be an effective agent if given early. But, according to one of the doctors, even the earliest treatment is ineffective in patients over the age of forty-five. This is not the attitude of the military doctors at the I 16th Evacuation Hospital, where all patients, regardless of age, are being treated with current methods. Additionally, the doctors of the Typhus Commission plan to take care of selected patients-half a ward-using special management. It will be another week before they get started, however. Medically, these developments should be of great interest. 155 Another long-awaited development is the end of hostilities in Europe. Three days ago a rumor circulated that the war was over. Our enthusiastic French drivers became so exhilarated that they began firing their guns into the air like cowboys galloping into town after months on a cattle drive. Today, our eighth day in the camp, the surrender of the Germans is official; this is the historic V-E Day, May 8, 1945, one minute after midnight. A major celebration seems inappropriate with so many sick inmates languishing on their beds. In addition, a change in weather intensifies the usual gloom. Abruptly it is no longer cold, wet, and windy, but very warm; as a result, the stench of death seems more pervasive than before. Despite the depressing environment, the reality of the surrender cheers the staff and the inmates, and we smile, shake hands, embrace, and offer toasts to each other. \Ve listen to the radio, to speeches by Winston Churchill and the King, to descriptions of wild celebrations in England, to interviews with American soldiers and what they thought of the end of the war, and the impact of this historic day reaches me. Our wounded men won't be coming through the collecting company; the American hospitals will slowly discharge their patients ; we won't need to worry about strange sounds or shadows at night. We won't have to be constantly vigilant for snipers or booby traps. We won't have to check beneath the hood before starting our cars. The fighting is finished here, if not in the Pacific. But our worries are not over. We find that we still need to be careful. There are still enemies in Germany-unreconstructed Nazis who sometimes stretch wires across the road or drive their trucks too close to our jeeps. There are mysterious car accidents , unexplained shootings, and looting and vandalism. We are particularly wary of the young men who have never been exposed to anything but Nazi propaganda. Camp HQ announces that Lieutenant Colonel Martin Joyce, an artillery officer, is the new camp commander-a tough position for anyone. From the IPC comes news of the "regretful" resignation of Lieutenant Commander O'Leary; he is to return immediately to England. l General Michailow takes over as president ; Arthur Haulot is the sole remaining vice-president. Additional reasons are constantly being invented to persuade 156 I The Turning Point inmates not to slip away from the camp. A new one is that the war is over and this means that an increasing number of soldiers will now be guarding the camp-American MPs, who will make certain that no one leaves without permission. They will treat escapees with "utmost severity." Furthermore, one of the four copies of the official questionnaire must accompany a person when hi! returns home. A...