A merican Yewish Periodical Center
CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, 01110
Friday, April 12, 1946
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Page Three
MEETING WITH "NUMBER 278"
time he told his story he had the
By CHAPLAIN AVM. HERBERT low number of a volunteer in the
BLOUGH, USNR
United States Army. True, he was
It was Friday evening before a number in the Army records,
the attack on a Japanese held but then he was a number for a
island in the Pacific. Aboard our different purpose — to eliminate
Amphibious Attack Transport, all the numbering of men, to clothe
hands had ithished their evening them again with the dignity and
chow; the ship was "blacked worth of personality, to enable
out," with not a light showing them again to walk the face of
top-side. Men on watch were scan- the earth as their Creator intend-
ning sky and water intensely, try- ed them to walk .. . with cour-
ing to overcome the difficulties of age and hope and faith.
His story, as I gathered It piece
seeing during the twilight period
by piece as I chanced to meet
between daylight and darkness.
From a corner in the dimly him about the ship during the
lighted crew's mess I could hear long trip to the Islands, is in min-
a voice in a low, almost mono- iature the story of his race for
tone, singing cadence. The sen- over two thousand years. The
tences uttered might well be over Jewish Dispersion well may have
two thousand years old, for they been an academic matter to him
were being read from the prayer- as he studied the history of his
book of Judaism: A dozen young people as a lad. Now it was real
men were gathered in a close cir- and personal; now it had meaning
cle around the leader, who from and significance. For he too had
his age and appearance was ob- felt the heavy hand and the still
viously one of them. The reading heavier boot of the oppressor.
Number 278's story begins in a
was in Hebrew, but those who
could not use the language of small town in Germany. He was
their fathers followed the reading the youngest of four children. His
in English print on the opposite father operated a butcher shop.
During the early mass uprisings
page.
The leader is to be known only against the Jews and their places
as Number 278, for it was by this of business his father's shop was
number that he had been known threatened. However, the Burgo-
in a German concentration camp master proved to be a friend in
need. He stood in front of the
in 1938 and 1939. Because of the
shop all one night to protect it,
barbaric practice of punishing
telling the threatening crowd,
parents for the alleged misdeeds
"This man fought for you during
of their children, this was to be
the last war. He and his business
his only name as he related his
must not be harmed."
story. At that time Number 278
But later an edict against the
had a mother still living in Ger-
butchering of cattle in the tradi-
many. He felt sure that his fath-
tional Hebrew manner put his
er's death was the direct result of
father out of business, so it was
his escape. Some time after his
while working for a neighboring
escape he learned through the
farmer that the Gestapo found
Red Cross that his father had him.
died from "appendicitis." "But my
"How old are you?" the officer
sister and I clearly remember
asked as he approached through
that many years before father had the cabbage patch.
undergone an appendectomy," was
"Eighteen," why do you ask?"
his pointed comment.
"Never mind; you are under
"Tell my story if you care to,
arrest," was the cryptic reply.
but for my mother's sake please
Just that much and nothing
don't use my name. Let me be just
more.
Number 278."
The story follows the familiar
Yes, he was Number 278 in the
German concentration camp at pattern. A long train ride, with-
Buchenwald, Germany. But at the out knowing where they were go-
in; a longer period without food
and drink; and the typical unciv-
ilized treatment at the hands of
men who had returned to bar-
barism to accomplish their ends.
"Padre, may I ask a question?"
Number 278 suddenly interrupted
his narrative and looked up in
dead earnestness. On being assur-
ed of my Interest, he continued,
"I wonder if I did right; maybe
I'm responsible for the old man's
death."
"We had been standing for days
side by side in line in the concen-
tration camp. That old man must
have been at least 80 years old.
He could not stand up alone any
longer, and I was helping him.
The guard yelled something at us,
and at the same time struck at
us with his rifle. When I saw the
rifle coming I ducked to the side,
and the old man was hit on the
head and killed. All I got was
this" — he pulled off his tunic
and showed me a scar on his up-
per arm, clearly indicating the
lack of medical attention.
"Padre, do you think I did
wrong? Am I responsible for an
old man's death: Should I have
stood still and been killed?"
What a question! And from a
lad who had been hounded like a
rabbit from his homeland.
Christmas in pre-Nazi Germany
was time of joy and happiness.
For the internees at Buchenwald
the typical Nazi touch for Christ-
mas of 1938 added a note of un-
reality which seems incredible in
a land where the birth of Christ
has meant so much ever since the
time of the Christian missionary,
Boniface, about 1300 years ago.
"We wondered if we would re-
ceive Christmas presents from
home," Number 278 continued with
his story. "I suppose our conver-
sation reached the commandant
GREETINGS
CONTINENTAL
METAL CO.
11500 RUSSELL
This was the neat trick which
prolonged Number 278's stay in
the hospital, but at the same time
it cost him the first opportunity
to come to the United States. His
passport had been cleared through
the American consul, but he was
not informed of this because he
(Continued on Page 13)
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GREETINGS!
•
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Us.
"Number 279 had died. Or was
it I, Number 278? Yes, it was I,
too, for we were one in the camp
at Buchenwald."
BERG'S
MARKET
From time to time during our
long trip over the Pacific I learn-
ed a few tricks of the trade from
Number 278. To make the doctor
think you're ill and with fever,
just rub the thermometer on
rough cloth. In a concentration
camp there are not enough doc-
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Greetings and Good Wishes
To All Our Patrons, Friends, , Relatives
We Have Much To Be Thankful For-
J. CHRISTY
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Suits Cleaned and Pressed
Ladies' Hats Our Specialty
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Recreation Bldg.
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7
Season's Greetings
r .
ECONOMICAL
PUBLIC MARKET
Passover Greetings
FOX
THEATRE
tors and nurses to watch too
closely. The friction from rapid
rubbing will heat the bulb, and
presto, you have too much fever
to be sent to work in the stone
quarry.
SEASON'S GREETINGS!
A VERY JOYOUS PASSOVER TO ALL
c
of the camp. At any rate, Christ-
mas Eve we were lined up in the
court yard facing a gallows. Re-
member my number was 278. The
officer in charge came down the
line, looking us over one by one.
Was he stopping in front of me?
I was not sure. My heart beat
furiously; my knees wanted to
give way under me. Seconds seem-
ed like hours. Finally came the
harsh command 'du.' Quickly I
looked up. I heard the command
'you,' but the officer was pointing
at my neighbor, Number 279!
"Did I have a feeling of relief?
No, for he was taking part of me,
too. We were one in that German
concentration camp . . . All 10,000
of us. Common suffering, common
helplessness had made us one.
Yes, the 'du' meant me too. In my
heart I walked with Number 279
across the parade grounds. There,
under threat of further punish-
ments to my 'other selves' stand-
ing in line, I was forced to watch
part of myself hanged until dead.
"No charge had been made
against us; no accusation spoken.
"Juden, there is your Christmas
present. I hope you sleep well.
Good night," and the officer left
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Passover Greetings
We Extend Heartiest Wishes to Our Many Friends,
and All Jews for an Everlasting
Peace and Good Will
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PASSOVER GREETINGS
FROM