Day 11 Rabka Dzroj and Zakopane

This town of Rabka, once a resort town for convalescents, during the years of 1942-1944, was the site of a courageous act by a group of women who chose to take action,and bury the dead. Located in a town between Krakow and Zakopane, holds an important yet relatively unknown historical place of significance. Here,during World War II the Gestapo took over a convent and used it as a center for training Nazis in interrogation techniques. In order to develop the most effective methods, the Gestapo used local Jews from the shtetl as guinea pigs. They used Jewish citizens from this shtetl as test subjects for teaching methods of interrogation using torture. In the process they would torture them to death and throw their bodies behind the convent.

The nuns of the convent, understanding that this was not right, at their own peril, somehow took the bodies up the hill into the woods and buried them with respect.

Our group follows Shalmi up the hill into the woods to discover the gated cemetery that was constructed when communism fell in 1989 to mark the site of the graves.

We can hear dogs barking in the distance, like they know someone new is in their town.
Today we are witnesses to an untold history. Nothing has been written about this. The nuns don’t go out of their way to tell the story, possibly because the new order who live here don’t know the story.

The nuns somehow managed to get the bodies up the hill, to a hidden space in the forest away from the convent where they had been interrogated and killed by the Gestapo. They made a statement by burying the dead and showing them respect. The nuns built cement platforms to mark the graves.

We have no idea how many bodies are buried here, but in 1989, the end of the communist rule in Poland, a man named Leo Geteterer funded a gate with a Jewish Star of David, enclosing the cemetery with a wrought iron fence.

Here in the cemetery, Shalmi told us a story about Karol Josef Wojtyla, who we now know as Pope John Paul II, who as a young priest in Krakow, did something remarkable. After WWII was over, a Polish couple brought a young boy to him and asked for him to baptize this Jewish boy they had hidden during the war. Fr. Wojtyla asked them if the boy’s parents were alive, and they said no, but the way they answered aroused his suspicions. He then did some research and found out that the boy’s uncles were alive and wanted to raise their nephew. At a time when baptism meant salvation to Catholics, Fr. Wojtyla told the couple no, he would not baptize the boy. Because of this action, he was considered a hero in the Jewish world long before he ever became Pope John Paul II.

As we leave the cemetery, a local man watches us from the woods behind the cemetery, obviously concerned about our visit. We leave knowing that what the nuns did here during the war is truly heroic; however, we wonder at their reluctance to honor those actions today.

We continue our journey to the Tatra mountains and the town of Zakopane, where the local highlanders' crafts and beautifully constructed wooden houses fill the landscape. We are happy tourists who ride the funicular up the mountain, take many pictures, ride the ski lift down,and spend another hour or so shopping and eating excellent Polish kielbasa, soups and pierogies.

Day 10 Auschwitz

After a tearful farewell to Alexandra Zapruder at our Oswiecim hotel, we take a very short bus ride to Auschwitz. Shalmi teaches us about the importance of language, explaining the terms concentration camp and death camp. In the Nazi totalitarian regime, the camp system takes two tracks: those who do not conform to the regime, but are capable of being reformed are sent to concentration camps, but many there died because of the harsh conditions, and those who are not capable of being reformed, like the Jews because of the fallacy that Jews are a race, who are sent to death camps. The Nazis believed that by killing the Jews, they would "heal" their society. It is possible, therefore, for many of these lines to be blurred, because sometimes the same staff worked at both camps, and because it is a complicated issue.

The Nazis chose the city of Oswiecim for three camps: Auschwitz I, a concentration camp, on the grounds of a former Polish military base, Birkenau, a death camp, near the intersection of many rail lines, and Buna, a labor camp where many factories, such as IG Farben used the slave labor.

Here in the museum at Auschwitz, we learn about the death factory, and how, when keeping the Jews of Poland in ghettos was not enough for the Nazis, they needed to expand the camp, and added Auschwitz II, known as Auschwitz-Birkenau.

















After lunch, we go to Birkenau. As we pass through the gate, Shalmi, again guiding us through our Holocaust journey, points out The Ramp. Memories of those who survived Auschwitz/Birkenau were divided in two: life before The Ramp, and life after The Ramp. The ramp is where "selection" occurred. Again we learn the importance of language. When the Jews, the Chosen people of God, arrived here, families were torn apart by those who were chosen to die at once, and those who were chosen to die later. Those chosen to die immediately almost always included women with children under the age of 14, along with older men and women.







While telling stories from survivor testimony, Shalmi helps to explain some of the complications of this history by posing questions. "Why was there so little food here?" If the prisoners chosen to die later are needed for physical labor, then why aren't they fed well? Why are prisoners chosen to die later given wooden clogs with no socks? How can they work under these conditions? Many who are not killed immediately died from starvation and injuries to the feet.

Why did the Nazis divide men and women at the Ramp? In the first transports they didn't. The Jews were sent to the gas chambers fully clothed, but the Nazis thought they were wasting a valuable resource, the clothes, if they burned them. Religious Jews would not undress in mixed company, but were more willing to undress if with peple of the same sex. Step by step, the Nazis improved their killing factory here in order to make sure the process flowed smoothly. Everything was carefully calculated so that the trains could keep running on time.

Hannah S. says:
One thing that really stood out to me today was the fact that there was a house right outside the crematorium/gas chamber of Auschwitz where Dr. Rudolf Hess lived. How could someone not only work there every day, but also raise a family amidst the smoke of crematorium chimneys. Even more outstanding than that is the fact that a Polish family lives there today. I simply cannot comprehend why a family would decide to live among such sadness in a place with such a haunted past.

Hannah C. says:
Today was the day that got to me the most. Being at Auschwitz where it all happened, seeing the seclusion and sadness of it all really made it real. It's unfathomable to think that this happen, but looking at the clothes and shoes from the victims painted a clear picture.

Devanni says:
What struck me the most today were the baby clothes. A feeling of disgust came over me. How could the Nazi men be so heartless to kill innocent babies? Such inhumane acts took place during the Holocaust, but this had to be the worst.

Gabrielle says:
Today as we were leaving Auschwitz-Birkenau, Allison and I were walking down the main road alone. As prisoners arrived they were sent down the same road to go to the gas chambers. All I could think was those prisoners only walked one way, but I got to walk back out the way we came.

Amanda says:
Today was the day that everything tied together for me; everything we've learned since we arrived in Berlin up until today was essential for us to try and be able to understand why and how the Nazis could spare some and kill so many others. Nothing will ever allow me to be able to fully understand what happened, but I know this is the closest I'll ever get.


Flori says:
Leaving through the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp was the most emotional part of today for me. We all walked out with our possessions, our health and our dignity, but those victims did not.

Gaby says:
Seeing the hair in Auschwitz was very emotional for me--to think that's not even from a quarter of the people who were killed. That's crazy. That's something I will never forget.

Kristina says:
As I walked through Auschwitz today, I thought of my grandfather. During the war he was in a POW camp called Stalag. He was not a Jew, but he was part of the Italian military. He was captured by the SS, and placed in a Nazi prison. It felt eerie to be in place that resembled my grandfather's years of torture.

Sam says :

When I saw the hair today in a display case in one of the barracks, I realized that many of these people must have vanished through the chimneys at Birkenau. At the same time, I realized we won't ever know who these people were.

Alyssa S. says:
Seeing a sculpture of a starving woman today reminded me of my grandma. They were wrapped up in scarves like a typical eastern European grandma. Although my grandma was never part of the Holocaust I started to imagine what it would have been like if she had been.

Allison says:
What really stood out to me today was when Mr. Barmore asked again, "Who really are the murderers?" After listening to his stories about civilian testimonies, I came to the conclusion that it was the civilians who were the murderers. Each individual was a part of a chain of people doing their jobs that allowed the murders of the Holocaust.

Megan says:
When we walked through the exhibits, I completely lost it when we passed the shoes. I saw a pair of fancy high heeled shoes and wondered, did the owner think she would need them where she was going ? I can't even comprehend how the people must have felt.

Sarah says:
Today we walked through Auschwitz 70 years after 1.5 million people were marched to their death in the gas chambers. We had the freedom to go in or out of the camp as we pleased. The prisoners were forced to arrive and most left Auschwitz through the chimneys.

Callie says:
Today I saw the prison style picture of Luis Krakaer, a 21 year old Polish Jew. Unlike all the other victims, in his broken face I saw hope and strength illuminating his eyes. This struck me as I realized that this man held hope even in the face of death.

Aidan says:
As we walked through Auschwitz I, I began to feel increasingly panicked and a feeling of impending doom was crushing me from all sides. The pain experienced by the Jews at the hands of the Nazis was around every corner at the death camp Birkenau. Once we had finished touring both camps, I felt relief to be outside, as well as immensely joyous to be alive and surrounded by people who were not capable of this extreme dehumanization.

Vanessa says:
Seeing all the clothing of little children today--their shoes and their prosthetic legs--made me think of a four year old I love like a sister. I made the connection back to her and then to these personal belongings and it made me very emotional.


Ben says:
At Auschwitz-Birkenau today we travel through the camps and learn the difference between a concentration camp and an extermination camp. I was touched after seeing the remnants of people's belongings. The most disturbing was a display of human hair inside the museum at Auschwitz,and this made me realize the level of dehumanization that took place during the Holocaust.

Tyler says:

At Auschwitz-Birkenau today the hair of the Jewish people piled together behind a class case really distirubed me. The amount of items that were piled together were distrubing to me. Despite the camp having a dreary aura, this was true and profound learning experience.

Alyssa says:

Throughout the Holocaust Study Tour experience, the questions, "Who were these people?" and "How did this happen?" continue to surface in every discussion. Auschwitz was a factory where many individuals completed their jobs as part of one long chain. Was the train conductor of a deportation a perpetrator because he did his job? Or would he be a bystander for not doing anything to stop it? Who do we call a murderer when the process was completed in a chain, and each person only completed their job in that chain?

Day 9 Trsice

As we make the journey from Olomouc to Trsice, we are reminded that in the spring of 1942, Otto Wolf, his sister, Lici, and their parents made this journey on foot as they escaped deportation to go into hiding in the forest.

We are greeted once again by our friend, the mayor of Trsice, Mrs. Leona Stejskalova, with the traditional plum drink, bread and salt. Only this year in addition to our group of students and teachers, Eva and her husband Tony and Alexandra Zapruder join us. Inside, while sipping coffee and tea provided by our hosts, we listened to Dr. Brezhina tell the story of the Wolf family. When he finishes, the mayor introduces the officials who are going to sign an official memorandum signifying cooperation between the Jewish Community of Olomouc and the organization for the destroyed Czech villages and towns of World War II. This memorandum is a direct result of our visits and work with the diary of Otto Wolf.

When he finishes, the mayor introduces the officials who are going to sign an official memorandum signifying cooperation between the Jewish Community of Olomouc and the organization for the destroyed Czech villages and towns of World War II. This memorandum is a direct result of our visits and work with the diary of Otto Wolf.

There are three projects that will come about as a result of this memorandum:

1. the Jewish Community of Olomouc will provide resources for a new memorial in Zakrov. 2. the memorial to the rescuers and their families that we are dedicating today 3. A new museum in Trsice about this history where the first artifact included will be the pen used to sign this memorandum.

When we were in Berlin, Shalmi spoke to us about language as a unifying factor for humanity. Throughout the five years that we have been coming to Trsice to learn more about the Wolf family and their rescuers, our guide, Ilona Zahradnikova, has given us the gift of language through her tireless translations of the Czech language into English. Without Ilona, none of this would have been possible. We are very grateful to her for her work with our group on this historical day.

We board the bus with many villagers to ride into the forest for the unveiling and dedication of the memorial. The bus drops us off at the exact location where five years ago, Milos Dobry, led us the first time we trekked through the forest to the Wolf’s hideout with him. The pictures of the memorial and the surrounding area speak for themselves as to the work and preparation that has gone into this site. Petr Papousek, the grandson of Milos and leader of the Jewish Community of Olomouc, leads the ceremony, while Milos' great-grandson and great-granddaughter cling to their father's legs.

More than 100 people, surrounded by newspaper photographers, television reporters, radio journalists and reporters listen as the mayor of Trsice and other Czech officials recognize Colleen Tambuscio for her dedication to this project.

Otto's niece Eva expressed the gratitude felt by the Wolf family for the efforts made by the community both in the past and present.

One particularly moving part of the ceremony was the reading of Otto’s diary by local boy scouts.

These boys had slept in the forest the night before not 100 yards from the hideout. The two boys read a passage from the diary in Otto's original Czech language,

followed by our own Aidan reading an entry from Salvaged Pages in English.

Following the unveiling, many of the people assembled, in accordance with the Jewish tradition, placed stones on and around the memorial.

As we look around the forest, we cannot help but remember the other years we have come to this place through the narrow, treacherous trails with all of the students from New Milford, Jersey City, St. Thomas Aquinas and Bishop O’Dowd high schools who have been with us over the years.

These students are in our hearts because they also have experienced the sounds and smells of this forest, walked through the trees and looked into the hiding place.

On a clothesline strung between two of the trees near the memorial, Dr. Brezina had laminated pages from our 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Holocaust Study Tour books that include photographs of past visits to these woods, photos of pages from Otto’s original diary and written reflections of individual experiences here. Yes, our students from the past are with us on this historical day.

We leave the woods to go back to the village of Trsice to the restaurant across from the frog statue where we enjoy a delicious lunch hosted by the mayor.

At Zakrov, our final stop in the area, Mrs. Ohera and younger sister who was only five years old when her father was rounded up, along with Otto Wolf, in a raid to capture local partisans who had been operating in the area. They show us the memorial with the names, photographs, and birthdates of the 19 men who were tortured, and were killed April 20, 1945.

As Alexandra Zapruder says in the introduction to Otto’s diary, “. . .the diary paints a picture of a group of people who exhibited a whole range of human conduct, including altruism and generosity, indifference and opportunism, impatience, selfishness, and cruelty, and whose conduct itself shifted and changed over time, defying all attempt at simplification or generalization.” We are struck by the knowledge that Otto, despite being tortured as a result of being denounced as a Jew, did not betray any of the people of Trsice and Zakrov who had helped his family in hiding for three years, nor did he tell about his sister and parents still hiding.

Otto is the unwavering boy, whose diary led American teachers and students here, together with his descendants, to this place in the woods to mark the place where Czech rescuers saved his family.

Gabrielle says:

At the first cemetery in Prague, rocks were laying on the tombstones, which meant nothing to me. Today at the memorial, the rocks meant so much more. Times have changed between the Holocaust and now, but these rocks are something that someone of that time or our time could possess, which is why the rocks felt so appropriate to remember the Wolf family by.

Hannah C. says:

The thing that impacted me the most was that I became a part of history. Not only did I see one of our teachers, Mrs. Tambuscio, unveiling the memorial, I also got to witness something huge. I got to watch Jewish people being represented in a place where once they had not even been allowed to breathe.

Alyssa S. says:

Today we experienced history and some of us heard something for the very first time---we heard Petr read a section of the Torah. I felt more at home, and I felt I could pray for the people who died or experienced the Holocaust. It was also ironic, because during the Holocaust, people were persecuted for being Jewish, yet now someone was speaking in Hebrew at a memorial of the Holocaust.

Gaby says:

I felt uncomfortable when we were at the memorial in Zakrov and we saw how old the boys were when they were killed. I can’t even imagine something like that happening to me because they were my age. I am appreciative of how the people in this town have great tolerance and created a memorial to the Wolfs who don’t even share their religion. I don’t think I can completely grasp what went on today, but I’m sure that in ten years I will look back and be grateful.

Alyssa L. says:

Across from where the Ohera family hid the Wolf family, was a huge field that to me symbolized freedom. I couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the Wolf family to see that open field every day and at the same time know that they weren't free. It was even harder to stand at this place with the Ohera sisters and understand that their father died after his efforts to help preserve the Wolf family's freedom--they were almost able to run across that field and run free.

Devanni says:

I felt a personal connection with the Ohera sisters because I also lost a parent. They taught me that it's okay to let your guard down and open up. That moment with the Ohera sisters impacted me the most of any throughout this entire trip.

Day 8 Prague to Olomouc

After our bus ride from Prague, we set out on a walking tour of Olomouc with our guide, Ilona.

We happened upon a beautiful Catholic church just off the square, and climbed the tower to the top. Once down, we went inside and listened to a beautiful rehearsal of organ, cello and vocalists.

We met our friend, Petr Papousek, the director of the Jewish Community of Olomouc at the Jewish Community Center. There, Petr's grandfather, Milos Dobry, shared his experiences during the Holocaust. Milos grew up in Prague, and survived Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. After the Holocaust, he moved to Olomouc, and eventually became the secretary of the Jewish community.

In fact, Milos Dobry is responsible for the rescuers of the Wolf family being recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Gentiles. Milos is also responsible for helping us locate the mayor of Trsice, who has been instrumental in the process of building the memorial at the hiding place in the woods.

Seeing Milos meet Alexandra Zapruder, and watching them talk was inspirational. While there, a film crew from a Czech news station filmed footage for the 7 o'clock news.

After our time at the Jewish Community Center, we were met at the hotel by Eva Garda, and her husband Tony. Eva is the niece of Otto Wolf, and daughter of Otto's sister Lici.

How many students get to study a book in class, meet and become friends with the author, and finally travel to the place where the diary was written to dedicate a memorial to the history studied in class? We know that without Alexandra Zapruder's book Salvaged Pages which brought us here, and that without the dedication and hard work of Milos Dobry and his grandson Petr, this would not be possible.We enjoyed a lovely dinner with our friends from Jewish community and Eva and Tony.

Tomorrow we will be going to Trsice for the dedication, where we will be joined by many Czech dignitaries, the rescuers of the Wolf family, and members of the Czech community.