Analysis of Events at Auschwitz Concentration Camp Essay Example
Introduction
The Holocaust led to the establishment of Nazi concentration camps with the objective of systematically eradicating Jewish individuals.
At Auschwitz, over six million Jews died as a result of dehumanizing procedures upon their arrival. They were stripped, shaved, disinfected, and made to breathe poisonous substances. The constant mistreatment pushed the prisoners to adopt animal-like behaviors in order to stay alive while sacrificing their self-worth and human dignity. To survive, these individuals had to endure cruel acts that required physical, mental, and social adjustments.
The prisoners were hanged in the camp courtyard while their fellow prisoners looked on. Due to the terrible conditions in the camp, many of the prisoners became cruel. This paper will analyze the behavior of the prisoners in the concentration camps using social impact theory and informative influence. Social impact theory helps to explain
...why people conform in certain situations but not in others. The Auschwitz camp is considered the most extreme example of human survival in history.
The study of activities in the camp found that sharing and bonding were crucial for the prisoners and victims to survive. Despite limited access to basic needs like food, it was the social support they provided each other that motivated them to continue struggling. A close analysis of Auschwitz survivors reveals that their mutual help was instrumental in their survival. They socialized and supported each other without discrimination.
Despite the limited assistance prisoners provided to one another, it allowed them to maintain dignity, individuality, and survival skills. Even in harsh conditions at Auschwitz camp, friendships persisted (Levi, 2013). Normative Social Influence refers to individuals conforming when the group's actions or judgments are incorrect. Typically, groups change thei
beliefs by accepting others' perspectives. In Auschwitz concentration camp, newly arrived prisoners had no choice but to conform to fellow prisoners' behaviors like undressing. Those who easily adapted to camp living conditions were more likely to survive (Sofsky, 2013).
In highly harsh environments, women tend to submit to those in power more often than men. At Auschwitz concentration camp, a doctor exploited female prisoners by performing experiments on them without anesthesia, even injecting toxic substances into their uteruses. Women not only endured suffering as victims, but also had to comply with all inhumane acts without resistance. They were excluded from decision-making and issuing orders that drove the genocide. The harmful consequences of blindly obeying authority are evident in the events of the Holocaust, which can be attributed to conformity.
It was observed that the prisoners at Auschwitz, despite not believing in the norms of the camps, felt the need to be accepted and liked by the authority (Haslam et al, 2012). Living in a society that supports prejudice, like Nazi Germany, increases the likelihood of developing prejudices against certain groups. German authorities spread information that led the people of Germany to believe that the Jews were inferior and terrible.
Conclusion
The analysis above suggests that the prisoners were compelled to adapt to the harsh conditions of the camp due to their circumstances.
Surviving in the camps was challenging for prisoners who did not obey authorities, as disobedience often led to public execution. Women, who were less likely to rebel, suffered greatly during captivity. In Auschwitz, women endured brutal medical research conducted by doctors.
Reference
- Allan, A. T. (2011). Women in twentieth-century Europe. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
- Haslam, S. A., ; Reicher,
S. D.
(2012) "When prisoners take over the prison: a social psychology of resistance." Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16(2), 154-179.
Place of publication not identified: Important Books.
Sofsky, W. (2013). The order of terror: The concentration camp. Princeton University Press.
