Introduction

When I was in Paris in 1994, visiting my cousins whose father Max (Mordka) Zawiercucha died a year before, I first saw David Szmulewski book. In this book, the only place in the world, Max's name is mentioned, his sufferings is recorded, his life during three years of abuse and slavery is described, his dreams and daily fight to survive are told. It cannot be left in Yiddish, a language that second generation hardly speak anymore.

My cousin Mordka Zawierucha, the “young friend” of David Szmulewski is mentioned in the book. The book has an index of more than 335 (!) names, (not all the names are included, so this is but a partial index. AH.) but without the page numbers. I don't understand Yiddish, but I can read its Hebrew (my mother's tongue) writing. For a whole night back than, I was scanning the book and on the following morning I gave to my cousin 12 bookmarks which the photocopied for me. Coming back to Israel, my father, Meir Holtzman of blessed memory, translated those 12 pages.

The family Zawierucha originated from Wyszogrod and Gombin Poland and immigrated like thousands of other Polish Jews to France, during the first years of the 30s. The family was expelled to Drancy and from there transported to Auschwitz. They were gassed to death upon arrival at Auschwitz from Drancy, on July 1942. Max (Mordka Zawierucha) was the only survivor. He survived three years in the ghenna (hell) Auschwitz. Father Zajnwil, mother Perla neé Gostynska and two sisters Ryfka and Fajga perished. One family wiped off the earth. One out of millions. Perla Zawierucha nee' Gostinska was my grandfather Jakob's sister. The end of the Gostinski family is already known, tens of descendants from Gombin, Zychlin, Gostynin, Zakroczym, Lodz, Wyszogrod: extermination...

But being so comprehensive and a first sight testimony of the concentration and death camp Auschwitz, I got very interested and looked for the book in Yad Vashem where I found it in their extensive collection. I photocopied it all and decided such a document should be translated to Hebrew and English later (if any financing institute found), otherwise, the book is doomed for oblivion.

It highlights the heroism of the victims in that other planet “Auschwitz”. It proofs that whenever it was possible, even against all odds, the Jews fought and resisted the Nazi German oppressors, and the Jews didn't go as sheep to the slaughter. It also describes the horrible Nazi mechanism of extermination, abuse, oppression and humiliation, which killed the spirit of the victims, not only their bodies. The organization of resistance in its own was already a victory over evil.

It is also a breathtaking account of the day-to-day life near the crematoria, in the mist of the ashes...

My late father was willing to continue with the translation, but life is cruel and he died unexpectedly last September, before project could be materialized.

I recently found another Yiddish speaking High School director in pension, Mr. Haim Avi Mor who agreed to do this for a modest symbolic sum, yet to be paid to him. I commissioned him the work and paid an advance from my own pocket.

I start fund-raising through the Internet for this project, aiming to translate and publish the book in Hebrew at the first stage, as no resources to do also the English translation.

Haim Avi Mor (original name was “Piekarz”) is a retired Gymnasium director and felt close to the subject, having lost also all his family in the Holocaust. He is from the small town of Zelachow. He translated already the whole book!

I hope anyone will recognize the importance of this project and will help me so that the chapter of the resistance in Auschwitz, the chapter of survival, heroism and fight will not be forgotten. It is also the story of the anonymous Jewish inmates who found the courage and strength to resist their oppressors in the other planet Auschwitz; Their stories were never told as most of them did not see the light of liberation; or were silent about the tragic past, taking their testimony with them to their graves.

Dawid Szmulewski was their voice! His book should be translated and published!

Ada Holtzman
Tel Aviv 1.12.1999

 

Introduction by Samuel Pisar	9
In the Streets of Kolo	13
Three Years in Eretz Israel	19
In the Botwin Group	24
The Establishment of Auschwitz	29
1. Why Auschwitz?	29
2. The First Jewish Prisoners (“Kaczetniks”) in Auschwitz	31
3. The List of Crimes	32
A Parade (“Appell”) in the Death Camp	37
The Beginning of the Resistance	51
The Tragedy and the Heroism of the Greek Jewry	65
The Factory for Shoes Paste “Erdal”	83
“Kol Nidrei”in the Camp	89
Christian Holiday	94
The Spanish Traditions of Botwin in the Camp	102
1. The Organization	104
2. The Organization' Activities	105
Balicki Ziegmont	107
1. The Hiding Place	113
2. The Strategic Plan of the Revolt	116
3. The Free Balicki	117
A Funeral in Auschwitz	122
Good People in the Women Camp	127
1. The Women Camp	127
2. Orly Rejchrat	128
3. The Meeting	129
4. Receiving Water	130
5. A Birthday Present	131
6. Dr. Adeliada Hotwal	132
7. Dr. Monci Szwalwowa	133
8. Dr. Olga Nikiticzna	135
9. The Women Heroines	137
10. Block of the Leprosy Sick	137
The Second Commando of the Roof-Covering Workers	142
1. History	142
2. The Commando of the Roof Covering Workers and their Role in the Resistance.	144
3. How to remove a bad Kapo?	149
4. Our Contacts with the Doctors	152
5. Philipek becomes a Merchant	155
6. Szimon Gutland - the Expert	147
7. Melinka and Baretzki	159
The Escapee's from the Camp	163
1. Kostek and Tomek	163
2. They Were Three...	170
3. The Informer - Provocateur: Doroszewicz and his Victim	174
4. 24 Days in a Bunker	176
5. The First Swallows Leave the Camp	181
6. Two Jews visit the Nuncio of the Pope	187
7. Wolodia	188
The Revolt of the Sonderkommando	197
The Long March from Auschwitz to Berlin	232
1. the last Days in the Camp	232
2. In the Starving Transport	235
From Berlin to Dachau and Kaufering	241
1. Berlin	241
2. Dimitri Korbishev	242
3. Sachsenhausen	243
4. Russian Partisans in Chains	244
5. “Privileged” Prisoners (Kateczniks)	244
6. Continue in the Wandering Roads	245
7. To Dachau	248
8. Dachau - Allach	250
9. Kaufering near Landsberg	250
The Trial of Dr. Wladislav Dering against the Writer Leon Yuris	253
Official Letters and Documents with Commentaries	268
1. First Steps	270
2. Frankfurt for the Second Time	275
3. Dix Visits Auschwitz	277
4. “The Pleasure Trip” of the Provocateurs	279
5. The Nazi Archive	281
6. The Interrogation	283
7. The Viennese Meetings	284
8. On the Eve of the Process	286
9. The First Impression	287
10. The Role of the Diplomats	288
11. The Pre-History of the Local Vision	293
12. Again in Auschwitz	294
13. The Verdict	296
14. The Jackals	297
15. A Messenger from the General Motzar	299
16. The Last Road of Professor Jan Sehan	300
From Slavery to Freedom	319
1. Wood for Bread	319
2. The March - First Day, One Day	325
3. The Death March (Todesmarsche) - Second day	326
4. ...And the Evening and the Morning were the Third Day	327
5. On the Eve of Redemption (“Geula”)	329
“With the Wanderer's Staff in Hand”...	334
From Vienna to Paris	339
Partial List of Names	340
List of Photographs and Documents	347

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