[Page 470]

A short time ago I returned to Poland after an absence of more than six years, during which I was homeless and driven from my beloved home.

Once I had only placed one foot on Polish soil I considered it my sacred duty to travel to my hometown of Ostrovtse, in order to find out the fate of my near and dear who had remained there after my escape from Poland during the German occupation.

To my great pain and sorrow I found out that of my large, many–branched family, and of all my relatives, close friends, colleagues and acquaintances – no one had save himself from the horrible catastrophe. All were tragically murdered in the terrible years of the Nazi occupation of Poland.

I went to the graves of my parents at the Jewish cemetery. I wanted to seek out at least the graves of my nearest and dearest, who had died a natural death just before the Nazi devastation.

A shocking scene revealed itself before my eyes: the fence that had once enclosed the cemetery on all sides – was destroyed and in ruin. Many gravestones were broken and hacked to pieces.

The violated cemetery in Ostrovtse

[Page 470]

Of the many thousands of gravestones very few remained. Cows, goats and pigs pastured themselves freely in the cemetery and no one disturbed them. The cemetery was abandoned, lawless. The worst part was that the very few remaining gravestones were also ruined, broken, made unclean, desecrated and violated by hooligans.

People told me that the Germans had, during the occupation, torn up the gravestones and paved the sidewalks along the streets of the Jewish towns and villages in Poland. I myself, during my visit in Ostrovtse, stumbled upon gravestones in the sidewalks, from which the square Jewish letters and the traditional “P”N” at the head screamed out. The danger threatened that very soon the cemetery would disappear entirely and that no trace of it would remain!

I decided to intervene in that painful matter which would not let me rest and pressed heavily on my conscience. I went to the town hall, to the town president, Mr. Bushko. I explained to the president that every cemetery in the entire world, no matter what people it belongs to – should be protected and respected, and that it was very unseemly in the new Poland for the Jewish cemeteries to be found in such a neglected and abandoned condition after the war…

The town president, Mr. Bushko, listened to me without comment and professed great understanding for my concern about the sad state of the Jewish cemetery. But he declared that the town president can do nothing to help. Putting up a new fence around the Jewish cemetery would cost a lot of money, Poland is in ruins after the war, the state treasury was empty

The cemetery has been truned into a pasture

[Page 471]

and there was no money for the most necessary needs. Plus the Polish youth were very demoralized after the Nazi occupation and they disturbed and abused the remaining Jewish gravestones. He promised me to place wooden signs around the cemetery with warnings that anyone who broke gravestones or desecrated the cemetery would be harshly punished. I do not know whether he kept his promise. I left that Jew–clean Ostrovtse and went to Warsaw.

As I gleaned from Jews in many other towns and villages in Poland, the same sad situation reigned everywhere. Besides the terrible desecration of something sacred, our cemetery had important historical significance. Our cemeteries are pieces of Jewish history. Generations upon generations of Jews, among them many writers, poets, scholars and artists who lived, affected, created and died on that very earth.

I believe that Jewish society everywhere, our brothers and sisters in the larger world, are forbidden to remain indifferent and must earnestly interest themselves in the ongoing question of how to rescue that which still remains, if it is not already too late.

[Page 474]

Interim Report #1:

The following eye witnesses presented in our office:

• H. Shaya Vishlitzky (Isaiah Vishlitzky) of #10 Bezalel St., Tel Aviv.
• H. Eliezer Langer, of #21 Dizengoff St., Tel Aviv.

The city of Ostrowiec Kiltzki is located in the Kielce District in Poland, and before WW2 numbered at 33,000 residents, of them some 12,000 Jews. During the war years, the number of Jewish residents grew, since the German Occupation Authority transferred Jews to Ostrowiec from other places, including even Vienna.

In 1942 the Jewish population in Ostrowiec numbered at an estimated 15,000.

In April of 1942, 23 Jews were shot, and more than 30 were transported to an unknown destination, never to be seen again.

In October of 1942, the first extermination act of the city's Jews was carried out. An estimated 13,000 Jews were sent to Treblinka extermination camp. After this “operation”, the ghetto was established.

In January or February of 1943, the second extermination act was carried out and in March of 1943 the ghetto was destroyed.

In their testimonies, the stated witnesses accuse the following position holders:

1. Peter– a Gestapo officer in Ostrowiec, whose description is as follows: Approximately 45 years old, tall, thin, dark blond hair, long face, originally from Vienna. Prior to the war he owned a carriage.
   On 28/4/42, 23 Jews were taken out of their houses by the Gestapo, and were killed in the street. Mr. Vishlitzky was an eye witness to Peter's active participation in this act.
   According to Mrs. Chana Rachel Shtem, soon after the act described in the previous paragraph, two Gestapo officers, one of them being said Peter, escorted her husband, Chaim Shtem, and 3 other Jews who lived in the same building outside, then killed them. Mrs. Shtem is the witness's cousin, she is no longer alive.
   In June of 1942 –an exact date could not be established– Peter shot dead an unknown man and woman in the Jewish cemetery. Mr. Langer was an eye witness to this incident.
   In the summer of 1941 –an exact date could not be established– Peter executed a Ms. Steinbook by gunshot at her parents' house. The witness saw Peter leave the Steinbook household, and the murdered girl's father informed him that Peter had shot her dead, after having raped her. The witness saw the murdered girl's body.
   On October 10^th, 1942, the first extermination act on Ostrowiec's Jews was carried out. In this act some 13,000 Jews were transported to Treblinka. During this time, witness Langer was hiding in a warehouse at the train station. From his hiding place Mr. Langer saw Peter loading the Buchner family of 3 onto a cattle car.
   In January of 1943, the second extermination act was carried out by the Gestapo and the gendarmerie. Approximately 1000 Jews were sent to German labor camps and the remaining ghetto residents (app. 9000) were loaded onto cattle cars and sent to an unknown destination.
   After this act the Gestapo and gendarmerie hunted down Jews hiding in the ghetto, killing approximately 50. H. Vishlitzky was an eye witness to Peter's participation in this act. The Jewish militia informed him that 50 Jews were murdered and the witness personally took part in their burial.
   Peter actively participated in the destruction of the Ostrowiec ghetto in March of 1943. Witnesses Langer and Vishlitzky were eye witnesses to these events.
2. Bruner– A Gestapo officer in Ostrowiec– the director of the Jewish department. About 45 years old, short, strong build, brown hair– other details missing.
   On 28/4/42 participated in the killing of 23 Jews in Ostrowiec. This was reported to witness Vishlitzky by residents of the ghetto. He cannot recall the names of the other participants.
   In January of 1943 –an exact date cannot be established– Bruner participated in the extermination of Ostrowiec's Jews. Witness Vishlitzky was an eye witness to this.
   In March of 1943 –an exact date is difficult to establish– Bruner participated in the destruction on Ostrowiec's ghetto. Vishlitzky and Langer were eye witnesses to this.
   In the summer of 1944 –exact dates cannot be established– 3 Gestapo activists whose names could not be determined, participated in the killing of 4 people in the yard of the Gestapo headquarters.
3. Langer– a Gestapo officer in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 45years old, tall, standard build, dark hair.
   On 10/10/42, Langer participated in the extermination of Ostrowiec's Jews– Vishlitzky was an eye witness to these events.
   In January of 1943, Langer participated in the killing of the Jews.
   In March of 1943 –an exact date cannot be established– Langer participated in the destruction of Ostrowiec's ghetto. Witnesses Vishlitzky and Langer were eye witnesses to this.
4. Michaelsky– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Personal details: Approximately 50–years–old; medium height; dark hair; strong build.
   In January of 1943, Michaelsky participated in the extermination of Ostrowiec's Jews. Vishlitzky was an eye witness to this.
   
5. Wagner– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 30 years old, tall, thin, brown hair.
   In March of 1943 participated in the destruction of the Ostrowiec ghetto. Eliezer Langer was an eye witness to this.
6. Schwartz– Deputy commander of gendarmerie in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 45 years old, tall, thin.
   In March of 1943, Schwartz participated in the destruction of the Ostrowiec Ghetto. Mr. Langer was an eye witness to this.
7. Wieland– Gendarmerie officer in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 40–years–old, medium height.
   In March of 1943, Wieland participated in the destruction of the Ostrowiec Ghetto.
8. Rhodo– Camp deputy in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 50–years–old, tall, dark hair, thin. Witness Vishlitzky was informed after the war that in accordance with Rhodo's command, the camp orderly, a Mr. Gutholtz, was shot. He cannot recall who Rhodo's brother in arms was. The witnesses mention the other Gestapo members, without accusing them:
9. Holtzer– Gendarmerie officer in Ostrowiec. Was sentenced to death in Poland after the war.
10. Kresten– Gestapo officer in Ostrowiec. Description– Approximately 50–years–old, medium height, brown hair.
11. Nagler– Ostrowiec Gestapo deputy. Description: Approximately 40 year old, tall, normal build, dark blond.
12. Tomms– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 40–years–old, tall, brown hair.
13. Weiler– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 45 years old, wide build, short, dark hair.
14. Senko– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Description: Approximately 50–years–old; medium height; wide build; dark blond.
15. Holweig– Gestapo member. Description: Approximately 40–years–old, medium height, blond.
16. Winkler– Gestapo member. Description: Approximately 55–years–old, tall, blond.
17. Haier– Gestapo member. Description: Approximately 45 years old, medium, height, normal build, dark hair, was of the upper class, originally from Lodz.
18. Austman– Gestapo member. Description: Approximately 37 years old, medium height; normal build; brown hair.
19. Zbizhina– camp officer in Ostrowiec. Was sentenced to death in Poland after the war.

Edited by Eitan (Otto) Leaf, Major in the Israeli Police Forces.

Testified: Moshe Lipchitz– Tel Aviv. Tzeitlin St. #27. Meir Fox, #1 Yirmiyahu St., Tel Aviv. Pinhas Vider (Vigdorowits) – #15 Hirchenberg St., Tel Aviv. In their testimonies, these witnesses accuse the following position holders:

1. Peter– mentioned in interim report #1.
   In October of 1942 –an exact date cannot be established– raped a Jewish girl of about 23 years. Afterward, he shot her on Broarna Street, causing her fatal injuries. The girl herself testified to this before she died,
   On 10/10/42, Peter actively participated, along with Gestapo members Bruner, Austman, Weiler & Wagner in the extermination of Ostrowiec's Jews. Peter and the above mentioned Gestapo members shot at Jews. During this act 300 Jews were shot and some 15,000 were sent to an extermination camp. Mr. Lipchitz was an eye witness to this.
   In October of 1942 –an exact date cannot be established– Peter murdered the Jewish Goldwasser family in Ostrowiec– a father, mother & child. Mr. Lipchitz was an eye witness to this.
   Mr. Lipchitz states that he frequently witnessed Peter, Bruner & Wagner escort Jews to the police station yard and kill them on the spot. The victims were unknown to the witness, who personally took part in their burial.
2. Wagner– mentioned in interim report #1.
   In February of 1943 – an exact date cannot be established– Wagner participated, along with Bruner, Austman, Langer & Weiler in the extermination of the Jews. A few hundred people were sent to an unknown destination and many were shot on the spot. Mr. Lipchitz was an eye witness to this.
   On 28/4/42, Mr. Vider witnessed Wagner kill his brother, Mr. Shlomo Vigdorowits, on Sinkivitza Street in Ostrowiec. The victim was 18 years old. Witness Vider was an eye witness to this incident. At this time approximately 30 Jews were murdered. The witness saw the bodies in the Jewish cemetery, although he did not witness the killings. When Wagner & Bruner broke into the witness's house in order to kill his brother, the witness's father was captured and sent to Auschwitz along with a group of Jews. Three weeks later the witness's mother received an official notice that the witness's father was declared “dead”.
3. Bruner– Was mentioned in interim report #1
4. Weiler– was mentioned in interim report #1
5. Austman– was mentioned in report #1
6. Langer– was mentioned in previous report.
7. Schwartz– was mentioned in #1 report, mentioned by Lipchitz as commander of the “Schopp”.
   In February of 1943 –an exact date cannot be established– Schwartz participated in the deportation of Ostrowiec's Jews. During this act, he personally executed a few Jews by the ghetto gate. Lipchitz was an eye witness to this.
   
In early 1943 –one day after the destruction of the ghetto– Schwartz ordered the execution of 11 Jews at the Jewish cemetery. The witness and 2 other Jewish girls named Kravitz, were removed from this group and sent to a labor camp in Ostrowiec. This occurred at the cemetery. The witness heard the gunshots but was not allowed to look back and so could not see who else participated in the act. Testimony by Meir Fox.
8. Schieler– Gestapo officer in Radom.
   On 10/10/42 Schieler ordered the deportation of Ostrowiec's Jews.

Explanation of Nazi crimes in Ostrowiec.

In connection with the above said, the following witnesses were questioned–

• Pinhas Langer, #13 Bialik St. , Ramat Gan
• Moshe Lipchitz, #27 Tzeitlin St., Tel Aviv
• Arie Leon Kuliner, #1 Ehud St., Ahuza, Haifa

1. Peter– served in Ostrowiec Gestapo. In May or June of 1941, he shot dead the Jew Schtechlberg on Sandomirska Street. Mr. Langer, the victim's brother in law, was an eye witness to this.
   In late 1942, Peter murdered the Goldwasser family (parents & child) at the police station courtyard. Mr. Langer was an eye witness to this incident. He confirmed the details given in report #1, paragraph 1D.
   In October of 1942, Peter shot dead a Mrs. Rachimora in the police station courtyard. He set his German shepherd at Mrs. Rachimora's 2 year old son, and the dog devoured the child.
   In 1942, following the first deportation (an exact date could not be established), Peter shot dead a Mrs. Gutterman. Mr. Kuliner was an eye witness to this incident.
   In 1941 or 1942 –an exact date could not be established– Peter, along with Bruner, killed witness Tzuker's father, Shmaya Tzuker. The victim was at his home in #18 Guzhitza St., along with witness Tzuker. The victim was severely beaten by Peter, and then left to be finished off by Peter's hound.
   Witness Putzuz saw Peter actively participate in the deportation on 10/10/42, and in January of 1943.
2. Bruner– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Mentioned in previous reports.
   In February of 1943, Bruner murdered an unknown Jew in a yard on Ilzitzka St. Mr. Langer was an eye witness to this act.
   In November of 1943, Bruner shot dead a Polish man in the Gestapo headquarters. Witness Langer was present at the time of the shooting.
   Polish citizens announced that Bruner had killed the commander of the Jewish police, Mr. Blumenfeld. He was escorted by Bruner out of camp in Ostrowiec, and never returned.
   Jewish police officer testified that Bruner and other Gestapo officers killed 8 patients in a clinic on Ilzhitzka St.
   In March or April of 1944, the witness saw Bruner escort 6 chained Jews into camp/ Bruner asked the Jewish police officers if they recognized these people, and upon receiving a negative answer, led them in an unknown direction. Two hours later the Ukrainian police aid officer Boris ordered the witness to send Jewish workers to the Jewish cemetery in order to bury the victims. The witness took the workers to the cemetery and saw the bodies of the Jews earlier brought to camp.
   Bruner actively participated in the deportations of Ostrowiec's Jews on 10/9/42, in January of 1943 and in March of 1943 (page 9).c
3. Langa– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Actively participated in the killing of 30 Jews in Ostrowiec and in the deportation of 30 Jews to Auschwitz.
   
4. Rhoda– platoon commander of Ostrowiec camp. In July of 1944, he murdered the Jewish camp orderly, Guttholtz.
   
5. Austman– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Actively participated in the 28.4.42 act. Actively participated in all of the deportations of Ostrowiec's Jews.
   
6. Senko– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Participated in the 28/4/42. Actively participated in all of the deportations of Ostrowiec's Jews.
   
7. Wieler– Gestapo officer. Actively participated in the deportations of Jews in Ostrowiec.
   
8. Schwartz–deputy. Some witnesses name him the commander of the gendarmerie, others as the “Schopp” commander. Originally from Vienna.
   Schwartz was the commander of the second deportation in January of 1943. In this act approximately 1000 people were sent to an extermination camp
   In March of 1943, Schwartz murdered, along with the “Schopp” members, a group of 10 Jews (men, women and children). This occurred near the Jewish police office on Ilizetzka St. Mr. Langer was an eye witness to this.
   

The witnesses questioned: Arye Gelerman, #40 Hasar Moshe st., Ramat Gan (page 1); Mrs. Leah Shartzki– #13 Dessler st., Bnei Brak (pages 2–7); Shlomo Ruenstein– #21 Usha st., Kiryat Motzkin (pages 8–14).

In their testimonies, the witnesses accuse Gestapo members as follows:

1. Deputy Schwartz– “Schopp” officer in Ostrowiec. In April of 1943 actively participated in the shooting of 7 Jews in the Ostrowiec Jewish cemetery. Witness Shartzky was a member of this group.
2. Holtser– “Schopp” member I Ostrowiec. Actively participated in the shooting of 97 Jews in April of 1943 in the Jewish cemetery. Witness Shartzky saw Holtser shoot at her.
3. Peter– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. Witness Rubenstein verifies the testimonies given in section 2, ph. 1 (c) of the testimony given on 30/9/63, regarding the killing of the Goldwasser family.
   Peter actively participated in the deportation of Ostrowiec's Jews in January of 1943. Approximately 1000 Jews were sent to an extermination camp. Witnesses Heller & Grubner saw Peter during this act.
4. Wieland– Gendarmerie or “Schopp” member in Ostrowiec. In late October of 1942, Wieland killed 20 Jews returning home from Yeger factory.
5. Bruner– Gestapo member in Ostrowiec. During the operation on 28/4/42 in Ostrowiec, Bruner killed Dr. Vachudler.
   Bruner actively participated in the deportation in 1943, an operation in which Jews were sent off to extermination camps.

[Page 478]

The Ostrowiec unit of the General Committee of the Polish Jews, presented the following letter to Professor Dr. Ehrenpreis, chief rabbi of the Swedish Jews, in Stockholm:

“Very honored Professor:

Shalom! We are turning to you about Franz Jaeger and his wife. Franz Jaeger is a criminal of extensive scope. As chief of the German secret service Gestapo in Ostrowiec, he sent Jews to be burned in the crematoria of Auschwitz. He was personally involved with the evacuations in many of the Polish cities, such as Opola, Wolbrom, Czestochowa, where, in the course of action, tens of thousands of Jews were murdered. With particular barbarism, he took to the Ostrowiec Jews. He organized so–called work posts, such as the “fishing ponds” or “brick factories,” where Jews could work and stay alive. Before taking them to work, he pressed out legendary sums of money from these tragic victims, and during the evacuation (from 10 to 20 October) he sent all these Jews to the crematoria in Treblinka. As a result of this slick barbarism, about 3,000 victims were killed. In November 1943, he ordered 50 young, healthy people to be shot, as well as those who were incapable of working. Two young boys, the brothers Koppel and Moshe Stein, he himself took over to the Gestapo where they were shot. Because of his huge, killing actions, we do not mention here crimes of lesser worthiness, such as those who eked out monies from the interned Jews in the brick factory.

This criminal and murderer, and his wife, who participated in all his activities, are now hiding out in Sweden.

We know that the verse “the voice of the blood of your brothers is screaming out to you from the earth” is not strange to you and that you will undertake the appropriate steps for the hand of justice to reach the worst criminal in our region.”

On June 8, 1946, the Ostrowiec unit of the General Committee of the Polish Jews sent the following remarks to the Vienna chief of police, about the activities of the “stabskapitan” [“staff captain”] Zwiezhina in Ostrowiec in the time of the German occupation:

“The person mentioned here, during the time of the Hitler occupation, held the position of chief of security in the Ostrowiec factories where there were 9,000 workers employed, of which were 2,000 interned Jews. The treatment of the arrested Jews was bestial. Their food consisted of one portion of watery soup, no bread, after an 18–hour work day. All the personal belongings of the Jewish internees were taken away, and they slept on the naked earth of rotting barracks. Aside from there, there were constant searches of Jews, which ended in killing several of the Jews without reason. In November 1942, Zwiezhina shot the following Jews: 1) Gutman, 25 years old, a Hebrew poet; 2) Zalman Greenberg, 20 years old; 3) an unknown Jew from Krakow. At the next search, the two Zakhcinski brothers, ages 18 and 25, were shot. It is worth noting, that the chief of the Ostrowiec Gestapo, Winkler, stated that Zwiezhina, without any right, shot two young boys saying that they had hidden foreign currency. He [Winkler] had asked him [Zwiezhina] to spare their lives, but he replied: “An order is an order!” And then he commanded that the death sentence of these two innocent brothers be carried out.

On November 7, 1943, he sent out 50

[Page 479]

young Jews to their death in the camp “Firlej” near Radom. The other victims of his bestial murders were the Kupel brothers and Moshe Shtein. The list of Zwiezhina's murders is [to be] further expanded. At the time of the government hearings, we will present more lists of his murderous killings. We admit that during the Red Army liberators approached Ostrowiec, the murderer interrupted his vacation time and he did not respect the regulations of the German government organizations. He surrounded the camp with Ukrainian police, and evacuated about 2,000 Jews from there, 90% of whom were exterminated. In Ostrowiec, it is known that Zwiezhina comes from the Sudetenland, spoke Polish, Czech, and German well. According to information received, he was captured by the Viennese police. We ask that Zwiezhina be brought to Ostrowiec, where there are witnesses who can help in a way that the criminal will get his rightful punishment.”

Several days ago, and before the Radom cross–examination in Ostrowiec, the trial took place, of the chief of staff, Captain Zwiezhina, liquidator of the Jewish population in Ostrowiec.

During the time of the occupation, the accused managed the camp “Zakladi Ostrowieckie” [“the Treasure of Ostrowiec”] (the Germans changed the name to “Hermann Goerring Works”). He was directly responsible for the killings of 2,000 Jews in the above–mentioned camp.

In October 1942, this murderer, with the goal of terrifying the Jewish population in Ostrowiec so that they would give over their monies and valuables, selected three victims and shot them on the spot.

In November 1943, the accused sent 45 Jews out of Ostrowiec to the camp Firlej near Radom, where they were all killed.

In March 1944, during a house search, the murderer shot the two Zakhcinski brothers.

It is interesting to note a particularly cruel act that the accused did: During work time, a Jewish young boy was injured by a machine that cut off his legs. They quickly took him to the hospital, where Dr. Dreves operated immediately. But the operation was interrupted by Zwiezhina, who intentionally sent in a Ukrainian SS man, with the order to remove the wounded boy. He was immediately taken to the local cemetery where he [the boy] was shot…

Zwiezhina went to Vienna, where, in the year 1946, he was recognized by several Ostrowiec Jews, who helped get him arrested. But he was able to escape successfully.

In the year 1947, he was recognized in Munich by some Ostrowiec Jews, and they arrested him immediately. Finally, he was returned to the Polish government officials.

The plaintiff in the trial was prosecutor Sokol; defendant – Zapolski; trial chairman [judge] – Savicki. As witnesses or the trial, there were: Shamai Kudlowycz, Itche Meir Birenzweig, Pintche Langer, Chaim Langer, and the author of these lines. The witnesses recounted the “good deeds” of the accused, and uncovered the entire, horrifying tragedy of the Jewish population in Ostrowiec during the occupation.

After the trial, Zwiezhina was sentenced to death and to lose all public and civil rights.

A story about the fiddle of Rivele Szpilman's house That came out of the Ostrowiec ghetto And survived by a miracle, as sometimes happens, And made its way over ruined cities. The fiddle was glum and scorned, Sorrowed over its fiddler, who had been killed. The fiddle lamented. Its strings cried out, “What is my life worth without my fiddler? Since my fiddler is cremated, his melodies insulted, How can I receive here any golden hands? Rivele is no more. There will be no more adorning of brides, No bridal dances, no honeycake and wine.” The fiddle sobbed bitterly with its four strings “With no more adorning, no more wedding jesters—oy vey iz mir. I will always lament for you, And your fiddle will say kaddish for you and your band.” After its wanderings, the fiddle came to a Jewish child Who said: “How good, violin, that I meet you now. My mother was cremated, and I have no father, But now you are with me, my dear fiddle.” Now the fiddle smiles, washes away its tears. “Young man, I will be with you until with God's help you grow up. Until the day when you will play at weddings, And you will express our present pain in a freilach[1]. Tell with sadness of our longed-for joy That dances around in ash and blood forever, Of Jewish faith that never is extinguished. Young man, I will be with you until you grow up.” So says the fiddle, and takes the boy by the hand And takes him to Israel, our ancient land.

Translstor's footnote:

1. a traditional Yiddish dance that literally means “cheerful” Return

[Page 481]

Dedicated to the First Ostrowiec Conference
on preserving the memory of the martyrs
and pure ones who were killed
by the Nazi murderers.

There is a saying by our sages that lamenting at the grave of our ancestors elevates their souls to higher levels: the folk tradition says that at the times of yahrzeit, on Tisha b'Av, in the month of Elul, and on Erev Yom Kippur, souls return to their graves in order to unite with their near ones who come to visit the graves.

On the first Tisha b'Av after the destruction of Ostrowiec, the thousands of souls who were killed as martyrs came to the cemetery and together with the souls of generations of the deceased entered the graves and awaited those who used to come to the graves of their fathers. But at the cemetery they found no graves and no monuments. All the souls that had shown up went away and settled themselves on the remaining half-withered trees in the woods near the cemetery.

From one scrawny tree there came the sobbing of an old man. Thus did Rabbi Yechiel Meir^[1] sob at encountering the soul of his only son^[2], the last rabbinic authority in the shtetl, whom the Nazi murderers buried alive in his tallis and tefillin. Rabbi Yechezkel's soul was accompanied by angels and seraphim as a reward for his suffering at his martyrdom, and along with them came a host of souls of the tortured and gassed martyrs and pure ones. When Tisha b'Av was over and no one came to the graves of their fathers in the old cemetery, the souls, ashamed, returned to Heaven and no longer revisited the old cemetery. One soul, the soul of the great Gaon and Tzadik of his generation, Rabbi Yechiel Meir, z”l, descended on every Tisha b'Av, in the month of Elul, and on Erev Yom Kippur to the old cemetery and waited for any of his homeless children to come and mourn with him over the annihilated memory of generations of their forebears.

Thus year in and year out would the soul of Rabbi Yechiel Meir wander until Erev Kol Nidrei approached and his son Rabbi Yechezkel approached and begged: “Father, leave this old, empty cemetery, where no one will any longer visit their ancestors' graves…”

Both souls of these leaders of their generations flew back to the Heavenly Halls.

Perhaps the letters of this Yizkor Book, awakened in tears and sorrow from the surviving people of Ostrowiec in the Holy Land, will fly to the Ostrowiec cemetery and will serve as a Kaddish and an El Maleh Rachamim, so that both souls, the father and the son, may their memories be a blessing, will bring these prayers to all the martyrs and pure ones from Ostrowiec and will tell them that their heirs in Israel and throughout the world, through the letters of this Yizkor Book, say Kaddish for them.

Yisgadal v'yiskadash sh'mei rabba…

Editor's footnotes:

1. Rabbi Meir Yechiel Halstock, Chief Rabbi of Ostrowiec, 1889-1928 Return
2. Rabbi Yechezkel Halstock, son of Rabbi Meir Yechiel, who was murdered on 10^th of Tevet, 1942 in Sandomierz Return

[Page 482]

At the cemetery, in the silence between graves and trees, Stands a stone, a stone among stones. This stone is different from the others. Under it there is no sign of bones Because the bodies are burned and the bones ground up. But names are written on that stone. These are the names of our flesh and blood, And how many families were totally destroyed? From how many families are there are no survivors, Whose names will never be immortalized on stones? There are Moysheles, Shloymeles, Chaveles, Ziseles With pure heads, cute feet, Washed, nicely combed, all dressed up. They shine among the inscribed names. Children snatched from their mothers' arms, Thrown into fire—they have no graves— There should be a place where we can find them! If not in graves, at least in our minds. This should be the place of our ancestors' graves, Of murdered children and bubbies and zeydes, Of sisters and brothers and fathers and mothers, Gassed in chambers and burned in flames! This should be the place where we remember them. The years come and go, And the people live in our memories. We feel their woes, we feel their suffering. Like devoted dear ones, we cannot abandon them. And so it will go for generations. I believe a better world will come, But the stone that stands there will remain As a warning against evil. Toronto, Canada 1966

Editor's Note:

Izrael Gurfinkel probably wrote this poem in honor of the Ostrowiec Monument Unveiling at the Lambton Cemetery in Toronto in 1966: https://jewsofostrowiec.com/toronto-monument-lambdton/

  Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Poland     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 28 Jun 2024 by JH