Secrets of the Dead Season 7 Episode 2

Ep 2. Escape from Auschwitz

  • TV-PG
  • April 30, 2008
  • 54 min
  • 8.1  (49)

In Secrets of the Dead season 7 episode 2, titled "Escape from Auschwitz," the show delves into one of the most remarkable stories to come out of World War II - the escape of two Jewish prisoners from the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp. Through a combination of interviews with survivors, historians, and reenactments, the episode tells the story of their daring plan to escape and the remarkable journey they endured to freedom.

The episode begins in the early days of the war when the Nazis were using Auschwitz as a transit camp for prisoners. Eugeniusz Bendera and Stanislaw Gustaw Jaster, two Polish political prisoners, were among the thousands of men and women sent to the camp. They would spend the next two years enduring conditions that were unimaginable to those of us living in the 21st century. But despite the odds, they never gave up hope.

Their escape plan began to take shape in the summer of 1942 when they were assigned to work in the carpentry workshop. Over time, they managed to steal the tools they needed to carry out their plan. They calculated that if they could cut through the wooden supports of a building near the camp's perimeter fence, they would be able to slip through the gap and make their way to freedom.

The show explores all the elements of the plan as it unfolds, from the initial meetings with other prisoners who would help launch the escape, to the careful timing and execution of each step. But as the day of the escape draws near, it becomes clear that there are new complications - and the chances of success are slimmer than they ever could have imagined.

What makes this episode so powerful is the way it uses the story to explore the dual themes of hope and despair. Secrets of the Dead doesn't shy away from the stark realities of life inside Auschwitz, or the many instances in which prisoners tried to escape and were brutally punished as a result. But this story also shows how even in the darkest of times, individuals found ways to connect with one another, to support one another, and to hold onto the hope that one day they would be free.

The episode doesn't end with the escape itself, but goes on to explore the aftermath - the months and years the two men spent on the run, the toll that took on them, and the legacy they left behind. Through it all, Secrets of the Dead never forgets the human element of the story, and the incredible strength and resilience exhibited by those who refused to give up hope, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Overall, this is a gripping and emotional episode that showcases the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most impossible of odds. It's a story that will stay with viewers long after the credits roll, and that provides important context and insight into one of the darkest periods of human history.

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Description
  • First Aired
    April 30, 2008
  • Content Rating
    TV-PG
  • Runtime
    54 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    8.1  (49)