Work CampsGoldhagen focuses on life in Majdanek work camp in the District ofLublin. This work camp had a mortality rate surpassed by only Auschwitzand the other four extermination camps. Death in Majdanek was caused bygassings or shootings, or by starvation and disease. According toGoldhagen, the fatality rate was 100%. Although a work camp, Majdaneksinmates were subjected to unproductive work. The inmates would beordered to fill a sack with rocks, carry it across the room, empty it, and thendo it again. The purpose of Majdanek was devoted to tormenting and killingits inmates. Such atrocities occurred at other work camps such as Lipowa. Jews were not the only detainees at these camps. Poles were alsoemployed at these camps, however, the Polish mortality rate per month wasless than 5%, while the Jewish mortality rate was 100%. The work campswere just as effective genocidal institutions as their sister exterminationcamps.Chapter 12: Work and DeathGoldhagen restates the German irrationality when considering Jewishproduction. Jewish work was destruction itself. The phenomenon ofJewish work was a triumph of Nazi ideology, politics and will overeconomic interests. The real meaning of Jewish work was expressed at theWannsee Conference of January of 1942 by Heydrich. The Jews will beconscripted for labor ...and undoubtedly a large number of them will drop outdue to natural wastage. The rest would be killed. (Goldhagen, 322) Part V: Death Marches: To the Final DaysChapter 13: The Deadly WayThe long distance marching of Jews began at the beginning of the warand continued until its conclusion. Most of the marches occurred during thefinal year of the war, and they are the focus of this chapter. The final phaseof the war required the Germans to either move the prisoners or lose them tothe advancing armies. The purpose of these of the march was to dispose ofthe Jewish prisoners. This chapter has several eye-witness accounts ofthese ...
