"Thirst is dreadful, worse than hunger": Dehydration, Despair, and Death in the Holocaust
Annual Spring Theodore “Zev” Weiss Lecture in Holocaust Studies featuring Ed Westermann (Northwestern University)
While the effects of hunger in the Nazi concentration camps and in the killing centers is widely known. The effects of thirst and severe dehydration on prisoners are much less known. This presentation examines the physiological and psychological effects of dehydration and a lack of potable water for prisoners in the camps. The absence of access to clean water impacted the mental and physical well-being of prisoners in multiple ways including dehydration, the high probability of water borne disease, and the limited possibility of maintaining personal hygiene. These factors provide a new perspective for thinking about high morbidity and mortality rates in the camps and killing centers.
Open to the Public | Reception to Follow
Eva Seligman
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