“At morning roll [sic] call the occupancy of Auschwitz-Birkenau is 15,925, including 154 Russian POWs.
111 male prisoners are given Nos. 44233-44343; 73 female prisoners sent from Kattowitz by the Gestapo receive Nos.8111-8183. The men are workers in the Paris coal mine, now called the General Zawadzki mine, in Dombrowa. They are sent with their sons. The female prisoners are the mothers, wives, and daughters of these men” (Czech 190).
Dombrowa Synagogue 1940s
Dombrowa Synagogue Today
I came across this amazing book 4 weeks ago when helping my son research the escape of my father from Slovakia in 1938 and ending up in Sosua, Dominican Republic with other Jewish refugees.
I was especially moved by the book as my two aunts from Slovakia were on the same Poprad Transport as Rena and her sister- both sisters perished.
My father believes that one died in the gas chambers and one died of typhus- I am not sure how he knows as he survived the war far away. The rest of the family survived in a cave in the Carpathian mountains and fought as partisans.
When I came upon the paragraph regarding the two Slvoak sisters who were on the same Poprad transport and who begged to be together and die together, it was as if-perhaps these two poor souls may have been my aunts.
Thank you for writing this legacy for my children and hopefully generations to come in our family.
Sincerely,
Mark Scheer
I have so many tears in my eyes I cannot even type. My heart is aching… I don’t know what else to say. Do you know your aunts’ names? I want to include them on the list we are trying to compile of the women on the first transport and to include them, as we did Adela Gross (did you see that post? On our blog?). How incredible to discover these women, after all these years. I wish to speak with you more about your aunts…. (I wrote more in a personal email)
Dear Mark,
It was so sad to hear about your aunts. This legacy of so many people who died unnecessarily continues to haunt their family members. The fact that one died for the other is incredibly moving and I’m sure you are very proud of her. No one should have to face those decisions. Best of luck and love from our family to yours.
Rena’s daughter,
Sylvia
Dear Sylvia,
Thank you for your reply and kind words. Your mother’s story is part of our family story- and yours and ours are one big family now.
I look forward to further contact with you and Heather.
A big hug from us to all of you.
Mark