holocaust seminar

            To start off our seminar about the holocaust, a wonderful lady named Rena came to speak to us. From five years to nine years old, Rena experienced the unfathomable torture and horrors of a ghetto, labor camp, and then a concentration camp where she lost her parents and all of her siblings. When she first arrived at the camp, her parents dressed her up as a boy so she would have more of a chance of living because if you were a girl under the age of ten, you would probably be sent straight to the gas chambers but if you were a boy, they would see you as useful and keep you as a laborer until you got sick enough to die on your own. For a while, Rena’s sex was kept a secret from the Nazi’s and although the other men in the barracks knew the truth, they helped to harbor and protect her even though it was risking all of their lives, too.

When Rena’s family got transported to the next camp, the Nazi’s yelled to everyone to split into two lines – girls to the right, boys to the left, and they were told that they would be given showers and new clothes. Rena’s dad realized that if Rena, who was thought to be a boy, would be stripped naked, her identity would be fully revealed and she would be killed instantly for deceit. Although dangerous, Rena’s father pushed her into the girls’ line. This was the last time she ever saw her dad again.

 Most of the women in her line were sent straight to the gas chambers, including Rena’s mother. For some miraculous reason, Rena was told to go to the barracks and her life was spared. Because Rena was so young and orphaned, a kind lady prisoner took in upon herself to watch out and take care of Rena. Rena doesn’t remember this lady’s name, what she looked like, or even what happened to her, but she knows that without her, Rena would not have survived. This cycle continued throughout her time during the holocaust- mother after mother, a new woman would bear the responsibility of taking care of her and then suddenly disappear (either they died or were transported to other camps). From what she remembers, Rena had five mothers throughout her childhood. When many survivors describe the holocaust, they say that it was “every man for himself” and everyone’s main focus was their own survival and as the war progressed, Jews were stealing bread from each other and turning their backs on everyone in order to survive. Rena believes the opposite. She knows that without the gracious help of others, there’s no way she would have survived.