Are you there God?

    Are You There God?

1942 Suzanne Marsh

“Are you there God? Anna Markowitz asked silently.” The Nazis invaded Lodz Poland on September, 1939 the Lodz Ghetto was begun. The Markowitz family were removed from their home and were forced along with six thousand other people into what became the Lodz Ghetto. Anna, Katie and Aaron were teenagers, with no future. Anna was terrified of the Nazi soldiers, but even more of the Gestapo. The Lodz Ghetto there was no running water, no sewer system, it was overcrowded, starvation was prevalent. Isaac Markowitz and his wife Sarah were desperate to get out of the Lodz Ghetto. Food had become scarce; Anna and Katie foraged for food most of the day while Aaron and Isaac were forced to do manual labor on whatever the Nazis told them to do. Beatings occurred on a regular basis.

Anna would silently ask God where He was? Why was her family forced to live in such hellish condition. She wondered if God was there. How could he allow these things to happen. She thought about talking to the rabbi but before she could do that the Rabbi and his entire family simply disappeared. Rumors began to be heard throughout the that the Nazis were going to be deporting the Lodz Jews to forced labor camps. Sarah was home when Isaac came home:

“Sarah, we must leave now! They are going begin removing the Jews from Lodz.

I have heard we will be shipped to Auschwitz very soon. I can not find anywhere for

us to hide.. I don’t know what to do Sarah; if we stay here we will be deported, God knows

what will become of Katie, Aaron and Anna.”

“We could perhaps hid within the ghetto at least for a while, maybe we will find better

prospects than we have at the present.”

“We will do as wish Isaac.”

Days turned into months as the family hid in bombed out basements with little food. Anna once again wondered where God was. She hoped he was near; she had overheard the conversation between her partents.

1942

Isaac, emerged from a tunnel he was digging followed by a Gestapo officer.

“We have been betrayed Sarah. You must gather the children, we are being

deported within the hour.”

Sarah nodded as she rose, Anna was home as was Aaron, she had no idea where Katie was. She prayed a silent prayer that Katie was hiding somewhere and that she did not return until after they were gone. The Gestapo officer watched carefully as the Markowitz family loaded their few belongings. He escorted them to the train depot. There they stayed for several days waiting for the train, no food, no water no ammenities. Anna sobbed and once again asked God if he were there. She was afraid of the consequences this train ride could have. Isaac, was worried about his family. Sarah and Anna in particular. He heard rumors about women arriving at the camps and being gassed; he prayed that would not be the case for his wife and daughter. There were so many variables to factor in.

The distant sound of the train began to grow louder and more constant. Fear etched the features of everyone standing the platform. Word began to spread that they were being transported to Auschwitz. The train stopped abruptly; the guards began to move the Jews along with bayonets. They boarded the cattle cars, standing room only. Anna was filled with fear; at fourteen she understood what Auschwitz meant; suvival or death for her family. Aaron at sixteen she knew would be sent to forced labor; hopefully with her father. That left her mother and herself. Katie, she knew was with the resistence, thank God she was safe, or at least Anna hoped she was.

The train stopped several more times, there was no air in the cars just a small window at the top. The cattle cars smelled with human fear, urine and feces. Anna, wanted to cry out to God:

“God where are you? Please let us survive.”

The train inched its way into Oswiecim, Poland. It continued its journey until they reached the brick gate; the sign that stated: ‘work will make you free’. The Germans were outside with dogs and guns; there on a platform Anna noticed a single German office directing left and right. Anna stood up as tall as she could; the signal from the Nazi officer indicated for her to go to the right and her Mother to the left.

Anna found herself in the forced labor line, before she realized it she saw her Mother for the last as she boarded a truck taking her to the gas chambers. Anna promised herself, she would survive. She marched in line. The entire line of girls was made to strip off all of their clothing. The next item of business was that all their hair be shaved off. They were then disinfected and showered. Finally a woman told her to hold out her right arm. She received a tattoo number which indicated her regisitration number.

The forced labor was moving heavy loads of stone in wheel barrows. The first morning was an eye opener for Anna. Breakfast was a water gray black substance, and a piece of black rye bread. Anna knew that if she was to survive this she would need whatever nourishment she could get. The women were then herded out into the cold frosty morning. The woman in front of Anna, saw she was afraid:

“the trick to surviving here is to do what you are told, do not show any emotion and most

importantly keep your eyes down at all times.”

Anna did as the woman suggested. The Nazi guards noticed Anna’s beauty. One of them watched her more closely. He knew he would be leaving soon but he wanted to protect her if he could. He had seen so many woman and children die in the chambers; maybe he could save just one.

Hans Schmidt approached Anna that evening:

“Hello, my name is Hans, I want you to do exactly as I tell you.”

“Are you going to kill me or rape me?” Anna asked.

Hans smiled:

Neither, I am going to smuggle you out of here; give you a chance at better life. Two nights later Hans smuggled Anna out of Auschwitz dressed as a Nazi soldier. They walked together all night in silence. Anna, finally knew that God had heard, he was there. She would be safe now.