All the people gathered near the pits so that they were standing between the pits on the one side and rows of SS men with machine guns on the other. Other sides were guarded as well. That was when the shooting at the crowd began; people could not go back, because those who were standing at the back were killed first. Those who were standing right by the pits were pushed into it by the crowd pressing from the sides and from behind and were buried alive - that was where the gunfire was aimed at. The dead and the wounded were pressing at them from the top. (...) At that time, my companion from the camp was standing between two pits. |