ThisisthefirstattempttoexplainhowJewishdoctorssurvivedextremeadversityinAuschwitzwheredeathcouldoccuratanymoment.TheordinaryJewishslavelabourersurvivedanaverageoffifteenweeks.RossHalpindiscoversthatJewishdoctorssurvivedanaverageoftwentymonths,manyunderthesamehorrendousconditionsasordinaryprisoners.DespitetheirstatusasprivilegedprisonersJewishdoctorsstarved,froze,werebeatentodeathandexecuted.ManyHolocaustsurvivorsattestthatluck,Godandmiraclesweretheirsaviors.TheauthorsuggeststhatsurvivingAuschwitzwasfarmorecomplex.InterweavingthestoriesofJewishdoctorsbeforeandduringtheHolocaustHalpindevelopsamodelthatexplainstheanatomyofsurvival.Accordingtohismodelthegenesisofsurvivalofextremeadversityisthewilltolivewhichmustbeaccompaniedbythenecessitiesoflife,specificpersonaltraitsanddefencemechanisms.Forsurvivalallfourmustco-exist.