Due to this increasingly unclear constellation of actions by both German soldiers and SS helpers, the remaining prisoners began considering more escapes. Such uncertainty and the growing need to take one's life into one's own hands, led Tadeusz and several companions escape during a death march to Austria in late April. By May 2, 1945 his life was in Allied Forces hands-but only because several Bavarian villagers had, in the meantime, helped him and his peers to hide inside their little town on several occasions, i.e. at risk to their own lives.
TWO RESPONSES TO SAME HORROR & TORTURE
Near the end of his narration in BUT I SURVIVED, Tadeusz Sobolewicz tells of two scenes that affect his recalling of those days of horror and the hope he has for himself and his fellow man to grow past the hate and senseless killings and retributions of war and occupation.
The first occurs when a Gestapo motorcycle with its too passengers are found pinned to the ground after an accident. Sobolewicz's fellow ex-prisoner friend, walks up and shoots them both. Then the friend goes up to each German soldier, and he kicks and stomps on them up until the life goes out of each of them. All the time, this man is shouting out loud about all his family members who have died under German occupation back in Poland. At this moment, Tadeusz Sobolewicz feels full empathy with his fellow prisoner. The rage of his friend is cathartic and he considers his possible opportunity of revenge some day.
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