Jean Amery describes in great detail the mental and physical scars that haunt long after he was tortured by the Germans. Amery was a Belgian who was in a progagandist resistance movement against the Nazi's. He was caught and beaten by Germans. He didn't know anything and subsequently didn't (and couldn't) give them any substantial information. He was then sent to Breendonk, which was an interrogation facility. His hands were tied behind his back and he was lifted by a chain (breaking his shoulders at the joint). After that, he was beaten with a bullwhip until unconciousness.
A great majority of the passage details Amery's ideas of torture, what it means, and what it's like. He talks of why people torture, who handles torture the best, why people crack under torture (and why other's don't) as well as visits the metaphysical aspects of torture. He recounts several other interpretations and comes to the conclusion that in the end, torture is what torture is and that it kills a person even if they are still living.
Avery eventually committed suicide.
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