Author: Academia.edu, ORCID

Abstract: »This article focuses on an eyewitness account titled ‘Di 3000 Nakete’ – ‘The 3000 Naked Ones’ by Leyb Langfus, which is part of the Yiddish testimonies of the Sonderkommando. My case study aims to engage with the issues of gendered violence (sexualized, physical, psychological, and spiritual) and the male gaze.
The article explores the dynamics between the male Sonderkommando members and the female prisoners, arguing that the men responded to the tormented women within the context of their Jewish masculinity. This response was ambiguous and contradictory, communicating their power as well as their despair and powerlessness. Narratives of Jewish masculinity during the Khurbm often neglect to evaluate the range of Jewish male victims’ responses and choices. In his text, Langfus aims to comprehend the mental and emotional conditions in which the Sonderkommando prisoners and the female prisoners found themselves, illustrating the interactions between the two groups. I argue that the Yiddish Sonderkommando testimonies exemplify the intricate and ambivalent nature of Jewish masculinity. They provide a complex example of how gender influences one’s understanding of acts of violence, including the roles of both perpetrators and victims. The responses of the Jewish male Sonderkommando challenge our current perceptions and assumptions about Jewish masculinity during the Khurbm.« (Source: The Journal of Holocaust Research)

Contents:

	Abstract
	The Yiddish Sonderkommando testimonies and Leyb Langfus
	‘Di 3000 Nakete’ - A gendered lens of sexualized violence
	Challenging ideas of Jewish masculinities
	Conclusion
	Disclosure statement
	Notes on contributor

Wikipedia: History of Europe: History of Germany / Nazi Germany | Internment: Nazi concentration camps / Auschwitz concentration camp, Sonderkommando | Genocide: The Holocaust / Sexual violence during the Holocaust | Sex and the law: Sexual violence