This is the best day of my life. I'm finally free of the Nazi camps and I'm staying in real house, with real food, and furniture and beds. But but i got off the bed in the middle of the night because the bed are to soft so I'm just sleeping on the floor by my choice. I should probably tell you the story of how I got here and why I'm the luckiest man in the world.
After staying in the camp for awhile with Aaron, I was transferred many times to other camps. Some in other countries. In one of my camps, I got a disease called dysentery. Dysentery is a very deadly disease and one of the symptoms is have a terrible case of diarrhea. A very bad case. A lot of people in the camps where having the same disease as I was and they were died. I was really scared. Could this be the end? Well my kapo was nice enough to take me to the sick barracks. I stayed in there for 3 days drinking a coal solution that making me feel a little bit better, sleeping off and on all the time. Than that day I noticed a doctor with a shot going from one sick prisoner to the next. As I watched, I realized that with in minutes of receiving the shot, the man would jerk spasmodically-and than die. The doctor was killing them! I got out crawling than a prisoner on an errand asked me "Which barracks." as if he knew what was happening. I told and soon enough I was on a sleeping cot and with the help of the same kapo, I was transferred to an inside job so i could recover and I did.
After getting transferred again, while being processed, I met a man would change my out look on this situation. He was about my age (16) and he was in the line with me. "My name is Moniek," He said in polish and smiled. I was surprised he smiled since people never smiled in the camps. "Do you have a name prisoner 16013?" "Yes prisoner 13863." I said as I looked down at his number "The name is Jack." And the rest is history. We even got so lucky one time we got to work in the kitchen and serve meals. This was the best because any food we could find we could slip into our pockets and it was a lot better than doing labor work. It was the best thing that (besides Moniek) that happened to me in the camps. Moniek was always light hearted and told funny jokes and tried to make the whole experience better.
Than the thing I had finally been waiting for happened. We were liberated today. We woke up to nothing. It was odd because were all used to a yelling kapo. We opened the lock door, cautiously stepping out into the open. To our surprise it was empty. Not exactly the liberation i expected but I didn't care, I was free. Moniek and I found a bread shop and the lady told we could have all the bread because she fleeing from the incoming Russians. It was the greatest thing I had ever tasted. Real bread not stuff with sawdust. We found an abandoned house and we are staying here for the night. We had tons of canned meat, vegetables, and even candy! Later some Russians came and told us good luck and stay as long as you like. Tonight I'm sleeping full and clean, the only thing that would be better is of my family was here.
*Pg84 *Pg85
Monday, September 23, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
June 15, 1942 The Camp
These days were the worst in my life. Yesterday, the first thing I hear when I wake up is a Nazi breaking down my door! He told all the jews to come out and I got and got dressed Fast! We hurried out side to a big crowd of jews. Than my mother told a man who had asked what was going, "They are going to deport us." Than my little brother Jacob asked me, "What does that mean?" I had to lie, for his safety, "It means they settle you somewhere else."
After that we stood. We stood there all the way till late afternoon. Finally after that we started to move. Some people were so stiff from standing they could barely walk. The effect on me was not nearly as bad as others since as so used to working but I this was still very bad none the less. I could tell everyone was scared about what was going on. We went around picking up jews, 900 in total, and I could see some people hiding behind curtains. Remember that letter I got from the Nazi official? Well when we people in the group started a be separated into smaller groups, I decided muster up all my courage and show and tell the Nazi when it was our turn, "I am an electrician's helper. My mother and my brother and I can work." I said as I showed the letter. I when I did this they would let us go back to our home. But I was wrong.
I was pushed to the right side well my family was pushed to the left. I had lost my family. This was the worst moment of my life. I was really depressed about this but I knew I had to remain strong, for my family and my father. I noticed that there were no woman, no children, and no elderly in this group. My uncle was on the other side as well. Than trucks pull up. The put us in the back and they drove us through the village.
Once we arrived several hours later I was so confused. What was this place, people in blue-and-gray striped uniforms rushing from building to building. Than they started beating us with rubber truncheons trying to get to go somewhere. They wanted us to know that we would be hurt if we didn't do what we were told. And it worked. Next we were told that we are now prisoners of Hitlers SS, special forces, in Blechhammer concentration camp, in Germany. And that we had only one right, to die. After having our hair shaved, being coated with an anti-lice chemical, being given a uniform like everyones else's, and getting our id number, I used the latrine I went off to bed in the barracks.
When I was awoken this morning by Kapo, (the prisoner in charge of the ones in the barracks) I quickly got up with my can and followed the other prisoners. We waited in a huge deperate line for something to eat. But it smelled really bad. When it was my turn, I really lucked out! I got a potato in my soup! This was really lucky as some prisoners only seemed to get water. I drank the disgusting soup and as I went to put my can away I met a helpful man named Aaron. He told me what to hurry to the latrine after I put my can away so I did.
After that was roll call and work. During roll call we stood there for a few hours in the sun as the Kapos called us off. Out corner of my eye I saw a dog on a leash and a SS officer holding it. That was really scary for me. After that long time of standing, we finally were sent into the forest to work. I told myself "Don't get hit." Once we got to the forest, we pulled out trees pain fully with only axes and chains to make a new road. It was very miserable. I was very hungry was thirsty from working in the sun all day. While we were pulling out one tree stump, a prisoner had stumbled, causing the tree to fall back in to place. The guards instantly started beating him until he was unconscious.
When we were walking back someone said to me, "Someone will shoot him in 1 or 2 days, if you can't work your dead." With people in the camps there are two philosophies, one is to try to work as little as possible to conserve energy, others tried to work hard to avoid beating. I believe the latter is better. When we got back to the camp, I got my loaf of bread and all most choked on my first bite. I noticed the bread was really gritty. After that, I hurried off to the latrine.
When I reached my bed, I asked Aaron, "Where were you today." He said, "Except on days when i shave new prisoners, I cut the hair of SS officers and guards and give them shaves." After I told how was so exhausted and hungry he told me the bread was full of sawdust. I thought I had miss heard him. He told me "They use sawdust as filler. Thats why it tastes to terrible." "Always?" I asked. "The food will not get better, this is all they will give you." He responded. He gave me an extra piece of bread because he had two and told me not question it and that he would wake me up early tomorrow so that I could shower. Than a Kapo yelled "No Talking!" After eating the bread, I went to bed frightened and sore.
*Pg 43 *Pg 44 *Pg46 *Pg60 *Pg61
After that we stood. We stood there all the way till late afternoon. Finally after that we started to move. Some people were so stiff from standing they could barely walk. The effect on me was not nearly as bad as others since as so used to working but I this was still very bad none the less. I could tell everyone was scared about what was going on. We went around picking up jews, 900 in total, and I could see some people hiding behind curtains. Remember that letter I got from the Nazi official? Well when we people in the group started a be separated into smaller groups, I decided muster up all my courage and show and tell the Nazi when it was our turn, "I am an electrician's helper. My mother and my brother and I can work." I said as I showed the letter. I when I did this they would let us go back to our home. But I was wrong.
I was pushed to the right side well my family was pushed to the left. I had lost my family. This was the worst moment of my life. I was really depressed about this but I knew I had to remain strong, for my family and my father. I noticed that there were no woman, no children, and no elderly in this group. My uncle was on the other side as well. Than trucks pull up. The put us in the back and they drove us through the village.
Once we arrived several hours later I was so confused. What was this place, people in blue-and-gray striped uniforms rushing from building to building. Than they started beating us with rubber truncheons trying to get to go somewhere. They wanted us to know that we would be hurt if we didn't do what we were told. And it worked. Next we were told that we are now prisoners of Hitlers SS, special forces, in Blechhammer concentration camp, in Germany. And that we had only one right, to die. After having our hair shaved, being coated with an anti-lice chemical, being given a uniform like everyones else's, and getting our id number, I used the latrine I went off to bed in the barracks.
When I was awoken this morning by Kapo, (the prisoner in charge of the ones in the barracks) I quickly got up with my can and followed the other prisoners. We waited in a huge deperate line for something to eat. But it smelled really bad. When it was my turn, I really lucked out! I got a potato in my soup! This was really lucky as some prisoners only seemed to get water. I drank the disgusting soup and as I went to put my can away I met a helpful man named Aaron. He told me what to hurry to the latrine after I put my can away so I did.
After that was roll call and work. During roll call we stood there for a few hours in the sun as the Kapos called us off. Out corner of my eye I saw a dog on a leash and a SS officer holding it. That was really scary for me. After that long time of standing, we finally were sent into the forest to work. I told myself "Don't get hit." Once we got to the forest, we pulled out trees pain fully with only axes and chains to make a new road. It was very miserable. I was very hungry was thirsty from working in the sun all day. While we were pulling out one tree stump, a prisoner had stumbled, causing the tree to fall back in to place. The guards instantly started beating him until he was unconscious.
When we were walking back someone said to me, "Someone will shoot him in 1 or 2 days, if you can't work your dead." With people in the camps there are two philosophies, one is to try to work as little as possible to conserve energy, others tried to work hard to avoid beating. I believe the latter is better. When we got back to the camp, I got my loaf of bread and all most choked on my first bite. I noticed the bread was really gritty. After that, I hurried off to the latrine.
When I reached my bed, I asked Aaron, "Where were you today." He said, "Except on days when i shave new prisoners, I cut the hair of SS officers and guards and give them shaves." After I told how was so exhausted and hungry he told me the bread was full of sawdust. I thought I had miss heard him. He told me "They use sawdust as filler. Thats why it tastes to terrible." "Always?" I asked. "The food will not get better, this is all they will give you." He responded. He gave me an extra piece of bread because he had two and told me not question it and that he would wake me up early tomorrow so that I could shower. Than a Kapo yelled "No Talking!" After eating the bread, I went to bed frightened and sore.
*Pg 43 *Pg 44 *Pg46 *Pg60 *Pg61
Saturday, September 21, 2013
April 30, 1941 The Miserable Life of a Jew
I hate the Nazis. They treat me and my family like second class! But in reality there is nothing I can do but outlast them so why complain. At least my family can live have luxury, for a jew. We live in a small room with a bed, a stove, and 2 chairs. Most jews could barely feed themselves with this Nazi occupation. A year and a half ago we lived with my uncle. There I was starved almost all the time and there was lice in the bed. But with my earnings and my mother selling the last bit of her jewelry we are able to pay rent and get food.
A lot of the work jews do is unpaid so the way I got my earnings is by filling in for jews who don't want to or can not do this forced Nazi labor. It did not make a whole lot by any means but it is still keeping my family from starvation. The only problem was that people were running out of money to pay me. I got really worried that I wouldn't be able to support my my family. But one day, I was assigned to help a Catholic electrician rewire a Nazi official's house. After working that day, I asked the Nazi official if I could get a letter that stated that I could come back and work with the electrician everyday so incase I was caught in a raid, I could the letter saying I could work.
And about my family my sister went live on a farm so she wouldn't go hungry but my mother an my brother are still here and alive. My grandfather is still back in his town I assume and my mother and my uncle are in close touch. Currently I'm 13 years old and have gotten a lot stronger from doing all that labor. The biggest issue with everyone is the food shortage but hopefully we can the Nazis will leave soon and we can return to our normal lives.
A lot of the work jews do is unpaid so the way I got my earnings is by filling in for jews who don't want to or can not do this forced Nazi labor. It did not make a whole lot by any means but it is still keeping my family from starvation. The only problem was that people were running out of money to pay me. I got really worried that I wouldn't be able to support my my family. But one day, I was assigned to help a Catholic electrician rewire a Nazi official's house. After working that day, I asked the Nazi official if I could get a letter that stated that I could come back and work with the electrician everyday so incase I was caught in a raid, I could the letter saying I could work.
And about my family my sister went live on a farm so she wouldn't go hungry but my mother an my brother are still here and alive. My grandfather is still back in his town I assume and my mother and my uncle are in close touch. Currently I'm 13 years old and have gotten a lot stronger from doing all that labor. The biggest issue with everyone is the food shortage but hopefully we can the Nazis will leave soon and we can return to our normal lives.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
August 31, 1939 Living with my grandfather.
Hi my name is Jack and I'm eleven years old. I have a father named Majloch, a mother named Cesia, a sister named Jadzia, and a brother named Jacob. We used to live in the city of Gdynia until we moved with our grandfather.
But I'm really sad today, my dad has sent my sister, my brother, my mother and I all to live with my grandfather. It's really nice and comfortable here and grandfather is a nice man but i miss my father. Anyways, my grandfather really embraces his and our jewish religion and so does the rest of the jews in the town.
Speaking of the town this town is very nice, has tons of neat shops but my favorite is the mute-deaf bros. barber shop. They are so much fun and are hilarious despite their disabilities. My favorite thing to do is to watch my grandfather paint signs. He is the best artist I know, his work is so fascinating! To conclude this diary entry, I would like to say my family is all ok so I'm in a great mood today.
But I'm really sad today, my dad has sent my sister, my brother, my mother and I all to live with my grandfather. It's really nice and comfortable here and grandfather is a nice man but i miss my father. Anyways, my grandfather really embraces his and our jewish religion and so does the rest of the jews in the town.
Speaking of the town this town is very nice, has tons of neat shops but my favorite is the mute-deaf bros. barber shop. They are so much fun and are hilarious despite their disabilities. My favorite thing to do is to watch my grandfather paint signs. He is the best artist I know, his work is so fascinating! To conclude this diary entry, I would like to say my family is all ok so I'm in a great mood today.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
DISCLAIMER
This blog is for a school project! In no way is it made to offend people or tell about current events! It is a project for the book- Surviving Hitler By: Andrea Warren. In no way did I experience this my self! This blog is about the life of Jack Mandelbaum. All rights reserved 2001 Andrea Warren
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