Their mates and children were most surely dead, and they were forced to compete with or steal from each other. But for many their story did not end in tragedy, and in the camps they somehow managed to affirm and live within a meaning framework in spite of the incredible attempt to remove it from them. They affirmed the bare essentials - the irreducible minimum. With nothing left, Frankl could still know bliss by contemplating his beloved. It is the contemplation of love that can strengthen a person and help them through the most dire of circumstances.
Love transcends the physical and finds meaning in the spiritual.
Love is the thing that can save you. It was the memory of his wife that brought him comfort and strength. Yet that love made a tremendous difference. Love is part of how we feel valued and connected as individuals. But even the kindness of strangers can be very valuable.