The Holocaust and Beyond, Short Stories

By Elizabeth Keimach

A book of short stories about the Holocaust and how it affected people after World War 11 was over. The stories are varied and deal with the terrible situation the Jews of Europe found themselves in when Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Many Jews and others were slaughtered . Afterwards thousands were burned in ovens. This period is a terrible time in our history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9780244480899

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The Holocaust and Beyond, Short Stories

The Holocaust and Beyond

Short Stories

Elizabeth Keimach

© Elizabeth Keimach

Publisher, Burbette Publishing Co.

Judah

Soon they will come for us Judah, said his father Daniel as he gazed out at the Nazi flag flying from the window of the house opposite, where a member of the Nazi party lived.

Yes Papa, maybe we should have got out of Berlin after Kristallnacht when they smashed Jewish shop windows and vandalised our synagogues.

I tried Judah, but no country would take us and then it was impossible after Hitler attacked Poland.

But maybe if we had left before that, when Hitler banned us from all professional jobs.  You know how I lost my teaching position  at the Academy and now I must work as a waiter in the same restaurant as you.

Ah Judah, hindsight is such a good thing. But who was to know that the German people would support that monster. We believed he would be kicked out of the Chancellor’s job.

I still cannot believe that our civilised country can behave in this way. I wanted better for my baby boy.

Just then there was a loud rapping at the door and Daniel answered it. Outside stood two men in Nazi uniforms carrying guns.

We have orders that you and your family are to be transported from Germany. You may take one suitcase each. We will be back in thirty minutes. With that the Nazis abruptly walked away.

Sadly Daniel turned to Judah, It’s time son, go tell your wife and mother. They are in the kitchen. I’ll collect our valuables. Tell mother to pack a bag for me and we must put on several layers of clothes.

Daniel hurried to the kitchen to inform his wife Leah and his mother Hannah that they had been told by the Nazis that they must leave Germany. When they heard the news the two women hurried to get ready.

"But where are they taking us Judah?

I don’t know Leah, they just said out of Germany.

Half an hour later the Nazis returned and forced the family to the train station, where along with fellow Jews they were loaded onto cattle cars. Judah managed to get a corner for his wife, his baby and his mother and he and his father stood protectively in front of them. This precaution saved their lives for many people died on the appalling journey to Auschwitz in Poland.

When they arrived the doors were pulled open and the two men helped their women out of the train. Hannah clutched her frail baby to her breast. As Judah looked around he saw many skeletons walking around in  striped pyjamas, also there were Nazis in uniform brandishing guns. One man started to run and was immediately shot and kicked under the train..

The SAS men were shouting Form a line, schnell, schnell.

When Daniel’s family got to the front, he and his son were pushed to the right and his wife, daughter and the baby were pushed to the left. Judah tried to go with his wife and baby but was roughly dragged back into the right lane by a man wearing the  prison uniform.

Don’t be a fool. They will kill you if you try that again.

Judah and his father were marched to a registration centre where they were forced to undress and have their heads shaved. Then they were herded into a large shower room. When they emerged their clothes and possessions had disappeared. In their place was a striped pyjama suit with a Star of David sewn onto the front. Also a pair of wooden shoes and a striped cap.

Put on your uniform Jews. Do not lose your cap, shoes, mug or bowl, they will not be replaced, shouted the guard.

They were then lined up and tattooed with a number. They no longer had names, they were to answer to a number.

After they were dressed the prisoners were marched to a block. In each block were three wooden tiers with a blanket, a bowl and a mug on each one.

This is where you will sleep. This man is your kapo he is in charge of you. He pushed to the front  a prisoner with kapo written on his uniform.

Judah was pleased to see his kapo was the man who had saved his life. He was placed in the top bunk and his father took the one directly below him.

The regime in the camp was bad for father and son, but for some prisoners it was really wicked. Fortunately Judah’s