I hear the sound of glass smashing and it shocks me out of concentration. I look up from my work. There is shouting outside. I position myself so that I can look out of the hut and see what is happening.

Two Jews have been carrying a pane of glass. A window. It lies in pieces on the ground. Shattered after they dropped it. A guard is whipping one of the Jews, forcing him to the ground.

‘You idiot,’ the guard shouts. He bends to the ground and picks up a small piece of glass, and another. He pushes them into the Jew’s mouth. ‘Eat it you fool.’

While the Jew is eating the glass, blood is pouring out of his cheek through a hole cut from the inside.

The guard takes his pistol and shoots the Jew in the head. He slumps to the floor.

Barry, the dog that belongs to the guards, is ordered to bite the leg of the other Jew.

I think about Gavrel’s letter. I realize now more than ever that I must escape.

I see the Kommandant approach from a hut on the other side of the Camp, he steps around the dead Jew like he is avoiding a piece of rubbish. He reaches the steps of my workshop but before he climbs them he looks down at his uniform and flattens his jacket with both of his hands. He has not seen me through the dusty window and now I dare not move in case he sees me. He would punish me for not working I am sure. Fortunately, the door opens inwards as he opens it and steps in I have time to move back into my chair. He comes round the door walks slowly over to my table and sits in the chair opposite.

I want to kill him. This man is responsible for the death of my wife, and he enjoys watching my fellow Jews die.

I want to kill him but I must show no anger in my face. If the Kommandant thinks for even a moment that I know about what happens in Camp III then he will not hesitate to send me there too.

Gavrel risked his life to get me that letter. I need to honour him by escaping and telling the world about Sobibor.

It occurs to me that if I ask the Kommandant about my wife, he may not suspect that I know about the murdering that goes on in Camp III.

'Kommandant. About my wife, Henya. I wonder when I might see her.'

Again he replies, 'Soon. She is enjoying her work in the fields. She said to tell you that she looks forward to seeing you.'

I nod, trying desperately in my heart to keep myself from crying.

'Tomorrow,' says the Kommandant, 'a new train will arrive with more Jewish workers for the fields. I will need you and some of your fellows to clean out the carriages after they are empty. Afterwards you will return to your work here.'

I nod. 'Yes Kommandant.'

The Kommandant reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of jewelry. He places them on the table. Scarred gold rings, bracelets and necklaces. Gold teeth. I recognise the heart shaped pendant that I made for my wife. The chain is still broken from where the other guard had torn it from her sweet neck.

'I want you to melt these items and make them into ten rings. One for each of the guards in my immediate command. I will give you their initials. You are to engrave each ring with an initial. If you do this I will be very happy.'

Without hesitation I say yes. But my mind is screaming with torment. Not only is my poor wife dead by their despicable hands, but also now I am forced to destroy her most treasured possession so that a Nazi can wear it on his finger like a trophy.

Never. I would sooner die.

After the Kommandant is gone I take my pendant and hide it in my shoe. Later I will hide it somewhere else, and if I ever manage to escape, it will come with me. I will never let it out of my sight.