Chapter Three - ...And Here My Troubles Began... Summary

Chapter Three continues with Artie's remembrance of staying with his father after Mala had left him. The next morning Artie, Françoise, and Vladek drive to the local grocery store. Vladek describes some events from Auschwitz on the drive.

The Russian front is rapidly advancing and within a few days the Russian army will overrun Auschwitz. The Nazis therefore evacuate the death camp and Vladek and thousands of other Jews are force-marched for prolonged distances without adequate shoes, clothes, food, or water. Many collapse from exhaustion and are shot by the Nazi guards. Vladek watches one man's death throes after being shot and realizes the contortions are similar to those made by a dog he had seen shot as a youth. The forced march spans about 180 miles of open...