Joseph Morton, formerly Joseph Mortkwitz, was born on July
11 1924 in Poland. His fathers’ name was Chalsl. His grandparents’ names were Moshizama
and Hanamalca. He was moved to the ghetto before the Germans constructed the
concrete and wire walls to surround it. There were a lot of problems with
disease and starvation and Jews being removed to go to camps. In order to get
food, they all had to work just to get rations and even then they could stand
in line for a whole day just to get food. There were no specific jobs but everyone
had to do something. Some Jews were involved with manufacturing German military
uniforms and shoes, and some worked with bringing in the food rations. The ghettos’
border was guarded by the Germans; however there were Jewish police inside as
well. While he was in Auschwitz he was given a chance to leave in order to do
extra work outside of the camp. They were transported by cattle car to a
working camp in Germany from Auschwitz to do the extra work they volunteered for.
When the Allies advancing forces were close enough, they
were sent on a death march to a new camp further inland. Before they began the
march, the Germans inspected every Jew to see who was still strong enough to
walk. Those who were too weak or sick stayed behind and were killed. When the
allied forces liberated his camp, they took them to one of their hospitals
nearby. Even though he was starving when he was liberated, there was no way he
could eat right away. His chances of survival were very small, however his
survival can be due in part to volunteer work and luck. If he hadn’t
volunteered to do extra work at a working camp, he may have died with everyone
else.
“We were Jews from every part of Europe.”
“The moment came when we got liberated, when the American
Army came, I couldn’t see who was who because my eyes would not stay open.”
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