34 | MAY 2 • 2024
J
N
M
y wife was recently doing
some organizing at her
mother’s home and
stumbled across a letter written by
her great-uncle, Erwin Baer, to his
wife, Doris, on May 2, 1945. His
army unit had reached the Dachau
concentration camp just three days
after it was liberated, and he fought
through very strong emotions to
try and convey to Doris what had
transpired there.
You see, Erwin was not just the
usual American army soldier: He
and his six siblings all grew up in
Germany and emigrated to the
United States. Erwin came with
his brother, Simon, in 1927 before
Hitler came to power. The rest
of the family rushed to the U.S.
between 1935 and 1940 as condi-
tions for Jews steadily deteriorated.
I cannot even imagine how
Erwin felt seeing in person what
their fate would have been had
they not made the decision to leave
Nazi Germany before it was too
late.
Since the original letter is lost,
I took the best copy available to
the Zekelman Holocaust Center in
Farmington Hills, and they grate-
fully added it to their collection.
Ironically, hanging on the wall in
the research area was a painting of
Dachau done by Samuel Pruchno,
a Lithuanian Holocaust survivor
who survived Dachau, Stutthof and
Muehldorf concentration camps.
Many of us grew up with the
mantra, “Never Forget.” While we
are losing firsthand witnesses to
the Holocaust as that generation
continues aging, we are fortunate
that many photographs, videos and
letters like the one Uncle Erwin
wrote still exist, which is why you
can read the letter in its entirety
online at thejewishnews.com.
I hope you will share this with
others … The story must con-
tinue to be told. And if you have
anything of historical signifi-
cance regarding the Holocaust,
please consider donating it to the
Zekelman Holocaust Center so it
can be used as a resource for future
generations.
We Must
Never
Forget
Recently found
letter describes the
horror of Dachau.
PAUL GROSS
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
YOM HASHOAH
Paul Gross in front
of “Roll Call” by
Samuel Pruchno
at the Zekelman
Holocaust Center
JARED GROSS
34 | MAY 2 • 2024