Chapter 4, The Angel Vanishes Summary and Analysis

In The Angel Vanishes, on New Year's Eve of 1944, the inmates of Auschwitz suddenly found themselves without guards to watch over them. The Russians were coming and most of the Germans had destroyed what evidence they could, including destroying most of the crematoriums, and disappeared. Mengele stayed until the last possible moment, continuing his experiements even as the Germans were destroying the camp. However, even Mengele finally realized it was time to go. Mengele sent most of his notes to his old mentor and moved first to Gross Rosen, then to Mauthausen. At Mauthausen Mengele donned a Wehrmaucht uniform and was captured.

Before the Russians arrived, some of the guards took it upon themselves to march many of the surviving prisoners to Mauthausen. Some of the twins were among these. Others were left behind and...