The death rate in concentration camps is climbing steadily because of the prolonged cold wave, which is inflicting extraordinary suffering on the inadequately clothed prisoners. Hundreds of Jews released in the past few days are returning to their homes with fingers and toes frozen, in some cases necessitating amputation.
Conditions are reported particularly bad in the Buchenwald camp near Weimar, where hundreds of prisoners do not even have the boon of labor but are forced to stand outdoors for hours or are only given the opportunity for limited exercise such as marching or bending.
In the Sachsenhausen camp gloves and earmuffs were given to some prisoners, but the supply was insufficient. Fires are permitted in the barracks only at night.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
