Meaning of Pipel | Babel Free

Definitions

Among Nazi concentration camp detainees, an attractive male child who receives special favor or privileges by maintaining a relationship with another detainee who has been granted some authority over other detainees.

historical, rare

Examples

“He had a Polish Schreiber, a homosexual who was attended to by a Pipel, a German Gypsy who was the Schreiber's valet, his cook, his shoe shine boy, his lover, and his alternate, in which capacity he proved to be as much of a trouble to us as his boss. […] None of Kapo Rudi's three Pipels was German, but, knowing what was good for them, they learned all the songs by rote.”

“A remedy for sexual distress that was customary in other concentration camps, in which no women were interned next to men, was frequently used in Auschwitz as well. Kapos kept Pipel, young fellows who in return for personal services were exempted from hard labor and enjoyed other privileges. Quite a number of capos abused their boys sexually.”

“The young boy was a “pipel”—camp slang for the young servant of a Kapo (and someone with whom the Kapo often had a homosexual relationship).”

“1956, Also see Pg. 63 of Night by Elie Wiesel.”

CEFR level