CracowGhetto: An Account of the Tragedy of an Historic • Community
(Editor's note: March 14 marked
the 30th anniversary of the liq-
uidaZion of the Cracow ghetto.
Myer Weinreb was an eye-witness
and survivor of the tragedy. He
is a bus ,,nessman in Union, N.J.,
was an inmate in Auschwitz for
two years and in Dachau for
six months. He arrived in this
country in 1948.)
walk. The SS police were
using bayonets and butts to
quiet down the rising, fall-
ing. sea of people, each per-
son trying to be selected for
the labor camps to save his
life. I stood in a relatively
By MYER WEINREB
quiet column with women
(Copyright 1973, JTA, Inc.)
Thirty years have passed and men who did not want
away since that memorable to be with the boiling crowd
day, March 14, 1943, but the of the able-bodied men wait.
pictures, scenes, events, tor- ing to be selected for the
ture and torment still live camp Plaszow.
so vividly in my memory as Suddenly the SS troopers
if it had happened yesterday, started to pick out their vic-
and I will carry it within me tims from the standing col-
till the last breath of my umns; they acted indiscrim-
inately, but as a criterion
soul.
The Cracow Ghetto was di- they were picking out the
vided into two areas: "A" elderly, the poorly dressed,
and "B." "A" was inhabited and those not standing
by Jews who worked in dif- straight in the rows. They
ferent shops, factories, air- dragged them into the house
ports, military installations, halls and shot them in the
etc. "B" was inhabited by head.
I heard the pleading, beg-
Jews unable to work, sick,
elderly, women with children ging, praying voices of the
and others who did not have victims to spare their lives—
working papers. I lived in the stoneheaded Germans.
Ghetto "B" because I was They carried out their bloody
an escapee from a labor mission with the utmost pre-
camp where I had gotten cision. The cacophony of ex-
sick and had had to run ploding bullets filled the air
away; otherwise, I would in a terrible, unbearable stac-
have been executed — this cato.
Death was working over-
_ was the only cure they ap-
plied to sick Jews the min- time. Drunken soldiers
ute they became unproduc- brought infants in little bas-
kets from the neighboring
tive for the labor camp.
On Saturday, March 13, the apartments, placed them in
populace of Ghetto "A" was the middle of the square,
evicted and moved to concen- and shot them without re-
tration camps Jerosolimski- morse.
Plaszow, located on the site
Oh, my God — I looked at
of the Jewish cemetery. The the blue sky and could not
expulsion was carried out believe it — is this a dread-
by the Jewish police under ful nightmare or true life?
the orders and supervision of I asked myself, "Is there
the Gestapo. It was heart- no mercy, no pity, no civili-
breaking to look at the poor zabon in the 20th Century?"
Jewish crowd — carrying This is being done by a na-
bundles filled with bare ne- tion of philosophers and
cessities. thinkers, the German people.
They were crying, shouting, Why do we have to die so
praying, breaking their hands young, just for being born
over the helpless situation — a Jew?
obeying the cruel order of
Helmeted Waffen SS in
SS Officer Dr. Warner, the long coats with hand-machine
governor of the Cracow Dis- guns began loading 60 per-
trict, to leave Ghetto "A" sons into each truck. They
under the death penalty. I squeezed them together so
saw families separated: hus- tightly that one could not
bands from wives, mothers turn around. In the back
from children. This was the were two armed guards and
most brutal moment — when a convoy of motorcycle po-
mothers were taken away lice behind them. I did not
from their children, have any idea where they
There is no pen which can were taking us. They brought
describe those scenes and prisoners from the jails and
any imagination is too weak loaded them in our trans-
to have any idea of what hap- port. We went through the
pened on that day in the whole city of Cracow: they
Cracow Ghetto and, as we wanted to show the Polish
now know, in hundreds of population what they could
other ghettos where Jews expect if they resisted the
lived under Nazi rule. might of the Third Reich.
Sunday. March 14. 1943. The truck I was on had
the sun rose brightly and a blow-out. This saved my
welcomed Ghetto "B" warm. life — they stopped and
ly. Concord Square, where waited for another truck to
the inhabitants were gather- transfer us. The preceeding , -
ing for the exodus, was trucks went straight to the
bathed in sunrays and on I Auschwitz crematoria. We
the ground snow was still arrived late; the gassing for
visible. The ghetto was en- the day was finished. At the
circled by a ring of Polish I big gate of Auschwitz I
blue uniformed police, by i read a sign: "Labor Makes
Ukrainian Sonderienst in Freedom." When our truck
black uniforms, and by Ger. I crossed the big door loaded
man Schuppo in tall helmets, with high . tension wire, I
I saw the familiar faces knew that the last chapter
of the Cracow Nazi elite: of the 500-year-old Cracow
Major SS Haase — he look- Jewry had come to an end.
ed like Himmler, and was in
The sun, which had gotten
charge of the whole opera- up so bright and early in
tion. Next to him were Ges- the morning and which was a
tapo officers Kundte and mute witness to the horrors
Heinnrich.
on Concord Square in the
I recognized two camp Cracow Ghetto, was hiding
leaders: SS Officers Miller shamefully behind the Car-
and Goeth. Both held big pathian Mountains. The gold-
German shepherds, charging en-red flames of the crema-
them constantly against the toria chimneys were billow-
human mass, which was ing into the skies, piercing.
tightly pressed together on stabbing — as if they would
a narrow strip of the side- be demanding an answer to
24 Friday, April 27, 1973
THE DETROIT JEWSH NEWS
—
the eternal question of the friendly Polish king — Casi- of higher religious learning ture but to the prevailing
Jewish people: "Why did it mir the Great — who gave all over the world. Famous Polish culture as well. In
happen?"
them a privileged status in leaders of the Hasidic, Zion- 1939, the Jewish population
It was Sunday, March 14, order to develop Poland's ist, Revisionist, and Social- of Cracow was 60,000 strong;
1943
the longest day of backward economic life
ist Labor movements lived today, after the Holocaust,
my life, and I lived with
The Cracow Jewish com- there and were active in all 2,000 Jews are left in the
my folks through 500 years— munity was a spiritual well segments of science, arts, city — they are from dif-
in just one day.
with influence far beyond politics, e c o n o m i c s and ferent parts of Europe, some
a * *
Poland's
frontiers.
Great sports.
.ire old and sick, some are
Jews lived in Cracow for scholars and rabbis came The Jews of Cracow took . esigned and bitter, all are
500 years. They came from from Cracow: their works part in and were outstanding esentful of the fate they met
Germany after the Spanish are known in all Jewish sem- contributors not only to the and experienced during the
Tnquisition, brought in by a inars, yeshivot, and schools contemporary Jewish cul- war.
—
JEWISH
TRAVELOG
Ritaze gad(
•
A TWO ISLAND CARIBBEAN HONEYMOON! The
idea had long intrigued me. A kind of "mix 'n match"
journey. Our ultimate choice was Aruba and St. Croix—
two quite delightful, yet different spots.
ARUBA—Our American Airlines flight down took a
little over four hours. We arrived around mid-afternoon
. . . went through a very informal customs line . . .
and from there into a waiting cab. Our drive to our hotel,
the Aruba Caribbean, took us through desert-like terrain.
Ah, but this was desert with a difference—namely long
stretches of undisturbed beach. on either side of the wind-
ing road! Those almost-too-good-to-be-true Aruba travel
brochures, read so carefully before the honeymoon, very
quickly came to life before our eyes!
•
jeeps"—small gasoline-powered boats that skim along the
water at just fast enough speeds. Each seats a single
person. We tried them out ourselves on our last day there.
Funny, whenever I think of them, I vividly recall my
bride frantically zooming past me in true bronco-riding
fashion. "If only she would slow down," I kept thinking!
After calling to her several times—without result—I
finally steered close enough to hear her shout "How do
you stop this thing?" Of course, before I could muster an
answer, she went darting off again!
However, I can now report, quite happily, that my
little rodeo queen eventually did manage to control her
craft . . and in plenty of time to make our American
Airlines flight to St. Croix later that day.
ARUBA — FROM A JEWISH PERSPSCTIVE
American Airlines' new pocket-size "Jewish Tourist's
Guide to the Caribbean" is a dandy volume to take with
you on your own journey to these Islands in the sun. We
consulted ours often. For example, through its pages we
learned that the very first Jew to rent land from the
Dutch West India Company in Aruba was Moses de Salomo
Levy Maduro, who arrived from Curacao with his wife
and six children in 1754.
Aruba's present-day Jewish community (which num-
bers about 200) dates from the 1920's. At that time, im-
migrants arrived from places like Poland, Romania and
Czechoslovakia—most of whom worked as laborers. Later,
many established businesses for themselves.
The Beth Israel Ashkenazic Orthodox temple, founded
in 1962, is located on Nassaustraat near Pasteurstraat.
Services are held Fridays at 8:00 p.m. Interestingly, this
iNg
"1111111, striking house of worship was designed by Morris Lapidus,
the same architect responsible for the Aruba Caribbean
H
After a warm welcome at the Aruba Caribbean's front o t e I .
ST. CROIX BY THE SEA—Located directly on the
desk, we were ushered into our fourth floor retreat. A
beautiful room too—with two exposures! One overlooked ocean . . . surrounded by no less than 22 acres of lush
the interior of this five mile wide Dutch Island. (A small tropical gardens, St. Croix by the Sea struck us immedi-
working windmill, actually transported from Holland, ately as the ideal setting for a romantic honeymoon.
For
example,
ever St.
hear
of a by
room
with has
a Ceiling-to-
dotted the landscape.) The second offered a breathtaking floor
swing
for two?
Croix
the Sea
them—in
panorama of a very blue Caribbean. Below our balcony—
lush green gardens . . . wide stretches of coastline . . . virtually every room. There's even another one in the
and a picture postcard view of the Aruba Caribbean's front lobby (which. curiously, always seemed "occupied"
—day and night!). Here's a hotel, too, where all rooms face
sprawling pool.
"This is quite a place!" I remember exclaiming. the ocean! (Nice to know when you're looking for real
However, I'm not sure, even now, if my bride of 281/2 value in a Caribbean resort.)
Here, also, people who really care make a big dif-
hours actually heard the comment. All I know it seemed
like seconds later we were both "suited up" and dashing ference. And that's just where St. Croix by the Sea excels!
Overseeing all is Herman Bredemeier, the hotel's very
into that envigorating Caribbean surf.
Before long, we met two other honeymoon couples. capable general manager. Then there is Johnnie, their
Then. after learning hometowns and exchanging wedding always attentive maitre d' in the atmospheric Saint Sea
day highlights, we all adjourned to the Aruba Caribbean's Pavillion, where guests dine by candlelight overlooking
poolside bar for an appropriate toast. The great variety of the ocean.
'By the way, St. Croix by the Sea's honeymoon special
tempting tropical drinks there made the selection process
anything but easy! For example, there were pina coladas also turns out to be quite ,a bargain. Just think—a seven
. .. coconut coolers . . . colorful rum concoctions . . . day, six night package comes to only $296 per couple.
and, of course, those "betcha can't have just one" house This rate includes breakfast and dinner daily . . .
specials. This first afternoon, however, everyone opted for welcome drink on arrival . . . a complimentary bottle of
a delicious frozen banana daiquiry "made by Byam." rum in your room .. a day's sailing trip to famous Buck
Byam, I must explain, is the Aruba Caribbean's star bar- Island . . . and other money-saving features.
tender; and all I can say is that his "outdoor laboratory"
THE JEWISH SIDE OF ST. CROIX
soon became a favorite haunt for us all!
Once again our American Airlines "Jewish Tourist's
EVENINGS IN ARUBA proved equally delightful. Guide to the Caribbean" proved valuable. For example,
First there was dinner in the elegant Papiamento Room, it's believed that individual Jewish settlers arrived in St.
named for the language of the island (a colorful blend of Croix as early as the late 17th Century.
Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese). Other nights we tried
No formal Jewish community was established on the
"Le Petit Bistro", a charming French-style restaurant island, however, until 1733, when France ceded St. Croix
located in the lower lobby. Le Petit Bistro's rolling hors to Denmark. By 1760, a small congregation formed at
d'oeuvre cart . . . well seasoned French soups . . . and Christiansted, and a synagogue followed six years later.
Chef Lebrun's superb house specialties were all outstand- It's even reported that Moses Benjamin, a St. Croix mer-
ing. Incidentally, even dessert here is an experience, chant, had kosher meat shipped to him from New York!
thanks to French Pastry Chef Rene Brule's expertise. Le
Visitors today can visit the old Jewish cemetery
Petit Bistro—definitely worth a visit!
(ep;taphs from 1799 to 1862) located in the western suburb
As a matter of fact, no matter where we ate in the of Christiansted. adjacent to the Moravian Cemetery.
Aruba Caribbean, the cuisine proved consistently superior.
Unfortunately, even a full week in St. Croix is not
Hotel manager Stuart Waters offered an explanation. It enough. By the seventh day, you're just beginning to
seems that all the Aruba Caribbean's chefs are brought "settle in" and really enjoy. But even honeymoons must
over from France and put through an extensive "on the end sometime. And .so, before we knew it, it was farewell
job" training program. All work side-by-side with the to both St. Croix and this dream hotel. But certainly not
hotel's master chef. A most successful venture it has been, good-bye. Maybe more like "shalom" (which, 'after all,
too!
also means "hello"). Fact is, this is one place that's
Then there are the Aruba Caribbean's delightful "sea really worth a second. or third.. visit!
.-