More Prisoners

When I arrived at the camp, the atmosphere among my colleagues was highly agitated. Early that morning, Obersturmführer Thumann had, without explanation, ordered that the Scandinavian hospital barracks be emptied during the day. The Nordic section of the camp was simply to be reduced by an entire barracks. By compressing the prisoners into the remaining barracks, half a barracks would be freed for continued medical care—and this just as we were getting the hospital organized.

I went to see Obersturmführer Thumann, who, however, sent me on to the camp commandant, Pauli. The commandant said he was expecting another few thousand prisoners from elsewhere at any moment. I then emphasized that we needed to get all the sick out of the area if we were to agree to this. I also requested a few days’ delay in the transfer until we could evacuate another transport of chronically ill patients. The commandant granted the delay and promised to do what he could to facilitate the transfer of the sick. He kept both promises. My cooperation with Commandant Pauli went comparatively smoothly.