Report by Alfred Wetzler and Rudolf Vrba, two Escapees from Auschwitz (Late April 1944)

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We received soup in the morning. It was so thick that we had to eat it with our hands. A similar soup was served at noon, and in the evening we had so-called "tea" with 30 dekagrams of indigestible bread and two or three dekagrams of marmalade or synthetic fat, both of the worst quality.

In the early days we were taught to sing the camp hymn in an excellent manner, and had to stand around for hours and practice. The hymn is as follows:

Aus ganz Europa kamen Wir Juden nach Lublin. Viel Arbeit gibt's zu leisten Und dies ist der Beginn.	From all of Europe came We Jews to Lublin. There is much work to do, And this is the beginning.
Um diese Pflicht zu meistern Vergiss Vergangenheit Denn in der Pflichterfuellung Liegt die Gemeinsamkeit.	In order to master this duty Forget the past, For in the fulfillment of duty Lies community feeling.
Drum ruestig an die Arbeit Ein jeder halte mit Gemeinsam wollen wir schaffen Im gleichen Arbeitsschritt.	So actively at work, Let each one hold his own, Together we want to labor At the same work-pace.
Nicht alle wollen begreifen Wozu in Reihen wir stehen. Die muessen wir dann zwingen Dies alles zu verstehen.	Not all want to understand Why we stand in ranks. We must then force them To understand all this.
Die neue Zeit muss alle Uns alle stets belehren Dass wir schon nur die Arbeit Der Arbeit angehoeren.	The new era must teach us – All of us – forever That we now only to labor, Only to labor belong.
Drum ruestig an die Arbeit Ein jeder halte mit Gemeinsam wollen wir schaffen Im gleichen Arbeitsschritt.	So actively at work, Let each one hold his own, Together we want to labor At the same work-pace.