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Surviving the Holocaust: A Glimmer of Hope

Silberberg notices a familiar face in the labor camp.

Writer's note: Sam Silberberg spoke at Soka University on April 14. His story was extraordinary, and I was given the chance to interview him at his home in Laguna Woods. His story of survival and tragedy will be told through a multi-part series on Aliso Viejo Patch. View the previous story .

Allied bombers roared over the labor camp. Silberberg looked up into the sky, hoping that one would begin to drop its bombs. Not a single bomb was dropped.

The days that followed seemed like weeks. Every day of labor became monotonous to the point of insanity.

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“If only I listened to my uncle Moses and went to the promised land when I was 9,” Silberberg thought. “I would be getting a normal education, going to school and wouldn’t be enslaved here.”

Silberberg woke up from his daydream back into his harsh reality. He was shackled and marched back and forth between the industrial complex and food line.

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“What do I have to look forward to?”

***

Winter 1944

Influenza swept through the Blechhammer labor camp and infected its inhabitants. Some who were weak and sick of living as slaves would go to the infirmary to end their misery; anyone who remained in the facility for more than two days was given a lethal injection and cremated.

Smoke filled the air with the stench of burned human remains.

“Have faith, have hope, my son,” Silberberg’s father said.

It wasn’t what Silberberg wanted to hear. He tired of working as a slave for the Nazis and nearly gave up. But finally, his father’s words made sense. While Silberberg was shackled, he saw something—or rather, someone—who looked familiar.

He saw an outline of a woman. As the woman walked closer and closer, more details began to reveal themselves.

“That coat. It looks familiar,” thought Silberberg.

She continued to walk toward Silberberg. Then his eyes widened at the disbelief of who was standing before him.

“It’s my mother! That’s my mother,” Silberberg said to a prisoner shackled next to him.

“Shut up, you idiot! You’ll get her and both of us killed,” the prisoner snarled back.

Silberberg knew at that moment his father was right all along. Never give up hope. Never give up, because things will get better.

***

Allied soldiers continued to pour into the camp, bringing news of how the war against the Nazis was turning out. Captive British soldiers smuggled in a radio to hear the latest news from the BBC.

The Nazis were surrounded and losing on the eastern and western fronts. It was only a matter of time before the Allies marched into Berlin.

Sensing this and after the sight of his mother, Silberberg decided to take a bold risk.

“There was a German called “Mr. Frank,” who oversaw some of us,” said Silberberg. “I talked to him a few times, and eventually I found out that he wasn’t like the other Nazis. He actually got in trouble for treating some Jews with respect. I learned to trust him, and I asked him a favor.”

He gathered his strength as his heart raced. He knew that if he asked for this favor of Mr. Frank and he didn’t approve, Silberberg’s mother would be put at risk.

“Herr Frank? Can I ask you a favor?” said Silberberg.

“What is it?” said Mr. Frank.

“Can you send this letter to my mother in Neisse-Neustadt?” Silberberg asked.

Mr. Frank looked at Silberberg straight in the eye. Silberberg’s hands became soaked in sweat as he waited the few moments for Mr. Frank to answer his question.

“Ok, I’ll do it,” he said.

Silberberg tried to contain his excitement as he went back to his father to tell him of the news.

Days past before Silberberg received a reply from his mother. The news in her letter devastated him and his father.

“We found out terrible news from the letter,” said Silberberg. “We found out that my brother, Ben-Zion, was sent to the gas chamber and executed. My sister, Ruzia, was also sent to Auschwitz and was murdered there as well.”

Now the family was down to 104 members.

As the Allies continued to push farther into Germany, the Nazis had new plans for their slaves.

***

Check back Friday for more of Silberberg's story.

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