The Role of Compassion and Solidarity

In a setting designed to strip prisoners of their humanity, acts of compassion and solidarity became lifelines. Frankl shares instances of prisoners who, despite their suffering, chose to help others, such as giving away their last piece of bread or comforting their campmates. These selfless acts were not mere sacrifices but symbols of the endurance of the human spirit. The narrative recounts that 'we who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others.' Such gestures reinforced a sense of community and mutual support, crucial for mental and emotional survival.