V-J Day

 

Bram Asscher

Bram Asscher

Abraham “Bram” Asscher was born on August 28, 1924 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

He was the Son of Eliazer Asscher (1878-1935) and Stephanie Fischer (1895-unknown).

He had an older Brother, Isaäc Jacques Asscher (1916), and a younger one, Jacob (Jeannot, Jean) Asscher (1925).

His Father was a Diamond Merchant and a Brother of Abraham Asscher (1880-1950), one of the two Presidents of the German-Appointed Jewish Council (Dutch: Joodse Raad and German: Judenrat) during the German Occupation of the Netherlands.

Bram’s Father died in 1945 in Paris, France.

The Germans invaded and occupied the Netherlands on May 10,1940.

The Germans forced all Jewish Children to leave Dutch Schools and were only allowed to attend a Jewish School.

Bram went to the Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam for the 1941-1942 School Year.

It was in Class 4B2 that Bram met Margot Frank (the older Sister of Anne Frank.)

Margot had been a Student at the Jeker School in Amsterdam, but the Anti-Jewish Laws created by the Germans in the Netherlands forced her to the Jewish Lyceum.

In March 1941 Bram’s Mother married Dirk Leendert Tollenaar, a Gentile (ie. Non-Jewish.)

According to the German Anti-Jewish Laws she was now in a Mixed Marriage and had an Exemption from Deportation.

Her Children, however, were considered to be Full Jews since both their Parents were Jewish,

Bram’s Oldest Brother Jacques fled German-Occupied the Netherlands in April 1941.

He traveled by Train to Brussels, Belgium, Paris, France, then to Spain (which was Neutral during World War 2) and to Portugal (which was Neutral during World War 2) where he went to the United States (which was Neutral during World War 2 from September 1, 1939-December 8, 1941) to Canada and then arrived in Scotland, the United Kingdom in 1942 in order to fight with the Free Dutch Military against the Germans.

Together with his Brother Jacob, Bram was transported to the Westerbork Transit Camp in northern German-Occupied the Netherlands on September 29, 1943.

Bram was in the “Free’ Section of Westerbork, but met up with Margot (who was in the Punishment Section of Westerbork because she had been found in Hiding.)

Bram was allowed to write 1 Letter to his Mother every 14 days.

On August 25, 1944 Bram wrote his Mother that Margot, Anne and their Parents (who Bram’s Mother also knew) were in the Punishment Section of Westerbork.

In the Letter he wrote:

'Mama, do you know that Margot is here? That friend of Trees. You remember her, don't you? She's in the S with her Parents and Sister. Very sad!'”

Bram’s Letter is one of the few Personal Sources that refer to the Frank Family at Westerbork.

Also in his letters from Westerbork, Bram often wrote about his Fiancée Trees Lek, who was held at the Camp Vught together with her two Sisters, and her Parents, who were with him in Westerbork.

On September 3, 1944 Margot and her Family were deported on the last Cattle Car Train from Westerbork to the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland.

On September 13, 1944 Bram and his Brother Jacob were deported from Westerbork to the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp in Germany.

On April 9, 1945 (9 days before Bergen-Belsen was liberated by the British) Bram and his Brother (along with 2,500 other Prisoners) were forced out of the Camp and made to walk 6 miles to the Train Station in Celle, Germany where they were put on a Train headed to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in German-Occupied Czechoslovakia.

On April 13, 1945 the Train stopped near Magdeburg, Germany and was liberated by the Allies.

After the War, he returned to the Netherlands.

Margot and Anne Frank and their Parents arrived at the Auschwitz Death Camp 3 days after their left Westerbork.

Of the 1,019 Passengers, 549—including all Children younger than 15—were sent directly to the Gas Chambers and murdered.

 The Men were separated from the Women. It was the last time Margot and Anne saw their Father.

Margot was forced to haul rocks and dig rolls of sod by day; by night, they were crammed into overcrowded barracks. Being outside all day she regularly saw People walking to their deaths in the Gas Chambers.

In October 1944 their Group was selected to leave Auschwitz and go to the Leibau Labor Camp, but Anne had contacted Scabies and so went to the Camp’s Hospital instead.

 Margot and their Mother volunteered to stay in Auschwitz to care for Anne.

On October 28, 1944, after recovering from Scabies, Anne, Margot and Mrs. Van Pels left Auschwitz and went to the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp in Germany.

Around March 1945, Anne died from Typhus at 15 years old a few days after her Sister, Margot who was 18 years old.

They were both buried in an unknown Mass Grave.

87: WW 2

 

85: Star of David

85 years ago today (September 1, 1941) the Germans required Jews in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia  to wear a Yellow Star of David with the German Word “Jude” for “Jew.”

(A Jewish Girl in German-Occupied Croatia forced to wear a Star of David with the Ž for “Židov”, English: “Jew” on it.)

Every Man, Woman and Child over the age of 6 had to buy these Badges (using their own Clothing Ration Coupons) and have them clearly visible on their outer clothing (including a coat) so that they could easily be identified and discriminated against for being Jewish.

When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 they required Jews there to wear a White Armband with a Blue Star of David for the same purpose.

(Jewish People in German-Occupied Belgium forced to wear the Star of David with the J (for "Jude" in German, "Juif" in French and "Jood" in Dutch.)

Parts of Poland had different Badges. In German-Occupied Warsaw Jews had to wear the Armband and in German-Occupied Lodz Jews had to wear the Yellow Star (because that part of Poland was illegally annexed into Germany.)

(A Jewish Man in German-Occupied Poland forced to wear the Star of David Armband.)

In every European and North African Country/Territory that Germany occupied during World War 2 the Jews there had to wear similar Identifying Badges with the local name for “Jew” on it (French: “Juif”, Dutch: “Jood”, Croatian: Ž for “Židov”, English: “Jew” for the British Channel Islands which Germany occupied, etc.)

Failure to not wear the Armband or the Star or to “hide it” and not have it clearly visible resulted in instant death.

This requirement was on top of every Jewish Man, Woman and Child having to carry an Identity Card with a large “J” on it – since 1938 in Germany and every German Jewish Man, Woman and Child having to add either “Israel” for Men or “Sara” for Women to their Names to be “more easily recognizable as Jews” – since 1936.

The Germans wanted to first identity the Jews and then to murder them.

84: Wiesbaden And Frankfurt

 

84 years ago today (August 27, 1942) the Germans Rounded-Up 600 Jewish Men, Women and Children  - most of them Elderly and Sick from Wiesbaden, Germany.

(The Germans deporting the Elderly Jewish Men and Women from Wiesbaden. Germany in August 1942.)

On August 29, 1942 they were sent to Frankfurt where another 600 Jewish Men, Women and Children were added to the Round-Up.

On September 1, 1942 they left by Train for the Theresienstadt Ghetto in German-Occupied Czechoslovakia.

Later most were deported from Theresienstadt to the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland.

Only 32 of the 1,200 from Wiesbaden and Frankfurt survived the War.

82: Auschwitz Photo

 

82 years ago today (August 25, 1944) an American Air Reconnaissance Plane flew over the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland.

It took pictures of the Camp from 30,000 feet.

29 Photographs were taken in total.

This one shows Auschwitz 2 (Auschwitz Birkenau) the Death Camp.

This Picture shows the Women’s Camp; the Guard Towers; the Main Camp Gate; a Cattle Car with 33 Wagons; Four of the Gas Chambers with the Crematoria as well as a burning pit behind Gas Chamber 5 where bodies were burned; a Group of newly arrived Prisoners are also seen going to the Admission Building to be shaved, showered and tattooed with a Camp Number.

At the bottom of the picture you can also see Men, Women and Children who just arrived and are walking to their death at the Gas Chamber.

The US didn’t bomb the Auschwitz Death Camp or even the Train Tracks (or any Death Camps.)

The US, British and Soviet Governments knew about the Death Camps – especially by August 1944 when this Photograph was taken – but chose not to do anything to help the Victims.

1.1 Million Men, Women and Children were murdered at Auschwitz alone.

82: Parade

(American Victory Parade in Paris, France – August 29, 1944.)

82 years ago today (August 25, 1944) Paris was liberated from the Germans.

2,000 Parisian Civilians were killed during the Liberation of Paris.

1,600 French Resistance Members were killed.

130 Free French Soldiers were killed.

The 2nd Armored Division suffered 71 killed and 225 wounded.

12,800 Germans became Prisoners of War.

10,000 Parisians who had Collaborated (French Women had their heads shaved) with the Germans were arrested and tried, 8,000 were convicted, and 116 were executed by the Allies after the War.

General Dietrich von Choltitz was sent to London, England where he stayed for the remainder of the War and then he was transferred to Camp Clinton in Mississippi, USA until his release in 1947. He died in 1966.

General Charles de Gaulle became Chairman of the Provisional Government of the French Republic from June 1944 until January 1946 then the French Prime Minister from 1958-1959 and then the French President from 1959-1969. He died in 1970.

“Is Paris Burning” is a 1966 Film that shows the Liberation of Paris (blending acting with archival footage.

82: Paris

82 years ago today (August 25, 1944) Paris, France was liberated from German Occupation by the Americans, the British and the Free French during World War 2.

(As Allied Troops enter Paris on August 25, 1944, celebrating crowds on place De La Concorde scatter for cover from small bands of remaining German Snipers.)

Paris had been occupied by the Germans since June 14, 1940. A Curfew was in effect from 9 pm in until 5 am and at night, the City of Light went dark.

Rationing of food, tobacco, coal and clothing was initiated in September 1940. Every year the supplies grew scarcer and the prices higher. The French Press and Radio Broadcast only German Propaganda.

Jews in Paris were forced to wear the Yellow Star of David Badge and were barred from Professions and Public Places.

On July 16-17, 1942, 13,152 Parisian Jews, including 4,115 Children, were rounded up by the French Police, on orders of the Germans, and were sent to the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland (of the 76,000 French Jews deported from France.)

Following the Allied Invasion of Normandy on June, 6, 1944, the French Resistance in Paris launched an Uprising on August 19th, seizing the Police Headquarters and other Government Buildings.

On August 7, 1944 , Dietrich von Choltitz was appointed the Military Governor of the Garrison of "Greater Paris" (Groβ Paris) with 20,000 German Soldiers in Paris.

The French Resistance in Paris had 19,000 Members , but only 60 hand guns, a few machine guns, and no heavy weapons.

On August 20th Barricades were erected across Paris by the French Resistance and Ordinary Parisians. Fighting broke out between the French Resistance and the Germans from August 20th to 25th when the Resistance was joined by the Free French and the Americans.

General von Choltitz had been ordered by Hitler to leave the city a "heap of burning ruins", but he also realized the battle was lost, and he did not want to be captured by the Resistance.

Through the offices of the Swedish Consul-General, Raoul Nordling, he ignored Hitler's orders and arranged a truce. In the afternoon of the 25th he traveled from his Headquarters in the Hôtel Meurice to the Montparnasse Train Station, the Headquarters of General Leclerc, where he signed the Surrender.

The Occupation of Paris was officially over.

General Charles de Gaulle held his Free French Victory Parade in Paris on August 26, 1944.

America held its Victory Parade in Paris on August 29, 1944.

35: More World

 

35: World

The World honors Ukraine's fight over Russia on Ukraine's 35th Independence Day today!

37: Baltic Way

37 years ago today (August 23, 1989) the Baltic Way occurred in Soviet-Occupied Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

(The Baltic Way in Latvia.)

The Baltic Way (Lithuanian: Baltijos kelias; Latvian: Baltijas ceļš; Estonian: Balti kett) was a peaceful demonstration where 2 Million Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians joined hands to create a human chain that was 430 miles long and stretched from Estonia, through Latvia and into Lithuania.

August 23, 1989 was the 50th Anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (signed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on August 23, 1939) that not only made Nazi Germany and the USSR Allies, but also allowed the Soviet Union to invade and occupy Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

The 1989 event was organized by the Baltic Pro-Independence Movements: Rahvarinne of Estonia, the Tautas fronte of Latvia, and Sąjūdis of Lithuania, to draw Global attention by demonstrating a popular desire for Independence and showcasing Solidarity among the three nations.

It has been described as an effective publicity campaign, and an emotionally captivating and visually stunning scene.

Background to the Baltic Way:

On August 23, 1939 the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany became Allies (which they stayed until June 21, 1941)

The Soviet Union invaded, occupied and illegally annexed Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia from September 2, 1939 until June 22, 1941 and then again from 1944 until December 26, 1991.

The Soviets made the Russian Language the Official Language throughout Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, they deported and murdered Ethnic Estonians, Ethnic Lithuanians and Ethnic Latvians and moved Ethnic Russians into the Baltics to forcibly Russify the areas.

From 1939-1941 the Soviets Forcibly Deported from the Baltics to Siberia:

11,000 Estonians from Estonia to Gulags and Forced Settlements in Siberia (9,267 died.)

17,500 Lithuanians from Lithuania to Gulags and Forced Settlements in Siberia. (9,945 died.)

15,000 Latvians from Latvia to Gulags and Forced Settlements in Siberia (9,400 died.)

Thousands upon thousands of these Innocent Men, Women and Children were killed from Soviet Bullets, Forced Labor, Lack of Food, the Harsh Weather, etc.

From 1939-1941 the Soviets Arrested, but didn’t Deport:

8,000 Estonians inside Estonia and murdered 2,000 of them.

12,900 Lithuanians inside Lithuania and murdered 3,000 of them.

21,000 Latvians in Lativia and murdered 5,000 of them.

From June 1941 until 1944 the Baltics were invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany.

The Nazis murdered: 950 of the 1,000 Estonian Jews during the Holocaust and 49,000 Estonian Civilians (7% of Estonia’s 1939 Population.)

The Nazis murdered: 195,000 Lithuanian Jews during the Holocaust and 150,000 Lithuanian Civilians (14% of Lithuania’s 1939 Population.)

The Nazis Murdered: 66,000 Latvian Jews during the Holocaust and 154,000 Latvian Civilians (12% of Latvia’ 1939 Population.)

From 1945-1951 the Soviets Forcibly Deported:

35,000 Estonians from Estonia to Gulags and Forced Settlements in Siberia.

130,000 Lithuanians from Lithuania to Gulags and Forced Settlements in Siberia.

60,000 Latvians from Latvia to Gulags and Forced Settlements in Siberia.

70% of all the Deported were Women and Children under 16 years old.

Thousands upon thousands of these Innocent Men, Women and Children were killed from Soviet Bullets, Forced Labor, Lack of Food, the Harsh Weather, etc.

From 1945 -1951 the Soviets Arrested, but didn’t Deport:

30,000 Estonians inside Estonia and murdered 11,000 of them.

186,000 Lithuanians inside Lithuania and murdered 20,453 of them.

32,000 Latvians inside Latvia and murdered 12,000 of them.

Aftermath:

In December 1989, the Soviet Congress of People's Deputies accepted and Mikhail Gorbachev signed a Report condemning the Secret Protocols of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact – acknowledging the Soviet Invasion and Occupation of the Baltics for the first time.

In February 1990, the first Free Democratic elections to the Supreme Soviets took place in all three Baltic States and Pro-Independence Candidates won majorities.

On March 11, 1990, within seven months of the Baltic Way, Lithuania became the first Soviet State to declare Independence from the Soviet Union (which was recognized by the USSR on March 11, 1990.)

On May 4, 1990 Latvia declared its Independence from the Soviet Union (which was recognized by the USSR on September 6, 1991)

On August 20, 1990, Estonia declared its Independence from the Soviet Union (which was recognized by the USSR on September 6, 1991.)

The independence of all three Baltic States was recognized by most Western Countries by the end of 1991 and the Soviet Union collapsed on December 26, 1991.

Estonia joined NATO on March 29,2004, the European Union on May 1, 2004 and the Eurozone in 2011.

Lithuanian joined NATO on March 29, 2004, the European Union on May 1, 2004 and the Eurozone in 2015.

Latvia joined NATO on March 29, 2004, the European Union on May 1, 2004 and the Eurozone in 2014.

Black Ribbon

Black Ribbon Day

Today (August 23rd) is Black Ribbon Day. It is the day the European Union, Georgia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States remembers the Men, Women and Children murdered by both the Nazis and the Communists. The date was chosen because it was when the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between the German Nazis and the Soviet Communists was signed in 1939.

The Nazis murdered 24,826,424 Men, Women and Children (Non-Military Civilians) from 1933-1945.

That number also includes those in Targeted Groups that the Nazis specifically went after:

 Jews:   6 Million Men, Women and Children;

Non-Jewish Polish Civilians: 3 Million Men, Women and Children

People with Disabilities: 270,000 Men, Women and Children (doesn’t include the 375,000 Disabled who were Forcibly Sterilized)

Roma and Sinti (Gypsies): 500,000- 1.5 Million Men, Women and Children

Jehovah's Witnesses:  5,000 Men, Women and Children

Homosexuals:  9,000 Men and Women in Concentration Camps (Doesn’t include the 50,000 Men and Women held in Regular Prisons)

 

 The Communists murdered 149,469,610 Men, Women and Children (Non-Military Civilians)  Worldwide since 1917 and the Communists in China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and North Korea continue murdering Innocent People.

We should also remember the Ukrainian Men, Women and Children being murdered by the Russian Nazi Zs since 2022.

Jan Maletka

Jan Maletka

(Jan Maletka in 1941.)

Jan Maletka was born in 1921 in Poland.

He was from Mińsk Mazowiecki and was Roman Catholic.

He was a Railroad Worker during the German-Occupation of Poland during World War 2.

He worked at the Gravel Pit in the Village of Treblinka with his older Brother, Stanisław, and a Co-Worker, Remigiusz Pawłowicz.

The Village of Treblinka was 50 miles from Warsaw 2 miles from the Treblinka Death Camp.

At 10 am on August 20, 1942 Jan Maletka and Remigiusz Pawłowicz were working near the Train Tracks near a Cattle Car carrying Jewish Men, Women and Children from Warsaw to the Treblinka Death Camp was halted at the Station.

Jan and Remigiusz could hear the cries of the Men, Women and Children inside begging for water (it was a hot Summer day and the Germans had given them no food or water for the journey.)

Jan and Remigiusz decided to bring water to the locked Cattle Cars.

A German Guard shot and killed Jan Maletka throwing his body into one of the Cattle Cars and brought to the Death Camp.

His Supervisor asked the Germans not to burn his body, but to release it and allow it to be buried at the Parish Cemetery in Prostyń.

The Germans agreed to the request.

Jan Maletka was 21 years old and had a Fiancée.

Remigiusz Pawłowicz survived being shot by falling into a ditch.

Jan Maletka was commemorated by the Pilecki Institute under the "Called by Name" Program on November 25, 2021, in the Village of Treblinka, at the site of the Railway Station that no longer exists.

Treblinka

Treblinka

The Treblinka Camp was split into Treblinka 1 and Treblinka 2.

Treblinka 1 was built in September 1941 and was a Forced-Labor Camp where 20,000 Men and Women (mostly Political Prisoners and Victims of the German :apanka Round-Ups in Warsaw) worked in the Gravel Pit or Irrigation Area and in the forest, where they cut wood to fuel the Cremation Pits (used to burn the thousands of Men, Women and Children murdered in the Gas Chambers.)

Prisoners were woken up at 5 am and had an hour to dress, use the Latrines and line up for Roll-Call outside, then had Breakfast and went to their Forced Labor.

They worked from 7 am until 4 pm (in the Winter) and 6 pm (in the Summer) with an hour for Lunch from 12 pm-1 pm.

They had Roll-Call and then their Dinner at 7 pm before being confined to the Barracks for the night.

Prisoners received the following Rations: half a Liter of watery soup or porridge for Breakfast, a Liter of soup for Lunch, and a cup of unsweetened coffee and a  little rye bread for Dinner.

10,000 of the 20,000 Inmates of Treblinka 1 died (from Diseases like Typhus, being Beaten by the Guards, Exhaustion or sent to the nearby Gas Chamber.)

Treblinka 2 was the Death Camp and was divided into three parts.

Camp 1 was the German Administrative Compound where the Guards lived.

Camp 2 was the Receiving Area where incoming Transports of Prisoners were offloaded.

 Camp 3 was the location of the 6 Gas Chambers.

Men, Women and Children arriving at Treblinka all came to Treblinka 2 first.

The German Guards selected a few Men and Women with Special Skills (like Jewelers, Furriers, etc.) or who looked strong and healthy and sent them to either work at Treblinka 1 or kept them in Treblinka 2 and used them to either sort the Personal Items (Clothes, Jewels, Currency, etc.) of the Victims to be sent to Germany or used them in the Sonderkommando.

The Sonderkommando were forced to help new Arrivals off the Trains before removing the Personal Items to Barracks where the Non-Sonderkommando sorted everything.

The Sonderkommando then had to helped the Men, Women and Children selected to die to undress in one of two Barracks before the Prisoners were forced to walk naked through a Fenced Path that the Germans called “die Himmelstraße” ("The Road to Heaven") to the Gas Chambers.

The Germans told the Prisoners that they were going to take a shower to be deloused before entering the Work Camp.

The Men were always gassed to death first while the Women and Children were forced to wait outside naked (able to hear the final screams of their Husbands, their Fathers, their Brothers, etc.)

20 minutes later the Sonderkommando were forced to enter the Gas Chambers and remove the dead bodies, clean the Gas Chambers for the Women and Children waiting outside and then burn the dead bodies.

(Burning Treblinka 2 (the Death Camp)  during the Prisoner Uprising on August 2,1943.

This Clandestine Photograph was taken by Franciszek Ząbecki (who was the Station Master at the Treblinka Village Railroad Station and a Member of the Polish Home Army Resistance Group.)

On August 2, 1943 the Prisoners in Treblinka 2 carried out an Uprising.

It was a Monday when their were no Transports of People to be gassed to death so several German and Ukrainian Guards left the Camp to swim in the nearby Bug River.

840 Jewish Prisoners took part in the Uprising with 400 of them making out of the Death Camp.

300 of the 400 who made it outside the Camp were killed by the German and Ukrainian Guards.

Of the 100 who made it out of the Death Camp and survived the Uprising 70 are known to have survived the War (including 2 Women.)

Only 1 German Guard was wounded and 5 Ukrainian Guards were killed during the Uprising.

Since no German Guard was killed no Official Report of the Uprising was made to Berlin.

On August 19, 1943 the last gassing of Jews took place at Treblinka 2.

100 Jewish Prisoners were kept at Treblinka 2 to destroy the 6 Gas Chambers and all evidence of the German War Crimes.

A Farm was built until of the Death Camp’s ruins and a Ukrainian Camp Guard, Oswald Strebel, a Ukrainian Volksdeutscher (Ethnic German from Ukraine), was given permission to bring his Family from German-Occupied Ukraine where the Family lived on the Farm and were told to tell anyone who asked that they had been farming there for Decades.

From July 23, 1942 until October 19, 1943 9250,000 Jewish Men, Women and Children (including 250,000 from the Warsaw Ghetto) and 2,000 Roma Men, Women and Children were murdered by the Germans in one of the six Gas Chambers there.

(Memorial at Treblinka)

The Soviet Red Army liberated the area on August 19, 1944.

After the Liberation Local Poles (who knew about the Death Camp) looted Treblinka looking for gold and other valuables from the Victims.

Looting continued at Treblinka until 1958.

The Polish Communists built a Large Stone Memorial at Treblinka in 1959.

The Treblinka Trials concerning the Treblinka Death Camp Guards began in 1964 and was held in Düsseldorf, West Germany,

As with the vast majority of Trials of Former Nazis held in West Germany from 1948-1990 the Guards received light Sentences for their Crimes.

In 1964 Treblinka was declared a National Monument of Jewish Martyrdom due to International Demand during the Treblinka Trial in West Germany.

An Exhibition Center was built at Treblinka in 2006.

In 2010, the first Archaeological Excavations at Treblinka took place (finding the remains of one of the six Gas Chambers and 3 Mass Graves.

Philip Bialowitz

Philip Bialowitz

(Philip as a 13 year old Prisoner at the Sobibor Death Camp in 1943.)

Philip Bialowitz was born on November 25, 1929 in Izbica, Poland.

Izbica was a Jewish Shtetl where 90% of the Population was Jewish.

His Parents ran a Tannery there.

Philip was deported to the Sobibor Death Camp in Germany-Occupied Poland in April 1943 (when he was 13 years old.)

Immediately, after getting off the Cattle Cars the Germans asked the Jews if any had special trades or professions.

Philip’s Brother, Simcha (who was 30 years old) told the Germans that he was a Pharmacist and that Philip was his Assistant – saving Philip from being murdered in the Gas Chamber.

The Germans made them “Working Jews” while Philip and Simcha’s Sisters and Neice were murdered in the Gas Chamber within an hour of arriving.

Philip worked as a Barber shaving the heads of the Prisoners as well as sorting the Belongings of those who were murdered.

 Philip and Simcha took part in the Sobibor Uprising on October 14, 1943.

Philip, who was 13 years old, was the Messenger.

He went up to different SS Men and told them that the Prisoners had found good quality Boots or a Jacket that they should look at.

When the Germans went to the huts, one by one, to look the Prisoners killed them with knives.

11 SS Men were killed in this way.

The Uprising then began with 600 of the Jewish Prisoners running through the Barbed-Wire Fence (the Electricity had been turned off) and through the minefield to the nearby forest all while the Germans and the Ukrainian Collaborator Guards shot at them.

365 Prisoners made it out of the Death Camp, but only 200 made it to the nearby forest.

100 of those who made it to the forest were later recaptured and killed by the4 Germans and the Ukrainians.

47 Prisoners of Sobibor (including 8 Women) survived the War.

On October 19, 1943 Himmler ordered Sobibor to be closed and sent Prisoners from the Treblinka Death Camp to dismantle the Gas Chambers and most of the buildings before they were killed in November 1943.

Philip and Simcha survived both the Uprising and the War by hiding at the home of Polish Catholics Farmers, Michał and Maria Mazurek, who would have been killed if the Germans had discovered them helping Jews.

From May 1942-October 1943 the Germans murdered 250,000 Men, Women and Children at Sobibor from German-Occupied Poland and German-Occupied the Netherlands.

After the War, Philip married and had Children before moving to New York where he worked as Jeweler.

(Philip in 2013.)

In 1965-1966, he testified as a Witness at the Sobibor Trials in Hagen, Germany.

It was the first time most of the World had ever heard about the Sobibor Death Camp.

Philip wrote “A Promise at Sobibor”, which detailed his early life growing up in Poland, his experience during World War II, and his Postwar life.

On October 14, 2013, the 70th Anniversary of the Uprising, Sobibor Survivors, including Thomas Blatt and Philip Bialowitz, Family Members, Politicians, Teenagers, and Religious Figures commemorated the Victims of Sobibor.

Philip Bialowitz died in Florida on August 6, 2016, at the age of 90.

The first Memorial at Sobibor was created in 1965 (after the Sobibor Trials) and comprised of Memorial Wall, an Obelisk symbolizing the Gas Chambers, a Sculpture of a Mother and her Child, and a Mausoleum called the "Memory Mound.”

Since the Communist Polish Government was Anti-Jewish no mention was made of the Jews murdered at Sobibor until 1993.

The Sobibor Death Camp did not become a Museum until 1993 when it was The Sobibór Museum or the Museum of the Former Sobibór Nazi Death Camp (Polish: Muzeum Byłego Hitlerowskiego Obozu Zagłady w Sobiborze.)

Peter Fechter

Peter Fechter

Peter Fechter was born on January 14, 1944 in Nazi Germany.

He was the third of four Children and the only Son.

His Father was a Mechanical Engineer and his Mother was a Saleswoman.

After World War 2 his District of Berlin (Weißensee) was in the Soviet Occupation Zone (ie East Berlin.)

Peter finished School when he was 14 years old and started working as a Bricklayer.

Being a Bricklayer was in high demand with all the Post-War Construction going on in East Berlin and East Germany.

Peter’s oldest Sister married and lived in West Berlin and was regularly visited by Peter and his Parents.

From 1945-1961 East Berliners and West Berliners could easily visit each other.

On August 13, 1961 the East German and Soviet Communist Governments built the Berlin Wall, closing the last loop-hole East Germans had to visit or flee to the West.

Overnight, Peter and his Parents were cut-off from his Sister/Daughter in West Berlin.

Peter, not wanting to be locked inside Communist East Germany and wanting his Freedom had long planned to flee to the West.

The East German Government had recently rejected Peter’s application to temporarily visit West Berlin even though his Work wrote:

“Colleague F. is a willing and hard-working Craftsman. Loafing and absenteeism are not a problem with him.”

On August 17, 1962 Peter and his Friend, Helmut Kulbeik, decided the time to flee was now.

Peter and Helmut had met in early 1962 they were both involved in rebuilding the former Kaiser-Wilhelm-Palais, a Palace on the Unter den Linden Boulevard.

(Peter dying after being shot.)

The plan was to hide in a Carpenter's Workshop near the Wall on Zimmerstrasse and, after observing the East German Border Guards from there, to jump out of a window into the "Death-Strip" (a strip running between the main wall and a parallel fence which they had recently started to construct), run across it, and climb over the 6.5 Foot Wall topped with barbed wire into the Kreuzberg District of West Berlin near Checkpoint Charlie.

Peter and Kulbeik made it to the last Wall when the East German Border Guards started firing at them.

The East German Border Guards were ordered to Shoot-To-Kill anyone trying to flee East Berlin or East Germany.

Kulbeik was successful in making it over the Wall.

Peter was shot in the pelvis while he was still climbing over the Wall.

Even while wounded the East German Border Guards continued to shot at him.

It was in full view of hundreds of West Berliners watching from the other side.

Peter fell back into the Death Strip on the East German side.

Peter screamed in pain for 1 hour. 

(An East German Border Guard finally removing Peter's dead body.)

The East German Border Guards refused to help him.

Standing on a ladder the West Berlin Police asked him his name and threw bandages across the Wall to him, but he couldn’t reach them.

Members of the US Military at nearby Checkpoint Charlie were ordered not to intervene since it would have started World War 3.

After an hour of screaming Peter bled to death.

He was 18 years old.

As a result of Peter’s death a spontaneous Demonstration erupted with hundreds of West Berliners shouting “Murderers” to the East German Border Guards.

(Peter Fechter Memorial Cross at Checkpoint Charlie.)

The East German Border Guards finally retrieved his dead body,

The Chief Propagandist of East Germany, Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler, justified the Border Guards’ brutality as being good for and in the interest of the State.

In his commentary he dishonored the Victim with the following words:

“And when this kind of element […] is wounded directly on the border and not retrieved immediately – then a huge fuss is made. […] The life of each one of our brave young men in uniform is more important to us than the life of a lawbreaker. By staying away from our state border – blood, tears and screams can be avoided.”

This Commentary was broadcast on the East German Radio Program “Schwarzer Kanal” on the same day that Peter Fechter’s Funeral took place at the Cemetery of the Resurrection Congregation in Berlin-Weissensee.

In addition to losing their Son, Peter’s Parents suffered reprisals from both the East German Government and Ordinary East German Citizens for Decades as Peter was considered an “Enemy of the State.”

Shortly after his death a Cross was placed on the Western Side near the spot where Peter Fechter was shot and bled to death.

American News Magazine “Time” in August 1962 headlined Peter Fechter.

In this article, the expression "Wall of Shame" (German: Mauer der Schande) was coined, and this would become a synonym for the Wall.

After German Reunification in 1990, the Peter-Fechter-Stelle Memorial was constructed on Zimmerstraße, at the precise spot where he had died on the Eastern side.

It has the inscription: "… er wollte nur die Freiheit." ("… he just wanted freedom.")

(Memorial to Peter Fechter on Zimmerstraße.)

In March 1997, 7 years after the Reunification of Germany and 35 years after Peter’s death, 2former East German Border Guards, Rolf Friedrich and Erich Schreiber, faced Manslaughter charges for Peter’s death.

 Both admitted to the shooting after an intense investigation.

They were both convicted and sentenced to 20 and 21 Months' Imprisonment on Probation.

Due to a lack of conclusive evidence, the German Court was unable to determine which of three Gunmen (one of whom had already died) had fired the fatal bullet.

After pleading Guilty to the crime, during sentencing, both Guards apologized for killing Peter Fechter, saying that if they could take it back, they would, and that they were honestly remorseful for their actions.