The Hell of the Scabies Block
In the brutal reality of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a new nightmare began for Anne Frank. After a few weeks in the camp, her body, already weakened by months in hiding, began to rebel. Her skin became so inflamed and covered with sores that she was sent to what was grimly called the scabies block.
This block was a hell unto itself, a place of complete isolation and suffering. Surrounded by a high wall, it was cut off from the rest of the camp, a dark and unlit place where prisoners had to “grope around in the dark to find their sleeping places.” The conditions were intolerable. Mice and rats ran freely over the women, who screamed and wept in the darkness, unable to find any peace or rest.
But even in this dreadful infirmary, Anne was not alone. In a final, heartbreaking act of solidarity, her sister, Margot, went with her. Although the text doesn’t explicitly state that Margot was also afflicted with scabies, her decision to join Anne shows the unbreakable bond between the two sisters. In a world designed to strip away every ounce of humanity, they clung to each other, facing the horrors of the scabies block together.
This story is a poignant testament to the profound love between two sisters. Their shared ordeal in the darkest of places reveals that even in the face of unimaginable suffering, the human spirit can find a way to offer comfort, support, and a presence that says, “You are not alone.”
