More than Seventy Years in the Making: An American Child Holocaust Survivor
Child Holocaust survivor: The Story That Was Never Meant to be Told
During the decades following her arrival from Germany into the harbor entry point for New York City, Cecylia rarely spoke about her World War II experiences as a child Holocaust survivor. Her younger siblings likely knew more than anyone about those days, but the stories were almost never recounted in public; and especially not to the younger generation. Cecylia’s children were aware that their mother was in a slave labor camp, but that was the extent of their knowledge. “Mom told us that she was a child Holocaust survivor, but that’s where the flow of information ended,” Cecylia’s daughter Elizabeth recalled. “She brought it up from time to time over the years when we were quite young -‘how hungry they were’, ‘Hitler’, ‘the camps’. Those were the terms we heard. Little else,” she remembers.
As an adult, Cecylia’s son and coauthor, Robert, tried to reason why such inquisitive children, as were he and his sister, did not probe for information on this particular topic, even as they grew older. “I suppose that since we were so young when we began to hear bits and pieces, we had no frame of reference about what she shared with us. Also, she never mentioned it as something that was particularly amazing. She shared it in a very ‘matter-of-fact’ way. So, we accepted it in that way and became conditioned not to ask questions; at least not about that topic. The interesting thing is that even as we grew older and learned about the War, our conditioned behaviors remained. So, even into our 30s and 40s, we still never asked questions.”
Robert recalls the first time he truly connected his mother’s childhood to the WWII horrors he had learned about in school. “My wife and I had just seen the film “Schindler’s List”, and I mentioned it to my parents. My father boldly announced, “You know, there are several events from that movie that are part of your mother’s life, right?” I looked at my mother in disbelief. She responded with a nod and a subtle smile.”
The Words that Lit the Fire
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former President of Iran, gained international attention for his controversial remarks about the Holocaust. In 2005, he called the Holocaust a “myth” and questioned the extent of the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II. After years of suppressing the fear, sadness, and emotional distress that defined most of her childhood, the diminutive, demure, and humble Cecylia discovered a voice that even she was surprised to find. “This powerful man, that millions of people listen to, is trying to invalidate all that I endured as a child Holocaust survivor. He is telling people that the bodies I saw as a child, the torture I witnessed, the horrific memories that I can’t erase -never happened! I can’t sit quietly any longer.”
Committed
After years of encouragement from family and friends, the time finally came. Cecylia called her son, Robert. “I’m ready to tell my story, and I need you to write it.” On the phone almost daily, she and Robert began to assemble her recollections as a child Holocaust survivor; she with her pen and her electric typewriter, and he on his computer.
Generally even tempered and rarely one to cry, Robert recalls his mother’s reaction to a particular part of the book; the liberation by the American soldiers. Cecylia was keen to express the depth of gratitude, relief, and exhilaration that overcame her when the platoon of soldiers from Patton’s 3rd Army rolled into the small village where she, her mother, and other slave laborers had been hiding. Day after day, Robert massaged the words. “No,” she said, “the words are too strong.” “No,” she said, “that’s not how I felt.”
Days later, he called Cecylia for their routine editing session. “I think I finally have ‘the liberation’ down in the right way; the way that really tells how you felt.” So, into the telephone receiver, he began to read to his mother the words that he hoped would perfectly convey her message.
“They threw candy from the tanks. Surrounded by fellow forced laborers and American soldiers, I watched the candy fly through the air. I listened to the cheers and allowed the jubilation to swallow me up. Then in an unlikely moment of solitude, overcome by the bliss that only freedom can tender, I simply stood there and cried.”
He waited for a response. Silence. Once second, two seconds. Still silence. “Mom?” Still nothing. Then, he heard a faint sniffle and a subtle murmur. “Mom? Are you okay?” “It’s perfect,” she whispered.
Child Holocaust survivor: The Research in Poland and Germany
The following are snippets from the diary that Robert kept while traveling through the Polish and German countryside; in search of the descendants of those who lived during the War. Maybe, just maybe, they could provide a richer perspective on the events of his mother’s childhood. Spoiler Alert: Robert did have a few extraordinary encounters with some of these individuals. As was done in the book, the names and places in Germany have been changed in this writing, out of respect for their privacy. Click on a segment below, and come along on the journey.
Click the Link Below to begin:
Coming Soon:
- Krakow & the Little Village where Cecylia was Born
- An Experience to Remember
- Germany: I Had No Expectations
- Such a Kind Gentleman
- More Unexpected Hospitality
- I Couldn’t Believe My Eyes
The CNN Interview
I’m sad to say that the interview on CNN International has been lost. Still, read on to hear Cecylia’s son and coauthor, Robert, tell how CNN picked up the story.
At the end of a hard workday at CNN, I left the Headquarters office, past the big red CNN letters, heading to the parking deck. While I waited for the elevator, a CNN producer trudged over to catch the same ride. I asked her about her job. “Why do you look so tired?”
“The Demjanjuk story.” She was referring to the trial of 90-year-old, John Demjanjuk, an accused Nazi camp guard, whose trial was coming to a close. “What’s the problem?” I asked. She replied, “I’ve been trying all day to get an interview with someone who was in a Concentration camp; someone who can relate to the story. Unfortunately, those people are getting harder to find. “Oh, I know,” I sympathized. My Mom was a forced laborer in Nazi Germany; a child Holocaust survivor.” In disbelief, she stuttered, “Wh-wh-at?” “Yeah,” I continued. “We just published her memoir.”
As I turned, she stopped me. “I need to interview your mother,” she commanded. I chuckled. “My mother lives in Florida,” I smiled. “Does she have Skype?” she suggested. I laughed, “She doesn’t even own a computer!” Not willing to give up, she said, “Well, does she know someone who has Skype?” I stopped walking. “That may be a possibility,” I said. “Here’s my number. Please call me,” she politely asked.
In the end, the interview went perfectly. Mom was articulate and sincere. When the interview was finished, she called me. Understandably tired from all of the excitement, she was content that she had shared her story with yet another new audience. She slept well that night.
The Book Tour, Awards, and Interviews
On Permanent Record for Future Generations
When the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum contacted Cecylia and Robert, they were honored and humbled. The Museum representative asked permission to bring their cameras to interview Cecylia in her home. They wanted to create a formal and permanent record of Cecylia’s story. “We are not Jewish”, replied Robert. “I wouldn’t want to conflate what the Jews endured with what my mother went through.” To her great credit the USHMM representative responded, “We want to tell the entire story of the Holocaust; not only the Jewish portion.
I encourage you to visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. During your tour, visit the Research Library, where you’ll find a 2-hour raw video of Cecylia recounting her entire story.