“Racism is man's gravest threat to

man--the maximum of hatred

for a minimum of reason.”

-Abraham Joshua Heschel

In the 21st century, when I talk with someone about the Second World War, or about any other the horrors and tragedies that have fallen to so many people, the most of the people usually say to me: "Well, it was in the last century ..." And then they start praising the new century as an era of unprecedented progress and social tranquility. It was always like this: at the time of transition from one century to another, when our ugly arrogance rushes into the future so quickly, as if changes in the calendar protected us from ourselves, somehow improving human nature.

We try to forget our past, especially those moments when a significant part of mankind demonstrated its worst qualities, ruthlessly and subtly destroying others. These “others” could be people of a different race or nation, compatriots who profess a different faith or other political views. Or, in general, innocent people who simply fell under the sword of historical necessity.

It is clear that humanity wants to preserve a good memory of itself for future generations. But the real future can only be built on the real past. Primo Levy's book, completed in January 1947, two years after he left Auschwitz - is written not about the laws of the past and the future, but about the problems of human existence: in the face of life and in the face of death. Speaking more precisely - about limits in which a person retains his individuality, and the boundary between biological and spiritual existence. He reflects on the person who got into such proposed circumstances that were created not just to destroy a person as a biological mass, but as a spiritual being.

Levi's book amazes not by the description of how people killed people- there are many stories written about it; but by scrupulous, extremely detailed, and an absolutely hopeless narrative of how people were killed in people. What did Nazi think about Death Camps?

"We approached stacks. Misha and the Galician, groaning and cursing, raised the block and put it on our shoulders. Their work is not too heavy, and in order to keep it, they had to demonstrate maximum diligence: they hurry those who are hesitating, ashame them for laziness, they are urged and set an unbearable rhythm of work for everyone. It makes me angry, but this is how life in concentration camp works: the unprivileged are urged by the privileged, the social hierarchy of the camp is built on this law. "

“Two SS men entered (one with an insignia on the uniform, probably an officer). Their footsteps sounded like a boom, like in a void. They talked about something with the chief doctor, he showed them the list, points one way, then points the other. The officer marks something in his notebook. Shmulek (my new friend) pulls my knee: - “Pass 'auf, pass' auf” (watch, watch)! An officer with an indifferent face follows the doctor along the bunks.

He stops near one patient with a yellow face, pulls the blanket off him. Patient flinches. The officer touches his stomach, says: "gut", "gut" (good), takes the next step. Then his gaze falls on Shmulek, he takes out his notebook, checks the number of bunks and the number of the tattoo. Then (I can clearly see it from above) makes a mark on the Shmulek’s number and continues his check.

The next day, they split people into two groups. The first group is being shaved and sent to the shower, the second one is led away, without a shower, without changing their bandages.No one says goodbye, everyone, even doctors and guards are silent. Shmulek also leaves with the second group. Thus, delicately, without unnecessary noise, without bitterness, the daily extermination of prisoners is being conducted in the hospital: someone is leaving today, someone is leaving tomorrow- to never come back.”

“Master Nogalla says: - Bohlen holen. Bohlen holen means taking sleepers and putting them in the mud, and then use the levers to roll the cylinder through this road to the factory. But the sleepers were frozen in the ground, they weigh eighty kilograms each, carrying them - is a torture, not a work. Only the healthiest ones, working together, are be able to deal with it, and even they can do only  for a two hours, no more. For me it's just torture. The first sleeper is in the snow and clay, with every step it hits my ear, and the snow is stuffed under the collar. After making fifty steps, I feel that I can not do it anymore, it is beyond human strength. Knees bend, the back hurts as if it is squeezed by a vice, and I'm afraid to stumble and fall. My shoes became soaked, dirt was squishing in them - a predatory, all-pervasive Polish dirt, which was poisoning our dreadful existence every day. I bit my lip to the bone. It is known that a small physical pain helps a person to mobilize the reserve capabilities of the body. And all guards know it as well. Among them there are real sadists who beat us simply out of cruelty.” And if you still believe, that concentration camps are not as horrible as I say, spend 2 more minutes watching this: Auschwitz Death Camp

Primo Levi's book is a message from the past to the future.

A message that must be read by contemporaries and descendants- like any other book about the death camps. They were built by people for people.These books need to be read and remembered clearly about what and why they are written.