I walked slowly between the rows. Most of the people were talking, in low voices, in French; others, no doubt naturalized Jews or foreigners, in various languages: I listened to the sentences I understood, the questions, the comments; these people had no idea where they were or what was awaiting them. The Kommando Häftlinge, obeying orders, reassured them: “Don’t worry, you’ll see each other afterward, they’ll return your suitcases, tea and soup are waiting for you after the shower.”
