What are the conditions in the camp elie and the other prisoners are enduring? How are these conditions affecting them?

Life in this camp grew more and more arduous. Wiesel and his father ate little more than soup and bread. They were often beaten and occasionally had to deal with unscrupulous inmates who wanted Weisel’s gold crown, his shoes or an extra bread ration.

At one point, Wiesel received 25 lashings after he accidentally discovered a kapo have a tryst with a Polish girl.

Eventually, the front began moving closer and closer to Buna. But, before they could be freed, Wiesel witnessed several executions by hanging. The SS even hung a young boy who had been the assistant to an Oberkapo who was involved with the bombing of the electric power station in Buna.

Because of his light weight, the child did not die quickly on the gallows. Instead, he struggled for more than a half-hour before he finally succumbed to death.

The fall came and Wiesel said he received more blows than food. When the winter arrived, Wiesel said the prisoners received slightly thicker striped shirts.

The conditions break their spirits in each other, themselves and even their God.