In Auschwitz, where shadows fall like heavy stones, And darkness reigns in the heart of despair, Amidst the echoes of silent groans, A solitary sparrow dared to share.
Through barbed wire and sorrow, it flew, A fragile beacon of hope untamed, Its wings of freedom, a whispered clue, In a world where humanity was maimed.
In the midst of anguish, it found a song, A melody of resilience, pure and clear, A flutter of wings against all that’s wrong, A symbol of life in the face of fear.
In the bleakness of Auschwitz’s embrace, The sparrow danced with the dawn’s first light, A fleeting moment of beauty and grace, A symbol of defiance against the night.
Though tyranny sought to crush its flight, The sparrow soared on wings of grace, A testament to the power of light, In the darkest corners of this place.
For even in Auschwitz’s depths of woe, Where cruelty ruled with an iron hand, The sparrow’s spirit refused to bow, A symbol of hope in a desolate land.
So let us remember the sparrow’s flight, In the shadows of Auschwitz’s sorrow, A symbol of courage, burning bright, In the darkest night, a ray of tomorrow.
The one thing that really intrigues me about the Holocaust and other horrific events throughout history is, how people justify killing and torturing fellow human beings. It will take an awful lot before I would hurt another human being, only when I would be physically threatened would I resort to physical defence.
The Nazis didn’t see the Jews, Roma Sinti, disabled and homosexuals as human beings, they were referred to as sub-humans. But still, when someone of flesh and blood stands before you how can you not think that this is another human being?. Below are some excerpts from documents and speeches which may give an indication of the Nazi psyche and how they were able to convince ‘ordinary’ people to kill others.
On October 6, 1943, Heinrich Himmler, one of the most prominent figures in the Nazi regime, delivered a speech in front of SS officers in Posen, Poland. In this speech, he outlined the Nazi ideology regarding the extermination of the Jewish people. One of the chilling quotes from this speech is:
“I am now referring to the evacuation of the Jews, the extermination of the Jewish people. It’s one of those things that’s easily said: ‘The Jewish people are being exterminated,’ every party member will tell you, ‘perfectly clear, it’s part of our plans, we’re eliminating the Jews, exterminating them, a small matter.’ And then along they all come, all the 80 million upright Germans, and each one has his decent Jew. They say: all others are swine, but here is a first-class Jew.”
This quote encapsulates the horrifyingly casual manner in which Himmler and the Nazi leadership discussed and carried out the genocide of millions of Jewish people during the Holocaust. It reflects the dehumanization and systematic eradication of an entire population based on racial ideology.”
Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany, kept extensive diaries from 1924 until he died in 1945. These diaries provide valuable insights into the mindset, strategies, and activities of the Nazi regime during its rise to power and throughout World War II.
Goebbels was known for his fervent loyalty to Adolf Hitler and his dedication to spreading Nazi propaganda through various media channels. His diaries reflect his unwavering commitment to the Nazi cause and his role in shaping public opinion in Germany.
“The Jews are alike. Whether they live in a ghetto of the East or in the bankers’ palaces of the City or Wall Street, they will always pursue the same aims and without previous agreement even use the same means. One might well ask why are there any Jews in the world order? That would be exactly like asking why are there potato bugs? Nature is dominated by the law of struggle. There will always be parasites who will spur this struggle on and intensify the process of selection between the strong and the weak. The principle of struggle dominates also in human life. One must merely know the laws of this struggle to be able to face it. The intellectual does not have the natural means of resisting the Jewish peril because his instincts have been badly blunted. Because of this fact the nations with a high standard of civilization are exposed to this peril first and foremost. In nature life always takes measures against parasites; in the life of nations that is not always the case. From this fact the Jewish peril actually stems. There is therefore no other recourse left for modern nations except to exterminate the Jew…”
Letter from Willy Just to SS-Obersturmbannführer Walter Rauff, 5 June 1942
“RE: Technical alterations to the special vehicles already in operation and those in production.
Since December 1941, for example, 97,000 have been processed using three vans without any faults developing in the vehicles. The well-known explosion in Kulmhof (Chelmno) must be treated as a special case. It was caused by faulty practice. Special instructions have been given to the relevant offices in order to avoid such accidents. The instructions were such as to ensure a considerable increase in the degree of security.
Further operational experience hitherto indicates that the following technical alterations are appropriate….
2) The vans are normally loaded with 9-10 people per square meter. With the large Saurer special vans this is not possible because although they do not become overloaded their maneuverability is much impaired. A reduction in the load area appears desirable. It can be achieved by reducing the size of the van by c. 1 meter. The difficulty referred to cannot be overcome by reducing the size of the load. For a reduction in the numbers will necessitate a longer period of operation because the free spaces will have to be filled with CO. By contrast, a smaller load area which is completely full requires a much shorter period of operation since there are no free spaces….
3) The connecting hoses between the exhaust and the van frequently rust through because they are corroded inside by the liquids which fall on them. To prevent this the connecting piece must be moved so that the gas is fed from the top downwards. This will prevent liquids flowing in….
6) The lighting must be better protected against damage than hitherto….It has been suggested that lighting should be dispensed with since they are allegedly never used. However, experience shows that when the rear door is closed and therefore when it becomes dark, the cargo presses hard towards the door….It makes it difficult to latch the door. Furthermore, it has been observed that the noise always begins when the doors are shut presumably because of fear brought on by the darkness.”
Letters to Adolf Rosenberg, sent by Hinrich Lohse and Wilhelm Kube 15 November 1941 Reichskommissar for Ostland IIa 4 Secret To: Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories RE: Execution of Jews
To: Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories RE: Execution of Jews
. . .Will you please inform me whether your inquiry of 31 October should be interpreted as a directive to liquidate all the Jews in Ostland? Is this to be done regardless of age, sex, and economic requirements (for instance, the Wehrmacht’s demand for skilled workers in the armament industry)? Of course, the cleansing of Ostland of Jews is a most important task; its solution, however, must be in accord with the requirements of war production.
Reichskommissar for Ostland(Hinrich Lohse.
December.1941 Reichskommissar for Ostland To: Higher SS and Police Leader
. . . I request most emphatically that the liquidation of Jews employed as skilled workers in armament plants and repair workshops of the Wehrmacht who cannot be replaced at present by local personnel be prevented. . .
. . . Provision is to be made as quickly as possible for the training of suitable local personnel as skilled workers. . . Lohse Reichskommissar for Ostland
6.December.1941 Minsk Generalkommissar for Byelorussia To: Reichskommissar for Ostland
I wish to ask you personally for an official directive for the conduct of the civilian administration towards the Jews deported from Germany to Byelorussia. Among these Jews are men who fought at the Front and have the Iron Cross, First and Second Class, war invalids, half-Aryans, even three-quarter Aryans. . .
. . .These Jews will probably freeze or starve to death in the coming weeks. . . On my own responsibility, I will not give the SD any instructions with regard to the treatment of these people. . .
I am certainly a hard [man] and willing to help solve the Jewish question, but people who come from our own cultural sphere just are not the same as the brutish hordes in this place. Is the slaughter to be carried out by the Lithuanians and Letts, who are themselves rejected by the population here? I couldn’t do it. I beg you to give clear directives [in this matter,] with due consideration for the good name of our Reich and our Party, in order that the necessary action can be taken in the most humane manner. Heil Hitler! Wilhelm Kube”
SS-Oberführer Viktor Brack was a key figure in the Nazi regime, particularly known for his involvement in the T-4 Euthanasia Program. This program aimed to exterminate individuals deemed physically or mentally disabled, as well as those considered genetically “unfit,” in the pursuit of Nazi racial hygiene ideology. Brack played a significant role in coordinating the logistics of the program, which involved the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of people through methods such as gas chambers and lethal injections.
Given Brack’s position and activities within the Nazi hierarchy, any correspondence attributed to him would likely pertain to matters related to the administration and execution of the T-4 Program or other initiatives associated with Nazi eugenics policies.
Letter from SS-Oberfuehrer Brack to Reichsfuehrer-SS Himmler, June23, 1942
“Honorable Mr. Reichsfuehrer!
According to my impression, there were at least 2-3 million men and women well fit for work among the approx. 10 million European Jews. In consideration of the exceptional difficulties posed for us by the question of labour, I am of the opinion that these 2-3 million should in any case be taken out and kept alive. Of course, this can only be done if they are in the same time rendered incapable of production. I reported to you about a year ago that persons under my instructions have completed the necessary experiments for this purpose. I wish to bring up these facts again. The type of sterilization which is normally carried out on persons with genetic disease is out of the question in this case, as it takes too much time and is expensive. Castration by means of X-rays, however, is not only relatively cheap but can be carried out on many thousands in a very short time. I believe that it has become unimportant at the present time whether those affected will then in the course of a few weeks or months realize by the effects that they are castrated. In the event, Mr Reichsfuehrer, that you decide to choose these means—in the interest of maintaining labour material—Reichsleiter Bouhler will be ready to provide the doctors and other personnel needed to carry out this work. He also instructed me to inform you that I should then order the required equipment as quickly as possible.
——————————
Dear Brack, It is only today that I have the opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 23. I am positively interested in seeing sterilization by X-rays tried out at least once in one camp in a series of experiments. By order of Reichsleiter Bouhler, I submit to you as an enclosure a work of Dr. Horst Schumann on the influence of X-rays on human genital glands.”
(This blog was originally posted on June 18, 2016, titled, “How they justified the killings.”
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Some people think I am Jewish, others think I am an atheist. In fact, I am neither, I am a New Apostolic Christian. But before I go into the main story, firstly a brief history and explanation of the church because it is not a well-known Christian faith.
The church has existed since 1863 in Germany and since 1897 in the Netherlands. It came about from the schism in Hamburg in 1863, when it separated from the Catholic Apostolic Church, which itself started in the 1830s as a renewal movement in, among others, the Anglican Church and Church of Scotland. The church ministers have no formal theological training. In addition to their family, professional, and social obligations, they perform their pastoral duties in an honorary capacity
However, this blog is not about the church but its situation during the Nazi era and also about one of its members who was murdered in Auschwitz.
It faced a complex relationship with the Nazi regime of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. Like many religious groups in Germany at the time, the New Apostolic Church had to navigate a precarious balance between adherence to its religious principles and the demands of the Nazi government.
The New Apostolic Church originated in the early 19th century as part of the larger Pentecostal movement, emphasizing the restoration of apostolic practices and spiritual gifts. By the time the Third Reich rose to power in the 1930s, the New Apostolic Church had established a presence in Germany and elsewhere.
Initially, the New Apostolic Church did not pose a significant challenge to the Nazi regime, and it did not draw the same level of attention or persecution as some other Christian denominations, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Confessing Church, which actively opposed Nazi policies. However, the New Apostolic Church did not fully align itself with the Nazi ideology either.
One key area of conflict between the New Apostolic Church and the Third Reich was the issue of allegiance. The Nazi regime sought to centralize power and control all aspects of German society, including religious institutions. This often led to conflicts with churches that refused to prioritize allegiance to the state over their religious beliefs.
The New Apostolic Church faced pressure to conform to the Nazi regime’s demands, including the incorporation of Nazi symbols and ideology into its practices. However, the church leadership generally avoided direct confrontation with the regime and sought to maintain a degree of independence.
While some members of the New Apostolic Church may have supported the Nazi regime, others resisted its influence or remained neutral. Individual experiences varied widely, with some facing persecution for their refusal to comply with Nazi demands, while others managed to coexist with the regime relatively peacefully.
Despite the challenges posed by the Third Reich, the New Apostolic Church survived the Nazi era and continued to exist after the fall of the regime. In the post-war period, the church, like many other religious organizations in Germany, grappled with questions of complicity, resistance, and reconciliation in the face of the horrors of the Holocaust and the crimes of the Nazi regime.
Harry Fränkel Harry Fränkel was born on 27 April 1882 near Bremen in northern Germany. His parents, Salomon and Eliese Fränkel were Jewish. He converted and became the New Apostolic on 23 July 1908. In 1909 already he was a Sunday School teacher in Dortmund. In 1911 he was ordained as a Deacon and then, around 1922, as a Priest.
He was a successful textile merchant. He could afford to send his three children to college. And the family could afford domestic help. And then the year 1933 dawned—the year in which the Nazis seized power in Germany.
Under Persecution Fränkel, a so-called full Jew because both parents were Jews, lost his job as managing director of the company Mayer & Günther. He started his own business. Advertisements in the German-language magazine Unsere Familie, for example, document this. In 1938, however, legislation forbade him from running his own business. His son Erich took over. Before long, he too was forbidden from carrying on with the business.
Meanwhile, Priest Fränkel was asked to suspend his ministerial activity—to protect the Church. Reprints of the choir folder omitted his name as a hymn writer. His son Harry Jr., a graphic designer and illustrator, was refused admission to the Academy of Arts. It was becoming harder and harder to find work for him. This is when Fränkel Sr. decided to emigrate.
On the Run A first attempt was to take him to South Africa. Harry Fränkel wrote to Assistant Chief Apostle Heinrich Franz Schlaphoff, but he was unable to help. By decree, South Africa closed itself off to European Jews. The Apostle, however, gave him the address of a contact in Argentina.
Belgium was the gateway to the free world at the time. The country was more liberal in terms of refugees than its European neighbours. For 17 months, Harry Fränkel lived in Brussels in five different locations—separated from his family, friends, and congregation. While he fought for permission to be able to stay in Brussels, the Gestapo, the secret police of the Nazi regime, knew of his whereabouts. And then came 10 May 1940, the day Germany invaded Belgium.
Deported and interned Some 10,000 men were arrested in Belgium on that day because they were suddenly labelled as enemy foreigners and were considered a threat to the country. In a mass deportation, they were carted off to France by rail. There was hardly anything to drink in the overheated and overcrowded wagons, nothing to sit on or lie down on, no toilets…
This brought Harry Fränkel close to the French-Spanish border. First, he was taken to the Saint-Cyprien camp, Block 1, Barrack No I 42, and then to a place called Gurs, which was considered the most horrifying concentration camp in France. It was rife with hunger, cold, vermin, disease, and death. And then came the day when France surrendered to Germany, on 22 June 1940.
The armistice was followed by an extradition treaty. Harry Fränkel set out on his final journey. It took him via pre-trial confinement in Frankfurt (Germany) and the notorious Steinwache (a prison used by the Gestapo) in Dortmund—barely two kilometres away from his home and family—to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp near Berlin and finally to Auschwitz.
Where he was murdered on 5 November 1942 at 8 a.m.: as per the International Holocaust Remembrance Center Yad Vashem. However, his name lives on, as the writer of the New Apostolic hymn, “Take off your shoes, for the place where you stand is holy.”
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One might be forgiven for thinking the photo above is from a very impoverished country, but it is not. In fact, it is a photo of a family living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Even during World War II, the Netherlands was a country of wealth—albeit not all the wealth was distributed to its citizens. This image was taken during the winter of 1944/45, known as the Hunger Winter.
The Dutch famine, also known as the Hunger Winter, was a severe food shortage that occurred in the Netherlands during the final months of World War II, from late 1944 to early 1945. The famine was a result of a combination of factors, including Nazi occupation policies, Allied blockade, harsh winter conditions, and the destruction of infrastructure during the war. The failure of Operation Market Garden also greatly contributed to the famine.
By 1944, the Netherlands had been under German occupation for nearly four years. The German occupiers implemented a policy of “Hunger Winter” in retaliation for Dutch support of the Allied forces. This policy involved cutting off food and fuel supplies to urban areas, particularly the western regions of the country. Additionally, German forces confiscated food from Dutch farms to supply their own troops, further exacerbating the shortages. As the Allied forces advanced through Europe, the Germans retaliated by imposing a blockade on food transports to the Netherlands. This blockade, combined with a harsh winter in 1944-1945, led to widespread starvation among the Dutch population. The situation was particularly dire in urban areas like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, where food supplies were almost completely depleted.
During the famine, people resorted to extreme measures to survive. Many ate tulip bulbs, which provided little nutritional value and caused digestive problems. Others consumed whatever they could find, including cats, dogs, and even rats. Malnutrition became rampant, leading to a range of health issues, including weakened immune systems, diseases, and increased mortality rates.
The Dutch famine had devastating consequences, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and the sick. Thousands of people died from starvation or related causes during the winter of 1944-1945. Pregnant women who experienced malnutrition during this period gave birth to underweight babies, who faced long-term health problems as a result.
The famine came to an end in May 1945, following the liberation of the Netherlands by Allied forces. Relief efforts, including the airdrops of food supplies during Operations Manna and Chowhound, helped alleviate the immediate crisis. However, the effects of the famine lingered for years, with many people suffering from health problems and psychological trauma long after the war ended.
The Dutch famine remains a tragic chapter in the nation’s history, serving as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and occupation. It also highlights the resilience of the Dutch people and the importance of international solidarity in times of crisis. Today, the famine is commemorated annually in the Netherlands as a reminder of the importance of peace, cooperation, and humanitarian aid.
Audrey Hepburn spent her childhood in the Netherlands during the famine and despite her later wealth, she had lifelong negative medical repercussions. She had anemia, respiratory illnesses, and edema as a result. Subsequent academic research on the children who were affected in the second trimester of their mother’s pregnancy found an increased incidence of schizophrenia in these children. Also increased among them were the rates of schizotypal personality and neurological defects.
An estimated 20,000 died during the hunger winter.
Operation Manna
Operation Manna was a critical humanitarian effort undertaken during the final stages of World War II, aimed at providing relief to the starving population of the Netherlands. Occurring between April 29 and May 8, 1945, Operation Manna involved the dropping of food supplies by Allied aircraft to alleviate the dire conditions faced by the Dutch people, who had suffered immensely due to the Nazi occupation and the subsequent blockade of food and supplies.
The Netherlands had been under Nazi occupation since May 1940, and by the spring of 1945, the situation had reached a catastrophic level. The German forces, facing defeat, imposed a strict blockade on food transports to the western regions of the country, including major cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. As a result, millions of Dutch civilians were on the brink of starvation.
In response to this humanitarian crisis, the Allies devised Operation Manna as a joint effort between the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Under the command of Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, RAF Bomber Command and USAAF Eighth Air Force coordinated the delivery of food supplies to the starving Dutch population. Operation Manna involved a total of 3,298 sorties flown by Allied bombers, primarily Lancaster bombers from the RAF and B-17 Flying Fortresses from the USAAF. These aircraft were stripped of their usual bomb loads and instead loaded with food parcels, including flour, potatoes, margarine, cheese, and other essential items.
Flying at low altitudes and escorted by fighter planes, the Allied bombers approached Dutch airspace and dropped the food supplies using specially designed containers. The drops were carefully coordinated to avoid endangering civilians on the ground and to ensure that the food parcels could be safely retrieved.
The impact of Operation Manna was profound. The airdrops provided a lifeline to millions of hungry Dutch citizens, many of whom had resorted to eating tulip bulbs and other desperate measures to survive. The sight of Allied aircraft dropping food from the sky brought hope and relief to the beleaguered population.
The success of Operation Manna was not just measured in terms of the physical sustenance it provided but also in the morale boost it offered to the Dutch people. It symbolized the solidarity and compassion of the Allied forces and demonstrated their commitment to alleviating the suffering of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of war.
Operation Manna stands as a testament to the power of humanitarian intervention, even amid conflict. It remains a celebrated example of international cooperation and compassion in the face of adversity, reminding us of the importance of coming together to aid those in need, regardless of the challenges.
Operation Chowhound was a significant humanitarian operation carried out by Allied forces during the final stages of World War II to provide food relief to the starving population of the Netherlands. Similar to Operation Manna, Operation Chowhound aimed to alleviate the dire circumstances faced by millions of Dutch civilians who were suffering from severe food shortages due to the Nazi occupation and the blockade of food supplies. As the Allied forces advanced through Europe in the spring of 1945, liberating territories from Nazi control, they encountered areas where civilian populations were on the brink of starvation. The Netherlands, in particular, had been subjected to a harsh blockade by the retreating German forces, exacerbating the already dire food shortages.
Operation Chowhound
Operation Chowhound was initiated by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF), primarily involving the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The operation was coordinated with Operation Manna, which involved dropping food supplies from aircraft into Dutch territory.
Beginning on April 29, 1945, Allied bombers, including Lancaster bombers from the RAF and B-17 Flying Fortresses from the USAAF, flew over the Netherlands to drop food parcels to the starving population. Unlike Operation Manna, which primarily focused on dropping food supplies, Operation Chowhound also included the distribution of other essential items such as medical supplies and clothing.
The Allied bombers flew at low altitudes, escorted by fighter planes, to ensure the safety of the airdrops and avoid endangering civilians on the ground. The food parcels were dropped using specially designed containers, and efforts were made to target areas where the need was most acute, such as major population centers and areas where resistance fighters were active.
Operation Chowhound was conducted for a period of ten days, during which thousands of tons of food and supplies were delivered to the Dutch people. The operation provided much-needed relief to millions of hungry civilians, helping to alleviate their suffering and improve their morale as the war drew to a close.
The success of Operation Chowhound, like Operation Manna, demonstrated the compassion and solidarity of the Allied forces toward the civilian populations caught during war. It underscored the importance of humanitarian intervention, even amid military operations, and highlighted the commitment of the Allies to support those in need and uphold the principles of freedom and democracy.
Operation Chowhound remains a testament to the spirit of cooperation and humanity that prevailed during World War II and serves as a reminder of the enduring bonds between nations in times of crisis.
I am passionate about my site and I know you all like reading my blogs. I have been doing this at no cost and will continue to do so. All I ask is for a voluntary donation of $2, however if you are not in a position to do so I can fully understand, maybe next time then. Thank you.
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This blog is not meant to pass judgment, I am not in a position to do so, simply because I was never put in that situation. All I know is I would do anything for survival, and especially for the survival of my family. I leave the judgment to those who survived the Holocaust, it is their prerogative.
This article is meant to explain the roles of the Kapos in the concentration camps and the ghettos.
The term “Kapo” refers to a prisoner within Nazi concentration camps who were assigned by the SS (Schutzstaffel) to oversee forced labor, maintain order, and enforce discipline among fellow inmates. The Kapos wielded significant power over other prisoners, and their roles were complex and morally fraught.
Initially, Kapos were often chosen from among the prisoner population based on perceived leadership qualities, physical strength, or skills useful to the SS. They were tasked with managing work details, distributing food, and maintaining order within the brutal and dehumanizing environment of the camps.
For some prisoners, becoming a Kapo offered a means of survival—in situations of extreme adversity. By cooperating with the SS, they could secure slightly better living conditions, extra rations, or protection from harsh punishments. However, this collaboration came at a heavy cost, as Kapos were often viewed with suspicion and contempt by their fellow inmates, who saw them as traitors collaborating with their oppressors.
The position of Kapo was rife with ethical dilemmas. Some Kapos exploited their power ruthlessly, engaging in acts of violence and cruelty against their fellow prisoners to curry favor with the SS or to assert their dominance. Others, however, tried to mitigate the suffering of their fellow inmates to the extent possible within the confines of the camp’s brutal regime. It is essential to recognize that while some Kapos abused their authority, others found themselves caught in an impossible situation, forced to make unthinkable choices in order to survive.
After World War II, many Kapos faced repercussions for their actions during the Holocaust. Some were prosecuted for collaboration or war crimes, while others faced ostracism and condemnation from their communities. The legacy of the Kapos remains a complex and controversial aspect of the history of the Holocaust, embodying the moral compromises and extreme conditions faced by those who endured one of the darkest chapters of human history.
Eliezer Gruenbaum, the communist son of Yitzhak Gruenbaum, who was a prominent leader of Polish Jewry between the two world wars and Israel’s first interior minister, was a kapo in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Eliezer survived only to die fighting in the war for Israeli independence. His story is captivating not only for its biographical appeal but also for the unique “statement of defense” memoir he has left behind.
In 1942 he was arrested for being a communist and not as a Jew and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. In Auschwitz, he became a Kapo. He survived the camp, and after the war, he was accused of collaboration with Nazi Germany, and of “mercilessly beating inmates”. He was also accused of murdering “tens of thousands of Jewish prisoners”. He defended himself claiming that he only accepted the position at the request of other Jews, who wanted one of their own in the position, which was otherwise often filled by anti-Semitic non-Jewish people, including German criminals.[6] Research-based on analysis of his memoirs, however, concluded that he became a kapo due to “intervention by communists”. At the end of 1943, Gruenbaum was moved from the concentration camps to work in coal mines in Jawiszowice and finally ended up in the Buchenwald concentration camp. After the war, in 1945, he was tried by a communist tribunal on charges of participating in violent beatings but was shortly acquitted. He resumed his political activities, advocating for the communist takeover of Poland, but he was soon arrested again, in France, accused by fellow Jews of having been the “head of the Birkenau death camp.” In a trial that lasted eight months, he was acquitted again, because the French court concluded that “neither the accused nor the victims were French”.
Sources
Goss, Jennifer L. “Role of Kapos in Nazi Concentration Camps.” ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/kapos-prisoner-supervisors-1779685.
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The title is an excerpt from the diary of Etty Hillesum. Following are a few excerpts of several Holocaust diaries. What I find striking—is that despite the horrors, they still had a glimmer of hope.
Anne Frank June 12, 1942: “I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support.”
July 15, 1944: “It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
December 24, 1943: “What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again.”
February 23, 1944: “I’ve found that there is always some beauty left — in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.”
March 29, 1944: “It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”
Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany, and died in 1945 at Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp.
Rutka Laskier February 5, 1943: “I cannot grasp that it is already 1943, four years since this hell began.”
February 20, 1943: “I have a feeling that I am writing for the last time. There is an Aktion [a Nazi operation] in town. I’m not allowed to go out, nobody is allowed to. The town has been cut off. Telephone connections have been cut off too. Jews are being taken out of their homes. There are constant shootings.”
April 24, 1943: “Today I’m worried. When will this misfortune end? It’s not a life, I am existing. Father is worried, because people have been taken away in Przemysl. Maniu [Rutka’s sister] wants to go to Israel. Mother wants to escape to Hungary.”
April 25, 1943: “I felt the air was again charged with unease, with horror. The sun was setting, and the silence so great that I thought I would hear my own heartbeats. Then shots rang out, a lot of shots, a hundred, no, thousands, each one echoing back from the woods, from the hills, from the distant city.”
Ruth Rutka was born on June 12, 1929, in Krakow, Poland, and died in 1943 at Auschwitz Concentration Camp.
Chaim Kaplan October 16, 1939: “A week has passed since the curse of war first descended upon us, and what a week! What suffering! What agony! Warsaw, the city of the wise, has become a city of despair, of darkness, of hunger, and of plague. […] We find ourselves in a dark tunnel without light, and we are swallowed up in darkness.”
December 7, 1940: “Life in the ghetto is intolerable. With the passage of each day, the people grow weaker and weaker. The little food we have is hardly enough to sustain us. The streets are filled with the sick and the dying. Death has become our constant companion.”
February 16, 1941: “The Germans continue to tighten their grip on the ghetto. The walls grow higher, the restrictions more severe. We are prisoners in our own city, condemned to a life of suffering and humiliation. Yet, despite it all, the spirit of the people remains unbroken. We refuse to surrender to despair.”
June 1, 1942: “The deportations have begun. Every day, trains filled with Jews leave the ghetto, bound for unknown destinations. We know not where they go, only that they never return. The streets are filled with tears, with cries of anguish. Yet, even in the face of such unspeakable horror, we must find the strength to carry on.”
April 19, 1943 (during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising): “The ghetto is in flames, the streets filled with the sound of gunfire. The brave fighters of the Jewish resistance are battling the Germans, refusing to surrender to tyranny and oppression. Though the odds are against us, we will not go quietly into the night. We will fight until our last breath, until freedom is ours once more.”
Chaim Kaplan was born on September 19, 1880, in Horoyszcze, Poland, and died at Treblinka Concentration Camp in Poland in 1942.
Etty Hillesum Etty Hillesum was a young Jewish woman living in Amsterdam during the Holocaust, and her diary provides a remarkable and introspective account of her spiritual and emotional journey during that time. Here are some excerpts from her diary:
July 20, 1942: “We should be willing to act as a balm for all wounds. Sometimes a single warm word is enough to heal an open sore.”
August 18, 1941: “In the end, love is stronger than hate and death. It is as strange and mysterious as life itself. It is the force that holds the universe together.”
November 29, 1942: “Sometimes I feel as if I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. But then I remember that I am only human, and that I can only do what I can. The rest is in the hands of fate.”
March 15, 1943: “I have made a decision to embrace life fully, no matter what the circumstances. Even in the darkest moments, there is still beauty to be found, still joy to be experienced. I will not let the darkness consume me.”
September 3, 1943: “I am learning to find peace within myself, to accept the things I cannot change, and to find strength in the face of adversity. It is a difficult journey, but one that I am determined to take.”
Etty Hillesum was born in Middleburg, Netherlands on January 15, 1914. She died on November 30, 1943 in Oświęcim, Poland.
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Last year in June, I had the chance to visit Dachau, for lack of a better word, it was the highlight of my year. Strangely enough, it inspired me—in a creative way.
In shadows cast by history’s hand, Where sorrow’s echo still commands, Lies a place where darkness roams, A haunting tale of Dachau’s home.
Amongst the polar trees, a silent vow, Whispers of souls in silence now, Where barbed wire weaves its somber tale, And cries of anguish still prevail.
In Dachau’s fields, where freedom fell, A solemn hymn, a tolling bell, Where names are etched on walls of stone, Each one is a story, each one alone.
The winds that sweep through rusted wire, Carry echoes of a world on fire, Of faces etched with silent screams, Lost within a torment’s seams.
Yet in this place of deepest pain, Springs forth a hope, a gentle strain, For memory’s flame can never die, Though shadows loom, it still can fly.
So let us honor those who fell, Their stories are whispered, we retell, In Dachau’s solemn, hallowed ground, Where peace and memory are found.
Fritz Beer, was born in Berlin, on 28 May 1927. He was murdered at Auschwitz on 31 March 1944, He was 16 years old.
Emanuel Louis Kats was born in Apeldoorn, on 5 April 1915. He was murdered at Auschwitz on 31 March 1944, His occupation was a tailor. He was 28 at the time of his death.
His wife, Henderina Kats-Eliasar was born in Amsterdam on 26 March 1921, Her occupation was that of seamstress. They murdered her at Auschwitz on 19 November 1943. She had reached the age of 22.
Simon Goudeketting was born in Amsterdam on 1 December 1892. He was a salesman before the Nazis murdered him at Auschwitz, upon his arrival on 31 March 1944. He was 51 years old.
Hans Peter Schürmann was born in Wuppertal on 10 January 1914. He was murdered at Auschwitz on 31 March 1944. He reached the age of 30.
Sophia Pais was born in Amsterdam on 17 November 1919. Her occupation was that of a cutter. She was murdered at Auschwitz on 31 March 1944 at the age of 24.
These were just a handful of the approximately 100,000 Jews who were Dutch or had been living in the Netherlands, that were murdered by the Nazis.
In the solemn and haunting grounds of Bergen-Belsen, where the echoes of a dark past resonate, exists an unexpected symbol of hope amidst the memories of suffering and loss: a single rose. This rose, though seemingly insignificant in the vastness of the camp’s history, carries within its delicate petals a story of resilience and defiance against the atrocities of humanity.
Amid despair, amidst the barbed wire fences and crumbling barracks, this rose blooms, its vibrant crimson hue stark against this backdrop of desolation. Its presence defies the horrors that once consumed this place, serving as a silent testament to the endurance of the human spirit.
Planted perhaps by an anonymous hand, its origins shrouded in mystery, the rose stands as a beacon of remembrance. It whispers tales of courage and survival, reminding visitors of the individuals who once walked these grounds, their lives unjustly taken but their spirits refusing to be extinguished.
As visitors solemnly tread the paths of Bergen-Belsen, their eyes catch sight of a solitary rose, a symbol that amidst the darkest of times, beauty and hope can still emerge. Its fragrance mingled with the heavy air of sorrow. It offers a fleeting moment of solace, a reminder that even in the most harrowing circumstances, humanity’s capacity for kindness and compassion endures.
The rose of Bergen-Belsen stands not only as a symbol of remembrance but also as a call to action, urging future generations to strive for a world where such atrocities can never again take root. Its presence serves as a poignant reminder that while the scars of history may never fully heal, they can inspire us to create a future built upon empathy, understanding, and peace.
The history of the Trawniki Men stands as a chilling testament to the banality of evil and the role that ordinary individuals can play in perpetrating atrocities on a massive scale. While their actions may have faded into obscurity for many, it is essential to remember their complicity in the Holocaust and to honor the memory of their countless victims. By confronting this dark chapter of history, we reaffirm our commitment—never forget the horrors of the past and strive for a future built on justice, compassion, and human dignity.
Trawniki Men refers to a group of men primarily from the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries. During World War II, the Nazis recruited them. They received their name after the Trawniki Training Camp, located in Poland. It was where they received their indoctrination and military training.
The recruitment of the Trawniki Men began in 1941 as the Nazi regime sought to bolster its forces for the implementation of their genocidal policies, particularly in the occupied territories of Eastern Europe. These men were often former prisoners of war, volunteers, or coerced individuals who were promised better treatment or privileges in exchange for their collaboration.
The primary role of the Trawniki Men was to assist the SS Einsatzgruppen, mobile killing squads tasked with exterminating Jews, Roma, and other targeted groups. They were involved in a range of activities, including rounding up victims, guarding ghettos and concentration camps, and actively participating in mass shootings and deportations. Their knowledge of local languages and terrain made them valuable assets to the Nazi regime in carrying out its murderous campaigns with ruthless efficiency.
The Trawniki Men were directly complicit in some of the most heinous crimes committed during the Holocaust. They played a key role in the systematic murder of millions of innocent civilians, often showing little hesitation or remorse in carrying out their orders. Their participation in mass shootings, deportations to death camps, and other acts of brutality left an indelible mark on the annals of history.
One infamous example of their involvement in the massacre was at Babi Yar, a ravine near Kiev, Ukraine. There more than 33,000 Jews were slaughtered in two days in September 1941. Trawniki men were among those responsible for carrying out the executions, demonstrating the extent of their culpability in the Holocaust.
With the end of World War II and the collapse of the Nazi regime, many Trawniki Men attempted to evade justice by blending back into civilian life or fleeing to other countries. However, in the ensuing years, efforts were made to identify and prosecute those who had participated in Nazi crimes.
One significant legal case involving the Trawniki Men was the 1961 trial of Ivan Demjanjuk in Israel. Demjanjuk, a former Trawniki guard, was accused of being a notorious guard at the Treblinka Extermination Camp known as “Ivan the Terrible.” Although he denied the charges, he was ultimately convicted in 1988, highlighting the ongoing pursuit of justice for those complicit in the Holocaust.
The legacy of the Trawniki Men serves as a grim reminder of the depths of human depravity and the ease with which ordinary individuals can be drawn into committing acts of unspeakable evil under the influence of authoritarian regimes. Their collaboration with the Nazis underscores the importance of vigilance in the face of tyranny and the necessity of holding perpetrators of genocide accountable for their actions.
I am passionate about my site and I know you all like reading my blogs. I have been doing this at no cost and will continue to do so. All I ask is for a voluntary donation of $2, however if you are not in a position to do so I can fully understand, maybe next time then. Thank you.
To donate click on the credit/debit card icon of the card you will use. If you want to donate more then $2 just add a higher number in the box left from the PayPal link. Many thanks.
History of Sorts
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