Question

Which of the following is a 'musselman'(88)?

a. term used by the older prisoners for the strongest prisoners
b. term used by the older prisoners to describe the weak, the inept, for those doomed for
selection
c. term used by younger prisoners to describe the Kapos.
d. term used by younger prisoners for the Nazi officers.

Answer 1

The term 'musselman' was used to describe prisoners in concentration camps who were so weak and emaciated that they were considered close to death and were often selected for extermination. The correct option is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term 'musselman'(88) refers to b. term used by the older prisoners to describe the weak, the inept, for those doomed for selection.

In the brutal hierarchy of concentration camps like Auschwitz, those labeled as 'musselmans' were prisoners who had become so emaciated, weak, and resigned to their fates that they were considered to be at the brink of death and were often selected for extermination during the horrifying 'selections' for the gas chambers.

The term stems from an ironic twist of the word 'Muslim', simply because the victims appeared to be submissive like individuals engaged in prayer, a characterization with no genuine link to religion but rather a reflection of their emaciated, weakened physical state and posture of resignation. The correct option is b.