Compassion frequently rescues Buergenthal. Humanity is central to Buergenthal’s story and it is often expressed through acts of compassion. Buergenthal’s parents risked their lives to protect others and they were rewarded for it. Buergenthal and other children rely on each other for support, allowing them to survive conditions they would not have individually. Buergenthal also survives at times by the kindness of strangers. As much as any other idea Buergenthal expresses in his memoir, he expresses the idea that compassion is a powerful and valuable trait.

Buergenthal discusses food at length. In the camps, he recalls that food took on a mystical quality and that his appreciation for food was unchanged in the years after his liberation. In the concentration camps, food was a weapon used by guards and inmates alike. Lack of food drove inmates mad and caused their death. Food thrown from bridges to Buergenthal’s rail car saved his life.