1. Primo Levi’s description of the Soviet soldiers’ first encounter with Auschwitz primarily conveys their
A. inability to comprehend the military significance of the site
B. emotional paralysis caused by an unprecedented reality
C. professional detachment in the face of suffering
D. reluctance to intervene without orders

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2. The phrase “sealed their lips and bound their eyes to the funeral scene” is intended to suggest that the soldiers
A. were under strict orders not to communicate with prisoners
B. felt morally conflicted about witnessing such devastation
C. attempted to suppress an overwhelming emotional response
D. were indifferent to the condition of the survivors

 

3. Alexandre Bande emphasises that Auschwitz was discovered “by chance” in order to
A. criticise Soviet intelligence failures
B. underline the accidental nature of historical revelation
C. challenge the narrative of a planned liberation
D. diminish the military importance of the Red Army

 

4. Bande’s research is presented as distinctive because it
A. prioritises survivor testimony over historical evidence
B. examines neglected aspects following the camp’s liberation
C. disputes established facts about Nazi extermination methods
D. focuses on Soviet propaganda rather than historical accuracy

 

5. The prisoners remaining in Auschwitz at liberation are described as those who
A. lacked the physical capacity to survive forced relocation
B. were deemed expendable by retreating forces
C. had deliberately avoided evacuation
D. had been selected for later interrogation

 

6. The accounts of the death marches primarily serve to
A. document logistical failures of the Nazi regime
B. contrast organised warfare with civilian suffering
C. explain why survivors struggled to reintegrate afterwards
D. illustrate the systematic cruelty of the evacuation process

 

7. The repeated references to snow stained with blood function rhetorically to
A. symbolise the collapse of moral order
B. dramatise events for emotional effect
C. highlight the harshness of winter conditions
D. emphasise eyewitness reliability

 

8. The SS’s efforts to dismantle crematoria and destroy remains indicate an awareness that
A. the camp would soon be reused
B. the Red Army would exploit the site politically
C. their actions would face future scrutiny
D. physical evidence was already insufficient

 

9. The reconstructed photographs produced by the Soviets are described as problematic mainly because they
A. trivialised prisoners’ suffering
B. prioritised political messaging over factual accuracy
C. distorted historical chronology
D. replaced genuine documentation entirely

 

10. According to the final section, Auschwitz-Birkenau’s enduring symbolic power derives largely from
A. its association with French deportees
B. its transformation into a museum
C. its role in post-war trials
D. the scale and visibility of preserved evidence