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My Journey From The Shtetl Through The Holocaust

Mario Benedetti

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Published in Remember Us: My Journey From The Shtetl Through The Holocaust

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Remember Us: My Journey from the Shtetl Through the Holocaust

by Vic Shayne

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4207 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	337 pages

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A Photo Of The Author As A Young Boy In A Shtetl Remember Us: My Journey From The Shtetl Through The Holocaust

I was born in a small shtetl in Eastern Poland in 1920. My family was poor, but we were happy. My father was a shoemaker, and my mother was a seamstress. I had two older sisters and a younger brother. We lived in a small wooden house with a thatched roof. The shtetl was a close-knit community, and everyone knew everyone else. We had a synagogue, a school, and a few small shops.

In 1939, the Germans invaded Poland. Our lives changed overnight. The Germans rounded up all the Jews in our shtetl and forced us into a ghetto. The ghetto was a small, overcrowded area of the town. We were forced to live in unsanitary conditions, and we were constantly hungry. Many people died from disease and starvation.

In 1942, the Germans began to liquidate the ghetto. We were all rounded up and taken to the train station. We were packed into cattle cars and sent to Auschwitz. Auschwitz was a death camp. When we arrived, we were stripped naked and our heads were shaved. We were then tattooed with a number on our arms. I was A-12345.

At Auschwitz, we were forced to work as slave laborers. We were beaten and starved. Many people died from exhaustion, disease, or malnutrition. I was lucky to survive. I was assigned to work in the Sonderkommando, a group of prisoners who were forced to clean up the gas chambers and crematoria. I witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust firsthand. I saw people being gassed and burned alive. It was a living hell.

In 1945, the Soviet Army liberated Auschwitz. I was one of the few survivors. I weighed less than 100 pounds. I was sick and traumatized. But I was alive.

After the war, I immigrated to the United States. I met my wife, and we had two children. I worked hard and built a good life for my family. But I never forgot the horrors of the Holocaust. I have dedicated my life to speaking out against hatred and intolerance.

The Holocaust was a tragedy that must never be forgotten. We must learn from the past and ensure that such atrocities never happen again.

Here are some things you can do to help prevent genocide:

Educate yourself about the Holocaust and other genocides.
Speak out against hatred and intolerance.
Support organizations that are working to prevent genocide.
Be a role model for others. Show that it is possible to live in peace and harmony with people of all backgrounds.

Together, we can make a difference.

Remember Us: My Journey from the Shtetl Through the Holocaust

by Vic Shayne

4.8 out of 5