Chapter 1: The Abduction and Arrival at Auschwitz

In a chilling account, Vera Kriegel recounts how she and her twin sister Olga were taken from their hometown in Czechoslovakia at just five years old and sent to Auschwitz. The horror of arriving at the camp was palpable, as she vividly describes stepping off the train onto “the steps of the dead,” a grim reminder of the fate that awaited many.

Upon their arrival, inmates were categorized based on their perceived strength; those deemed weak were swiftly sent to their deaths, while the strong were forced into labor. Present at the camp was Dr. Josef Mengele, known for his obsession with twins. Vera notes that Mengele was captivated by her mother’s “ideal Aryan features,” contrasting with the darker features of the twins.

Jona Laks, another victim taken from the Lodz ghetto, shares her experience of being directed toward the gas chambers until her sister alerted Mengele to their status as twins, sparing them from immediate death and leading to their selection for h