CHAPTER IV
FAMILY PORTRAIT
The commander of the Auschwitz camp, Rudolf Höss, with his wife Hedwig and their five children
Obersturmbanführer Rudolf Höss was sitting gloomily in his armchair, looking for the tenth time perhaps at the piece of paper marked “Top Secret”, written in red, gothic letters. A huge transport would arrive during the next two months, almost a million Hungarian Jews, and he was responsible with efficiently and rapidly handling them.
“Mister Höss,
We are counting on your devotion to the values and objectives of National Socialism. The task we are entrusting you with is far from easy, but we are convinced that there is no other person more capable than you to successfully carry out this project.
Furthermore, we are reminding you of the necessity that all these op
