Chapter 15 "Die drei Leute vom Labor," Summary and Analysis

The chapter title is retained in German and could perhaps be rendered in English as "The Three People of the Laboratory.". After the October selection, twenty-one men remain from Levi's original shipment of ninety-six men; the other seventy-five have been murdered during the preceding eight months. The despondent survivors wonder how many of them will survive until summer. The winter weather, at least, prevents aerial bombardment, and camp life returns to routine and work. The Chemical Kommando to which Levi is assigned is categorized as an 'inside' labor force and thus is not issued any winter clothing. Nevertheless, they usually work outside. One prolonged labor assignment is the task of hauling sacks of caustic chemical products from one location to another. The chemicals chafe and burn away...