Jakob Frenkiel



Mini-Project 1 by Emily Bonnett: Newspaper Article


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 Remembering Auschwitz 40 Years Later
  United States — April 17, 1985
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Auschwitz 1 Entrance
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40 years after the harrowing discovery of the concentration and extermination camps of Nazi Germany, Jakob Frienkel still remembers his experience at Auschwitz in Poland. “I spent the worst 17 months of my life there” says Jakob, “you don’t just forget that kind of an experience”.

Born in a religious Jewish family, Jakob grew up in Gabin, 50 miles west of Warsaw. Living close to the synagogue, Jakob first experienced the terror of the Nazi regime at the young age of 10.
Jakob, age 11

 
“Just a few months before I turned 10, the Germans started a war with Poland”, recalls Jakob, his voice shaking, “all the Jewish men were rounded up...and held there while our synagogue and homes burned to the ground”. Only 2 years later, Jakob was taken from his home to a work camp and later, to Auschwitz, along with thousands of other children. “I asked a prisoner what was going to happen to us. He pointed to the chimneys. ‘Tomorrow the smoke be from you’ “. Although young and afraid, Jakob was clever. He learned that he may survive longer if he secretly lined up with the men recruited to work
in the camp.

At Auschwitz alone, over a million Jews were murdered at the hand of the Nazi regime. Although Jakob survived the death march to Germany and was liberated near Austria in April 1945, many did not survive. Jakob, now 56 and a resident of the United States, can’t decide whether it is best to remember or forget. “The ways humans treated others humans there-it’s still unbelievable, so hard to remember”, Jakob states, fighting back tears and clearing his throat. “But you have to remember”, Jakob continues, “we can’t ever forget those that didn’t escape, that didn’t survive”.

“Do you ever wonder why you survived and others did not?”, I ask, understanding that Holocaust victims process guilt and pain years after their experience. Jakob’s response is both heartbreaking and inspiring. He smiles slightly, eyes still watery, “everyday” he states, “everyday I wonder why I survived and so many did not...I hope it was for a good reason. If it wasn’t... maybe I’ll have to make one”.



Mini-project 2 by Sarah Catterall: A Letter


April 28, 1943

Hallo Oma,

Du fehlst mir. Unseres Straße ist sehr ruhig. Wegen dem Krieg oder die “Beseitigung”, hat alles gegangen.

Last week, Papa went into Warsaw to have a meeting at the bank. He was supposed to be gone for the afternoon, but he didn’t come home for three days. Mama was so worried. With Ernst gone at the front, Mama gets anxious very easily these days. I stay home from school a lot to help her around the house. Anyways, Papa finally came home from Warsaw, and he was white in the face.

Remember the Frankiels? They lived next door to us. Jakob used to clear our stairs when it snowed. Well, they disappeared a few months ago… actually, most of the Jews who lived on our street have been going away. Mama and Papa usually don’t talk about it, but when Papa came back from Warsaw, he said that he saw them. It was only for a second. He walked past this part of the city that has soldiers all over it. He said it was sunny out, but that section of the city seemed to have a cloud over it. It’s all barricaded, and he said it smells bad. He was walking to the bank, and the gate opened as a couple of soldiers went in. And Papa said that just for a second, he saw Jakob. He was standing with Sossia, and they stared at him with “hungry eyes and hearts”, said Papa.

Papa sent me out of the room after that, but I heard him talking to Mama. There was some kind of fight in “das Getto”. Papa said shots were ringing and hundreds of Nazis were rushing in for 2 days.  Papa saw four of them carried out in stretchers, and they looked dead. I didn’t understand that? Who killed the soldiers? I found the newspaper in the trash, and apparently 12 Nazis died in the ghetto. Apparently the Jews in the ghetto had all hid when the Nazis came in, and then attacked them. Mama said they were bad for attacking the soldiers, but Papa said the soldiers tried to “send them away” on their Passover holiday. The Frankiels invited us over three years ago for Passover. Mama refused to go, but Papa took Ernst and I. It was kind of weird, but Papa said it was an honour.

I heard Papa telling Mama that the ghetto was empty now. So I don’t really know when the Frankiels are coming home. People have smashed some of their windows, and Mama brought home new dishes that look exactly like Mrs. Frankiel's special china. I’ve been watering Jakob’s tulips for him, even though I don’t tell Mama.

Ich gehe mussen!
                                                                                   
                                                                                    Gruß und Kuss!!
                                                                                                Ellie








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