who was Madame Schachter ? how did the others treat her ? why was she so upset? what was the first thing the prisoners saw when they arrived at Birkenau?

Madame Schachter had been separated from her husband and two older sons earlier and is now beginning to lose her mind.Since Madame Schaechter's hysterical shrieks was unnerving everyone in the car, he recognizes that it was necessary for their collective survival that she be silenced. At the same time, however, he seems to mourn the fact that such cruel behavior was necessary and that everyone, including the woman's own son, condoned such violent and vicious behavior. Ironically Madame Schachter's ramblings turn out to be prophetic as they see fire in the skies, from the ovens, when they arrive at Birkenau.