The Stories of Holocaust Survivors, Former Prisoners of Nazi German Concentration Camps and Righteous Among the Nations h s o Witnesses i t w s e Poelish-Jewish J s y s- r hHistory e o n s t i t ls i o i W H P The Stories of Holocaust Survivors, Former Prisoners of Nazi German Concentration Camps and Righteous Among the Nations h s o i t w s e e J s y s- r h e o n s t i t ls i o i W H P Publisher: Fundacja Galicia Jewish Heritage Institute Galicia Jewish Museum ul. Dajwór 18, 31-052 Kraków www.galiciajewishmuseum.org Editing: Monika Stępień Translation: Gina Kuhn-Deutscher Development of the biographies: Larysa Michalska Photographs: Chris Schwarz, Jason Francisco, Ada Kopeć-Pawlikowska, Sobiesław Pawlikowski, archival photographs Cooperation: Ada Kopeć-Pawlikowska, Katarzyna Kotula, Anna Janeczko Layout and graphic design: Studio graficzne Papercut, www.papercut.pl Print: Know-How ISBN: 978-83-940542-3-6 The publication Witnesses to Polish-Jewish This project was co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign History. The Stories of Holocaust Survivors, Affairs of the Republic of Poland. Former Prisoners of Nazi German Concentration Camps and Righteous Among the Nations is available under the 3.0 Poland Attribution of Creative Commons License. Some rights reserved for the Fundacja Galicia Jewish Heritage Ministry Institute, Alina Skibińska, Anna Wencel, Gina of Foreign Aff airs Republic of Poland Kuhn-Deutscher and Konstanty Gebert. The work was created as part of the Cooperation in the Field This publication expresses only the views of the author of Public Diplomacy 2016 competition. Use of the and is not related to the official stance of the Ministry above work is permitted under the conditions that of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. appropriate information is provided about license holders, copyright holders and the Cooperation in Kraków 2016 the Field of Public Diplomacy 2016 competition. Introduction Stories of the War Years 06 Tadeusz Anna Wencel Jakubowicz 40 Context Lidia Maksymowicz 44 The Extent and Aftermath of the Holocaust in Poland12 Alina Skibińska Maria Nowak 48 Remembering the Righteous 18 Konstanty Gebert Witnesses to History Lech Rościszewski 52 Emanuel Elbinger 24 Tadeusz Smreczyński 56 Marcel Goldman 28 Józef Rosołowski. Monika In memoriam 60 Goldwasser 32 Gina Kuhn-Deutscher Biographies Mirosława of Memory 64 Gruszczyńska 36 Anna Wencel Anna Wencel One of the most important elements in his- tory education, particularly in the context of the Second World War and the Holocaust, are personal accounts – this statement to- day seems indisputable, and even sounds like a cliché. The Galicia Jewish Museum has worked with survivors and witnesses almost from the very beginning of its existence. We have tried to spread their stories and dis- seminate their message among visitors from e around the world. Our work with Holocaust survivors, former prisoners of Nazi German h concentration camps and Polish Righteous has taken on different forms: from exhibi- tions, publications and educational materials t s based on their stories, family photographs and documents to organising meetings at the fr Museum with young people and adults from Poland and abroad, giving the opportunity for o a direct contact and asking questions. In 2015, approximately 10,000 people took part in such meetings. The biographical materials and per- e s sonal documents collected for various projects are extremely valuable and we have tried to eY preserve them as much as possible, knowing that they are the voice of a fading generation. i The Galicia Jewish Museum’s goal is to pre- rr serve traces of memory – remnants of a world that no longer exists – but also to re- oa store memory and actively participate in the revival of Jewish communities. This world in W Poland did not disappear with the Holocaust. t Although Jewish life was not revived and re- S born on such a scale as it was before the war, Polish Jews are present. That is why we do not 6 concentrate exclusively on the Holocaust, de- dying of starvation and disease remain in the struction and loss – we must also talk about memory of listeners forever. But they also con- life, about duration and continuity. In this tain scenes full of hope and faith in humanity context, survivors play an extremely impor- depicting mutual help and solidarity among tant role – their stories are a reminder of the the prisoners. tragedy of the Holocaust, but they themselves are living proof of the endurance of the Jewish In particular groups of stories, we can isolate community in Poland. many common points. Survivors most often begin their stories by sketching a general On the other hand, accounts of the Righteous picture of life in pre-war Poland, describing – those who risked so much to save people who the situation and the diversity of the Jewish were sometimes strangers – particularly en- community during this period. They speak of rich the discourse on Polish-Jewish relations the atmosphere of the first days of the war, of in the past and today. Of course, overexposing life under the German occupation, also indi- the role of the Righteous would be to falsify cating to some extent the successive stages the picture of the diverse attitudes of Polish of the implementation of German policy to- society during the Holocaust. Saviours were wards Polish Jews – from armbands with the a minority, and the differences in responses Star of David, to the confiscation of property to the tragedy of Polish Jews mentioned pre- and forced labour, relocation, to imprisonment n viously clearly show in the stories of the Right- in the ghettos and deportation to the death o eous and survivors. In some family stories we camps or mass executions, as well as the di- ucti d can see the scale of attitudes – from the mi- versity of the attitudes of ethnic Poles towards ro nt nority actively providing aid, to the silence of the persecution and annihilation of Jews. Sim- I the majority, to that minority that co-operated ilar elements presented, of course, from a dif- with the Germans in various ways. The stories ferent perspective can be found in the stories of the Righteous also provide a picture of how of the Righteous. Of course, former prisoner Polish society functioned under the German focus in their stories on the conditions in the occupation: constraints and difficulties in labour and concentration camps, relations be- everyday life (incessant inspections, rationing tween the prisoners and methods of survival; of food), attempts to deal with the realities of they also describe their return from the camps, the occupation and resist despite the constant attempts to find their relatives, return to nor- threat. malcy and coping with trauma. The stories of prisoners of German concen- One can, of course, wonder whether young tration camps are an entrance to a totally people are properly prepared for direct meet- different world – a descent into an abyss, to ings with witnesses to history, if the stories of hell on earth, beyond the comprehension of the witnesses are not “a look into the abyss” those who were not there. The terrible images which can leave deep scars on the psyche of of people in striped uniforms, beaten, down- the audience. The story of Holocaust survivors, trodden, hungry, forced to work beyond endur- people who survived the hell of the camps, ance and, in the end, murdered en masse or abound in extremely gory details. Participants 7 in meeting with witnesses to history are thus vidual character and experiences of the teller. confronted with the unimaginable: with the Some have been able to work out an outline scale of the evil, brutality and contempt be- that they keep to consistently – their story is yond their ability to comprehend. This issue usually ordered chronologically or themati- should definitely not be underestimated – the cally, and they always follow this order, even weight of these stories is difficult for an adult repeating the same wording. Others have not to carry, much less a vulnerable teenager. We developed such a narrative – the confusion should also not compare this with watching and directness of their statements are also brutal films or playing computer games which very important. We must note, however, that supposedly have “desensitised” them – this ar- behind an “arranged” narrative lie the same The Galicia Jewish Museum has worked with survivors and witnesses almost from the very beginning of its existence. (.…..) The biographical materials and personal documents collected for various projects are extremely valuable and we have tried to preserve them as much as possible, knowing that they are the voice of a fading generation. gument is often made, but it is fundamentally false. Whilst watching films or playing games, we are always aware that this is fiction, a vir- tual world – even if they are to some extent built on facts. We can turn off the television or computer any time we want. Here, we sit face-to-face with a real person who is telling his or her personal story. About how he or she escaped a horrific death. This sweet old lady miraculously survived Auschwitz-Birkenau, where she was a victim of pseudo-medical experiments. The Germans killed almost the entire family of this charming, elderly gentle- man. It really happened. Not so long ago. It is of great importance, of course, to prop- erly prepare young people for what they are going to hear. But the way of transmission is also important, and this depends on the indi- 8 things as in a “chaotic” one: pain and fear. An ified later and checked against the findings by outline allows one to avoid the most dramat- professional historians. ic details – it is a defence mechanism. As the wife of a former prisoner of Sachsenhausen In the stories of witnesses, the most important once told us: “He doesn’t tell you even half of thing is the universal message, the universal what he went through...” dimension of what they experienced in their lives. When each of them repeats the famous We must, of course, remember that personal stories show only a fraction of the realities Meetings with survivors and witnesses of war and the occupation, and should be embedded in the broader historical context. are – as seen above – unique history They do not replace textbook knowledge, but lessons. By showing the fates of real rather augment it, making the dates and num- bers cease to be abstractions. The emotion- people and their experiences makes the al character of these meetings is not always facts and figures from textbooks closer conducive to remembering. The personal ex- and more real. perience of tragedies, even the deepest, are not in any way identical to knowledge, but certainly – and this is no less important – has phrase “Never Again”, can we seriously won- n a strong influence on one’s attitudes towards der if the Second World War and the Holocaust o and perceptions of the world. One must also have taught us anything? Referring to the ucti d take into account that the factual level of current political situation in meetings, to the ro nt some stories is up for discussion. There are not conflicts and humanitarian crises in different I the stories of professional historians. Retired parts of the world, some witnesses sadly ask engineers, economists, doctors, midwives this question. and technicians are the ones today telling the story of their survival. Another issue is Often, important questions about the univer- the mechanisms of human memory, which are sal human experience are raised by the audi- sometimes incomprehensible and surprising: ence – Holocaust survivors and former prison- their personal memories have superimposed ers of German concentration camps are asked on them images seen later in photographs or many times about the possibility of forgive- films, information from books and conversa- ness. Some answer conclusively: “No, I don’t tions, which are woven into these personal forgive them”, while others say: “I forgive. But stories as an integral part. Inaccurate dates forgiveness does not mean forgetting.” Here or numbers given by survivors and witnesses we touch on the most difficult moral and eth- as well as those that are not part of their own ical questions: “Can I forgive those who mur- experiences are of secondary importance in dered my mother and sister? Do I have that our opinion; what counts the most is contact right?” asked one Holocaust survivor. with a living person who is speaking about their own, personal experiences. Certainly The heroes awarded the Righteous Among the some elements of their stories should be ver- Nations medal are usually asked about their 9 motivations – what guided them? Why did they spect for others are of particular importance. decide to take the risk and help? Were they A sunny disposition and remarkable sense of not afraid? If they could do it all over, would humour don’t seem to fit the image of a person they have done the same thing? The responses who survived such dramatic circumstances, are as numerous as the stories, but a pattern i.e. of someone who lost their entire family is certainly clear. In the case of rescuers and or went through the hell of the concentration rescued who knew each other beforehand, camps during the war. All of them, naturally, the answer lies in their mutual relationship – agreed that the trauma has remained with friendship or even sympathy and compassion, them throughout their lives. inasmuch as the selfless rescue of a stranger induces one towards deeper reflection. Some Most of them began talking about their experi- devout Christians refer in their answers to ences later on, when they reached adulthood. their religion and the teaching of Christ about Earlier, it was too painful, too fresh. In some loving others, which in their lives has become cases, their silence was also due to the polit- something tangible, real and not an empty ical situation: in the past, it was safer not to word. Others point to the patriotic dimension reveal your Jewish roots, involvement in rescu- of their actions – they were saving Polish cit- ing Jews or associations with the Home Army; izens from a common enemy, and giving help this fear still impacts some people to this day. was also an act of opposition to the policies of Each of these stories is shocking. Each of them the German occupiers. contain dramatic choices, fear, pain and often also helplessness and loneliness. But witness- Over the years, listening to the accounts of wit- es to history return to these experiences, tell- nesses to history, we have seen many common ing about them over and over again, because characteristics and patterns. Their unusually that is their mission, their obligation. As they positive attitude, optimism, openness and re- themselves say, in giving their testimonies 10