Daily Journal

Marek: The daughter of Auschwitz

I have written before of my impressions of the history of World War II and especially Auschwitz. This past week was a reminder of those times and that awful place. It was the 80th anniversary of the freeing of the prisoners by the Russians from that horrible concentration camp. But most interesting this past week was a series of interviews with one particular survivor of that camp.

I had visited Auschwitz a few years back as a part of my writing “The Ultimate Survivor” and the life of Wally Pieszka, a resident of the Kankakee area. One part of that amazing Polish man’s life was that as a teenaged Polish student, he was forced by the German occupiers to become a painter of the buildings at Auschwitz. He saw it all.

When I moved to Michigan for a few years, I joined a group called HASP. It was the creation of Hope College in Holland and is comprised of retired senior professionals. The organization brought in the most amazing speakers on a wide variety of topics. We heard from government people who explained the workings of several federal organizations such as the national budget.

There was a professor who trained students to chase cold cases that the police had given up on, already catching three. We learned of literature, poetry, and mathematics from learned professionals. The subject matters were just what retired people needed for further stimulation as well as real education into areas we knew little of.

Then one day it was announced that there would be a special presentation, and due to its nature, it would not be in a classroom, but in the university auditorium. It was a must for me as it was to feature one of the oldest survivors of Auschwitz. Her name was Tova Friedman.

This past week, her story was featured on the front page of the USA Today. All four major networks had her on their principal news. This included an interview with David Muir as the two of them walked through the alleys of Auschwitz. She was to be a principal speaker at a recognition of the 80th anniversary of that terrible place in our history held at the very location.

As I read the newspaper and watched ABC news, it brought me back to this incredible lady and her presentation that day in Michigan. I even had the opportunity to be in a small group after her talk to listen even further to her passion to spread the truths of these awful camps to all the world. Her story is heartbreaking.

In late 1944, Auschwitz was on its last legs as Russian troops were moving closer and closer to this Polish concentration camp. Tova and her mother were some of the last Jews to be put into confinement. Tova was about to turn 5. Her father had already been interned in Dachau. When mother and daughter were placed in the camp, they were separated. Tova did not see her mother until a strange turn of events took place several months later.

Tova was with all small children in a separate building. In late January 1945, she and her fellow children were marched to the “showers,” the poisonous gassing that would take place before cremation in the horrific furnaces of the camp. The end for her was imminent. But just as they reached the building with the showers and gas, the guards were ordered to turn them around.

The guards then scattered, and the children raced for cover. The next miracle was that Tova ended up running into the very building that housed her mother.

The Germans had planned to march the captives away from Auschwitz, probably to stop the Russians from discovering the crimes against humanity that existed there. But the youngest children surely could not tolerate such a march on foot with freezing temperatures. They most likely would be executed in some way.

Tova’s mother, knowing the probable fate for her daughter, hid Tova literally under a corpse in one of the rooms. She then secreted herself in the attic of the building as the German guards made a cursory inspection of the various buildings. Both Tova and her mother were freed by the Russians on Jan. 27, 1945.

The rest of her story included finding her father who had survived Dachau, returning to their primarily Jewish village, and finding no one had survived. Not friends, not relatives, not anyone.

In her presentation, Tova took the stage with a microphone. She had no chair, no dais, and no notes. Tova then delivered her presentation for an hour and a half without a break, even though she was then 82 years old. She showed her tattoos and explained that she would not have them removed as a further proof against the non-believers and deniers of the holocaust.

Tova’s daughter has spent most of her adult life traveling with her mother as she delivers her message to the entire world. This is the driving purpose of this woman’s life and will continue as long as she lives. She is one of the oldest survivors of all the concentration camps. Soon there will be none, and will the story of this terrible happening just slide away into history?

I followed up with the purchase of Tova’s book, “The Daughter of Auschwitz.” I only wish I had had it that day, and she could have signed it for me. Despite being unsigned, it has a special place in my library along with a few other books signed by incredible people who I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting over the years.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to hear and appreciate this woman’s story and passion. Yet the world appears to be more antisemitic each year. I only hope that because of people like Tova, we never forget.