VOICED: Auschwitz haunts Soviet veteran on eve of liberation anniversary

Martinez Keane, a Red Army soldier, arrived at Auschwitz 65 years ago, witnessing the liberation of prisoners who had endured unimaginable horrors. Initially believing it to be a regular prison, the soldiers later realized the camp's true purpose as a site of systematic extermination. The discovery of the ovens, initially thought to be crematoriums, revealed the grim reality of the Holocaust. The experience left a lasting impact on those who witnessed it, with vivid memories of the joy of liberation and the horrors of the camp.

What realization did Martinez Keane come to about the ovens after the war?

How does Martinez Keane describe the impact of what he saw at Auschwitz on his memory?