Isaac Engel - June 16 & 25, 1992
Conditions in Nordhausen
And what did you do in Nordhausen?
Nothing. There was no food. There was no bread, period. They gave us a little coffee. You know, not real coffee. This was ersatz--and then they gave us a little soup. And then they gave us two potatoes. And if the potatoes were large, and you only get one. There was potatoes, they call it ??? Kartoffel, potatoes whole you know, with the--they call it, the, in the ??? they used to call it. I mean, potato. Not uh, with the, with the, with the thing on top.
With the skin on it.
Right, right, right.
Raw, raw potatoes.
No, no. The potatoes were cooked. They were cooked with the skin on. And they gave us two potatoes. And if the potatoes were large they gave us one potato.
And that was your daily ration?
That's right. So we were going down and down and down.
So you just layed...
Oh sure! Waiting the next day, maybe.
Except for the Appell.
Huh?
Was there an Appell at Nordhausen? They had an Appell too at Nordhausen?
Oh yes.
So just Appell and...
Right
...nothing.
...right, right, right. There was nothing, there was no work.
Of the people who came from Czestochowa, to Gross Rosen, to Nordhausen...
Yes.
...how many would you say there were?
A hundred and fifty.
And how many were now in Nordhausen? How many survived to Nordhausen?
Most of 'em survived. Most of 'em survived. But some of 'em didn't stop in Nordhausen, they went straight to Dora.
Hm. And how long were you in Nordhausen before you went to Dora?
I was in Nordhausen six weeks.
Doing nothing.
Doing nothing.
Do you remember anything in particular that happened in Nordhausen that...
No. I've seen they were bombing. Airplanes came through. And the SS used to shoot at the airplanes you know, with their rifles.
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