In 1941 , Yugoslavia surrendered unconditionally to the Axis powers during World War II . Hungary occupied Vojvodina . In January 1942 , Moscovich 's father was a victim of the Novi Sad massacre . His father died at age 44 . In 1943 , Hungary started secret armistice negotiations with the Allied Powers which was discovered by Germany resulting in the German occupation of Vojvodina . Soon after , at the age of 17 , Moscovich was taken to the concentration camp at Auschwitz with his grandfather , grandmother and mother . His grandparents were immediately taken to the crematoria and were killed . While his mother stayed in Auschwitz , Moscovich was moved to Wustegiersdorf , one of the surrounding work camps , laying rail lines . In January 1945 , Auschwitz was evacuated and Moscovich along with 60,000 prisoners marched west to Bergen-Belsen . After only a few days , Moscovich volunteered for a selection of 500 volunteer prisoner workers . These volunteers were sent to clear the railway station in Hildesheim by dislodging the wagons to free the rails so they could be fixed and used for German transports . While there , several groups found food supplies including sugar , butter , and eggs . On March 22 , Hildesheim was bombed killing or wounding both prisoners and German guards . The volunteers were made to move the bodies for easier identification . They were then marched to the Hannover-Ahlem prison camp . The prisoners worked in an asbestos mine converting it into an ammunition depot safe from aerial attacks . Hannover-Ahlem was evacuated on April 6 , 1945 and Moscovich marched towards Bergen-Belsen again . Moscovich describes the last days in Bergen-Belsen as “ the ultimate in human misery , suffering , degradation , death and humiliation . ” He hid himself among a pile of dead bodies to avoid the Germans
Novi Sad massacre
Novi Sad raid
Ivan Moscovich