Work sited A SPECIAL FATE by Gold Alison published by Scholastic Press in 2000 & Lyman Darryl HOLOCAUST RESCUERS TEN STORIES OF CUORAGE published by Enslow Publishers, Inc in 1999. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HOLOCAUST published by Macmillan Publishing Company in 1990 Letter To One of the Holocaust Rescuers Dear Chiune Sugihara I do not know if you will ever read this or even if that is your real name, but I do know that you are a true hero and I wish to express my thanks even if you may never read them. It has been ten years since that day in September when my life changed forever, the day that the Germans invaded my home, the day my father left me. I did not understand what was going on then, I was only six far too young to realize that life as I had known it was about to end. Things had been normal up to that day; I had grown to except the war, it simply didn’t affect me, it was something that was happening far away a thing that would effect others but not myself. I had been a ordinary child up until that day I went to school and played with my friends, it didn’t matter that we celebrated the Sabbath or Hanukkah that simple was who I was, who my family was. It had never accrued to me that those things could cause my life to change forever. When the Germans came all that change, mother had heard rumors about what happened to those Jews caught buy the SS and so she fled with us. We left our world behind and sought safety. We went away from our home and into a new and horrible place. Most of the time we spent running I don’t remember every thing was blurred. We went from town to town, trying to stay ahead of the Germans. Yet no matter how far we ran we had to keep running. Mother said that was normal that eventually we would reach a point were the Germans would never find us, and she was right, the trip was just longer than she had ever expected. The problems didn’t start tell about a month after we first left Warsaw, it was then that we realized that there was nowhere to go, the army was behind us and we were running out of places to flee to. Mother begin to despair, to talk of finding a Christine family to take us in tell the war was over. But no, we would not be separated. Our family was our strength and together we would stay, but what would happen if we couldn’t find some place to go? What would we do? Then we found our first sign of hope, a friend of mothers had heard a rumor that Canada was accepting refugees. We had hope again but it didn’t last long. How would we get there? The only way we could find was through Russia to a Japanese cargo boat? Japan was allied with Germany we were fleeing Germany we would never get a visa to travel to Japan and await the boat. There had to be a way, a chance at freedom, so we kept going even knowing it was all probably in vain. We were unwilling to give up on the only hope we had and so we traveled to Lithuania in the hopes that we could get to the Soviet Union. I don’t believe mother ever thought of what she would do once she reached Japan, all I know is that was where we were heading. I think that she clung to the hope that some one would aid us and some one did. We arrived in Kaunas, Lithuania were we heard that a Japanese official was stationed, where I first met you. Mother had told me to wait outside while she tried to get a meeting with you; I being the angelic child that I was disobeyed her (What else did you expect me to do?) and went exploring. As I was “innocently” wandering the halls I “accidentally” overheard talking and went to investigate. While I was standing outside your office, and no I didn’t have my ear to the keyhole (only because the door didn’t have a keyhole) I was graced with the first sound of your voice, a voice that was raised in argument. I froze then slowly begin to slink away when I heard “cannot approve more visas”. “Visas” that word was familiar, Mother had said some thing about needing a visa to get into Japan, so I stayed where I was hoping to hear more. Soon the door opened and I scrambled to get out of the way, falling ungracefully unto my butt. I was terrified you had a look of complete frustration on your face and I hade learned from painful experience that an upset adult could prove dangerous. You didn’t hit me, something that came as quite a shock, you simply waved your companion on and bent down to help me up. You took me back to my mother, who was frantic, and then disappeared into an office with her. As my mother went into the conference room with you, I having failed to learn a lesson “accidentally” over heard the meeting by pressing my ear to the keyhole. Things didn’t sound good apparently that man who had been with you was an official who had arrived to reprimand you for the distribution of illegal visas and should you distribute any more you could loss your job. At the time this meant little to me we would just have to find a different way to escape to Canada. I was shocked and confused when Mother came out with a visa. How was it that you gave her a visa when the other official had forbidden you to? Things weren’t making since but no matter how many questions I asked mother she refused to answer and the next day we left though the Soviet Union. At the time I didn’t realize the extent of what you did of what you risked but now that I understand I cannot find the words to express my gratitude. How is it that a person can owe there life to a person they barely knew? We spent less than three hours in your presence yet in those three hours you became a hero in a young girls eyes. A hero who has remained one for over ten years and who the world should know about. I write this letter not only to thank you but so that the world can know the name of a true hero even if that is not the name you now go by. So thank you Chiune Sugihara for all that you did not only for me but also for those people whom you gave visas to before us. With my greatest thanks, Masha Bernstein For my Beliefs or my Country The middle aged man sitting at the desk was completely unremarkable. He was garbed in the simple uniform of Hitler’s elite. The only thing that diffracted his outfit from that of the somber guard at the door was the absence of an over coat. Had the young man been wearing his overcoat it would have been decorated with some insignia that would offer a clue to his rank and identity but as things were he could have been any minor officer. Not even the room gave a hint to his identity it was sparse containing no decoration and only a bed, clothes chest, and the desk at which he sat in was of furnishing. No, there was nothing remarkable about the accommodations; there were hundreds of others like them belonging to Hitler’s minor officers. This man could well have been one of those minor officers if it hadn’t been for the Guard. Even the mans appearance was average, giving no clue, ash blond hair with some locks varying to a light brown, chiseled features that were slightly harsh but otherwise commonplace, and stormy gray eyes, eyes that had seen more than any man in his mid thirties should be able to clam, Eyes that currently held a rather vacant and puzzled look. Commander Olskiy stared at the orders in front of him as though they were written in a foreign language. In fact they were written in clear concise German, his native language, but they made about as much sense gibberish. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand what the words them self meant he wasn’t a complete mum wit. No it was the combined meaning of the words that was evading him. “Beginnen Sie Ausrottang” he silently mouthed the words feeling like a complete idiot. The word meanings were simple to discern for a person who new German and not even worth a moments thought for someone who had been born into the language “Beginnen” to begin or to start, Sie the, Ausrottang, to execute or kill. Simple words really words who’s meaning he had known for years, so it wasn’t even the combined meaning that was escaping him it was the meaning in regard to his current situation that he was having trouble grasping. He knew that the orders were given in regard to the prisoners in his care he also knew that he could never think to disobey them. When he had agreed to take this post he had been rather reluctant doing so only because he hadn’t dared to argue with his superiors. Reluctant, that was a major understatement, he had been furious. He was an uprising officer in Hitler’s elite, he had the world ahead of him, a life of adventure, he was a soldier for the greatest nation on earth. He was NOT a nanny and it was not his job to baby-sit a bunch of prisoners, not even dangerous prisoners of was but a bunch of woman and teenagers. This was a major insult, but it was also an assignment and he would not disgrace his name by disobeying so he had accepted. When he had first received the assignment he hadn’t understood why he was being assigned this job. Oh, he had understood why there were concentration camps, they were a profitable way to keep track of possibly dangerous criminals and enemies but why did you need them for woman and children. No his job didn’t make sense but he had done it to the best of his ability. He had made things as comfortable as possible for his prisoners while still managing to make a profit for the camps civilian backers, it hadn’t been hard the government gave him a certain amount of funds at the start, once the camp had been established for two years all funds were withdrawn but still he had managed. There had never been any sign of rebellion in his camp. selections were rare and when they did occur there was never more than a handful of people chosen. Things had been as well as could be expected for the inmates and things had been well indeed for the civilian backers. There was no fighting nearby so, yes, the orders to shut down the camp and kill the inmates were shocking. Unbelievable even if it wasn’t for the clear signature at the bottom of the document. He could not understand why this was happening and he knew better than to argue the integrity of the orders as he had when they cut his funding so he did the only thing he could think of he pinned a short note confirming that the orders had reached him and called forward the solder waiting at the door. “Yes Soir” said the man, his accent betraying a less refined upbringing than the commander could claim, and saluted. “Take this to General Kelvin; he’s down stairs in the lobby” Commander Olskiy barked out his foul temper betraying his inner distress. “Yes Soir” again the young man offered him that annoying salute, witch the Commander dutifully returned, and then promptly left. The commander sank down into his chair with an inward sigh of relief. He was finally alone, now he could concentrate on finding a way out of this mess. Carefully he lined up his options, option one: carry out orders as given, not an option at all he would NOT order the deaths of almost five-hundred woman and teenagers, option two: disobey orders, also not a wise decision it would probably result in not only his death but the deaths of all of his under officers and quite likely that of the people he fought to save, option three”: well he wasn’t entirely sure if there was an option three but he would think of something else. Not the best options when everything was lined up. This required thought he would have to think of a way to disobey orders without appearing to disobey them . Later that night Commander Olskiy requested the presence of his most trusted officers in his chambers. There in the secrecy of the night he laid out his plan and gave them each orders. Three days later he ordered that the first dorm be emptied out and the inmates be marched some five miles away from camp. Later that night he listened carefully to the sounds of guns some miles away, knowing that spies would be reporting those sounds to his superiors who would believe that the inmates has been dutifully gunned down. He was sad that the inmates also had to listen to what they thought was the sound of the death of there comrades but everything had a price and a little fear was a small price to pay for there lives. Over the next two weeks inmates were marched out of the Falkinu in groups of about fifty and the quarters were carefully dismantled. Commander Olskiy carefully packed his bags, looking around at the empty land. He couldn’t do this; he couldn’t go back to his position knowing that he might be ordered to kill people again. He would never be able to obey orders with the same mindless obedience. He looked at his baggage then grabbed them and then left the building never looking back .He had an aunt in Mexico that would take him in. Commander Olskiy left Germany behind a commander no more but a man who was free, he was no longer in service of the Gestapo. The Story of The Riteous The story of the righteous Enemies are all around Yet in there mist a friend is found From despair Heroes arise To take ones captors by surprise A brave few who fought the masses Names now taught in history classes Anna Borkowska, a mother to all Who found the strength to tear down hatred’s wall Long had she been forced to watch the genocide Tell she gave the Jews the weapons to turn the tide Giving aid to those not of her kind She offered sanctuary to those bearing David’s sign Varian M. Fry A hero from a the USA He led a rescue party into enemy land For his beliefs forced him to take a stand He courage bought many a Jew’s safety With a rescue from France that many thought hasty Heroes in there own right That gave the Germans quite a fight Many they saved with there daring deeds For a future of expectance they laid the seeds Their heroic tales need to be known For into bad habits a new generation has grown