Man's Search For Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl

MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING
words were misleading. One prisoner, the doctor of a
block of huts and a man of some sixty years, told me
how he had entreated Dr. M---- to let off his son, who
was destined for gas. Dr. M---- coldly refused.)
"But one thing I beg of you"; he continued, "shave
daily, if at all possible, even if you have to use a piece
of glass to do it . . . even if you have to give your last
piece of bread for it. You will look younger and the
scraping will make your cheeks look ruddier. If you
want to stay alive, there is only one way: look fit for
work. If you even limp, because, let us say, you have a
small blister on your heel, and an SS man spots this, he
will wave you aside and the next day you are sure to be
gassed. Do you know what we mean by a 'Moslem'? A
man who looks miserable, down and out, sick and
emaciated, and who cannot manage hard physical
labor any longer . . . that is a 'Moslem.' Sooner or
later, usually sooner, every 'Moslem' goes to the gas
chambers. Therefore, remember: shave, stand and
walk smartly; then you need not be afraid of gas. All of
you standing here, even if you have only been here
twenty-four hours, you need not fear gas, except
perhaps you." And then he pointed to me and said, "I
hope you don't mind my telling you frankly." To the
others he repeated, "Of all of you he is the only one
who must fear the next selection. So, don't worry!"
And I smiled. I am now convinced that anyone in
my place on that day would have done the same.
I think it was Lessing who once said, "There are
things which must cause you to lose your reason or
you have none to lose." An abnormal reaction to an
abnormal situation is normal behavior. Even we psy-
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