The phrase "To each his own" represents a classic principle of justice. It was once uttered by Cicero in a speech before the Roman Senate. In modern times, this phrase is infamous for another reason: it was located above the entrance to the Buchenwald concentration camp. That's why today the statement that to each his own is perceived by most people in a negative way.
A bit of history
In ancient Greece they often said: "Suum cuique". This meant the following: everyone should do something of their own and not interfere in the affairs of others. At the same time, everyone should make a feasible contribution to the development of society.
In Prussia, the phrase "To each his own" became the motto of the Order of the Black Eagle and the courier service of the German police. In addition, it can be found in the seventh commandment of the Catholic Catechism (the latter, by the way, was highly revered by the servants of the Third Reich).
"To each his own." Buchenwald - land of death
In 1937, a camp was formed in Germany to contain especially dangerouscriminals. However, a year later it became a place of detention for Jews, homosexuals, asocial elements, gypsies, and political oppositionists. A few years later, Buchenwald began to play the role of a kind of transition station between large concentration camps located in the eastern part of Europe. At least two hundred thousand prisoners passed through this point, and for a fourth of all the unfortunate, it became the last refuge. All the prisoners who arrived at the concentration camp, the first thing they saw the inscription on the gate: "To each his own."
Scary details
What was behind the beautiful phrase? Buchenwald was a camp for men. All prisoners worked at a factory located a few kilometers from the place of detention. They were engaged in the production of weapons.
There were fifty-two main barracks in the camp. Over time, there were fewer and fewer places, people were kept in small unheated tents even in severe frosts. Many died from hypothermia. In addition, there was a so-called small camp, which was a quarantine department. In it, living conditions were even worse than in the main camp. About thirteen thousand prisoners (35% of the total) were located on a plot of several hundred square meters.
Toward the end of the war, when the German troops were forced to retreat, Buchenwald began to replenish with people from Compiègne, Auschwitz and other similar places that the Nazis left in a hurry. So, by the end of January 1945, up to four thousand prisoners arrived in this camp.daily.
Inhuman conditions
The Nazis used the phrase "To each his own" for their own purposes. They simply did not consider all objectionable people to be people. Just imagine: the "small camp" consisted of twelve barracks measuring 40x50 meters, therefore, each of them housed about eight hundred people! Every day, at least a hundred prisoners died in terrible agony. Before the roll call, the survivors carried the bodies of the departed into the street to receive a meager portion of food for them.
In the "small camp" relations between people were much more violent than in the main part of Buchenwald. Unfortunate people in conditions of terrible hunger could kill for a piece of bread. The death of a bedmate became a celebration, as there was more free space before the arrival of new prisoners, in addition, it was possible to take off his clothes.
Those who were in quarantine were treated with vaccinations, but this caused the infection to spread even more, since syringes were not changed. Hopeless patients were killed with phenol.
Not a single person managed to escape from the camp, as at least four SS units patrolled the small area relentlessly.
Continuation of the story
The German concentration camp Buchenwald did not stop functioning with the defeat of the Nazi troops. The infamous territory became a possession of the Soviet Union. In August 1945 "Special Camp No. 2" was opened. It existed until 1950 and was the place of detention of former members of the NSDLP, spies and those who disagreed with the new Sovietmode. In five years, out of twenty-eight thousand people, a quarter died of starvation and disease.
Eternal memory
In 1958, it was decided to open a memorial complex on the territory of Buchenwald. Visitors arrive there daily. It is noteworthy that for German schoolchildren a visit to this concentration camp is a mandatory item in the school curriculum. Everyone leaves Buchenwald with mixed feelings - for some, this is the burial place of relatives, for others - a nightmare of youth, which is impossible to forget, for others - just a school trip. However, all visitors are united by one feeling - the eternal unbearable pain from what happened.
Use today
- The phrase "To each his own" for the Spaniards is a fundamental principle of law.
- She is the motto of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
- Mobile phone manufacturer Nokia used this phrase to promote its products in an advertising campaign in 1998 (mobile phones were offered with the ability to change the main panel). The public was outraged. Soon the advertising slogan was no longer used. Additionally, the infamous claim has been used by companies such as McDonald’s, Microsoft, and Rewe. Every time the producers have faced public condemnation, as in the minds of millions of people this phrase is a call for brutal massacres.
- Directors Hassler and Turini tried to present a folk operetta called "To each his own" in2007 at the Klagenfurt Theatre. Naturally, the work was not missed. Viewers saw it under the title "Half-Truth in Another Life".
- Valentin Pikul has a work "To each his own".
Conclusion
In order to promote Nazi ideology, radical individuals distorted the meaning of the phrase "To each his own." Who said that a wise saying needs to be erased from memory? No, it's just that when using it, it is important to take into account the sad experience of the past so as not to hurt the feelings of millions of people.
