Brick, Wood and Wire

Another shot from inside Auschwitz I.

If prisoners survived the grueling journey in the cattle cars (which sometimes lasted up to 12 days), and then the selection process that decided if they lived or died immediately, they would be tattooed, their hair would be shaved, and they would be assigned their barracks and clothes, which included the famous blue-striped outfits and identifying symbols, as well as wooden clogs to wear on your feet. If you got shoes that were too big for you, it wasn't a big deal; you could stuff a rag or a sock in the sole or something. But if yours shoes were too small, you were, for lack of a better term, screwed unless you found someone willing to trade with you. Of course, that was hard to find because even meager possessions like food or clothings were essential to survival.