I will let You into a secret. As we journeyed from Cracow (Krakow) toward Auschwitz and then onto Birkenau, I could see signposts that directed us toward where We must venture thoughts, concerns and a desire to add toward the Remembrance of those Jews whose lives ended so abruptly in Auschwitz and Birkenau. Also, we would be travelling along that same route were destinations that have been as much a part of The Holocaust landscape as Auschwitz and Birkenau were to become, Towns signposted and blended into the scenery. For me, these were names which rang alarm bells, and as we sped along they would remind me that there must have been scenes of utter devastation for the Jews of these Towns, some 70 years ago!

It is small consolation that the names mentioned here will barely impact upon the memory of those who read them! They are listed at Yad Vashem! They belong to an era now lost to all Humanity. My attempt to place a step in sync with those 1,100,000 Jews who were delivered to oblivion having lived close by, having been transported from the four corners of Europe and finding nothing but devastation, destruction and oblivion before them at Auschwitz and Birkenau.

Some of the Murdered Jews of Cracow (Krakow)

Bachner, Chana
Bachner, Shmue
Banet, Chaim
Braun, Benek
Bergman, Chaia
Berger, Chaja
Berger, Leja
Berger, Baruch
Berger, Rosa
Berger, Zeev
Berhang, Stanislaw
Blumenkrantz, Rachel
Blumner, Salo Shlomo
Blonder, Michael
Blonder, Lusia
Blonder, Hilda
Blonder, Miriam
Blonski, Mania Miriam
Blonski, Mosze
Beck, Abraham
Beckmann, Yitzkhak
Berkowicz, Sara Stefania
Bernstein, Ita
Biegeleisen, Moshe Leib
Birenbaum, Regina
Blaicher, Frida
Blasenstein, Marila Miriam
Blatt, Rywka
Blatt, Fela
Blat, Kaila
Blat, Perl
Blinder, Marjem
Blitz, Yakob
Blitz, Haja
Bru, Simon
Gusta, Guta
Horowitz, Rachel
Huelfstein, Lejb
Huppert, Joachim Khaim
Huppert, Bernard
Huttman, Chaja
Jakobowicz, Matyl
Jakobowicz, Szloma
Jakubowicz, Leopold
Jekler, Bernard
Jonas, Rivca
Kac, Mojsze
Katz, Moiche
Karmel, Dora
Launer, Zygmund Zisha
Lam, Fela
Landau, Hinda
Landau, Haia
Leibel, Debora
Leidner, Chaia
Liblich, Chaja
Lowenbraun, Sara
Markowicz, Dawid
Melzer, Lifcia
Taube, Regina Rakhel
Taubman, Regina
Tobias, Berta
Tupel, Josef
Teiger, Golda
Teitel, Helena
Tindel, Berta
Tiras, Rivka
Zandgarten, Solomon Shlomo
Zandhauz, Paul

Some of the Murdered Jews of Babice


Feif, Smuel

Gutter, Blime

Gutter, Rutzia

Gutter, Feliks

Jungmann, Hugo

Litmanowicz, Iheskel

Litmanowicz, Yitzkhak

Pack, Chaim

Rozenfeld, Avraham

Szwecer, Zisser

Szwecer, Moszko

Szwecer, Icek

Szymonowicz, Emilia

Tintenfish, Yosef

Volf, Moshe

Volf, Etel

Volf, Shlomo

Vulf, Feiga

Weiss, Otto

Weitzenblum, Helena

Some of the Murdered Jews of Baczyn


Beck, Salomea

Klapholz, Aron

Klapholz, Salomon

Some of the Murdered Jews of Bedzin


Abramczyk, Rachel

Abramowicz, Perl

Balicka, Krajndla

Belicka, Perl Sara

Berlach, Berish

Binsztok, Szajndla

Binsztok, Yaakov

Blacharz, Dobra

Blachas, Avraham

Blumenfrucht, Fela

Buchweitz, Ita

Chumec, Rachel

Cukierman, Abraham

Cygler, Sara

Cymborknopf, Hela

Cymerman, Dorka

Cymerman, Bajle

Dancyger, Mania

Dressler, Gitel

Dressler, Moshe

Ehrlich, Emilia

Ehrlich, Lea

Eksztajn, Chana

Erlich, Rachel

Erlich, Rosa

Erlich, Elijasz

Erlich, Estera

Erlich, Motel

Some of the Murdered Jews of Biala


Allerhand, Samuel

Berensztein, Chaskiel

Bergmann, Moritz.

Borgher, Hugo

Brahm, Frajda

Brahm, Herman

Brahm, Hela..

Brahm, Guta

Brannstatter, Izydor

Czajewicz, Raja

Gleser, Gitla

Some of the Murdered Jews of Bochnia


Ackerman, Haim

Ackerman, Jacob

Ackerman, Meir

Ackerman, Faivl

Ackerman, Simon

Ackerman, Miriam

Ackerman, Eva

Ackerman, Smuel

Austerweil, Zisman

Austerweil, Zwettel

Beldengruen, Eljasz

Bernstein, Mirjam

Some of the Murdered Jews of Chrzanow


Appelstein, Avraham

Bachna, Mindl Fruma

Bachne, Slomo Elejzer

Bachner, Mindl

Bachner, Rachel

Bachner, Etl

Bachner, Chana

Bachner, Keila

Bachner, Chaim

Bachner, Mejer

Bachner, Teme

Bachner, Slomo

Bachner, Malka

Bachner, Ester

Bachner, Keila

Berl, Sara

Berl, Josef

Birenbojm, Chane

Blachmacher, Szloma

Blachmacher, Fejga

Blumenstock, Rosa

Bochenek, Iudl

Bochenek, Rywka

Bochner, Surele

Bochner, Avrum

Bochner, Breintsche

Borenstein, David

Bornschtein, Feigla

Bornschtein, Faiwel

Some of the Murdered Jews of Debniki


Helfer, Josef

Horowitz, Blima

Traub, Rozia

Some of the Murdered Jews of Katowice


Altmann, Berthold

Altmann, Hertha

Altmann, Marta

Balser, Masha

Belicka, Chana

Belicki, Josef Hersz

Bernstein, Roman

Betar, Heinrik

Better, Irena

Better, Fritz Peretz

Bienenfeld, Leib

Birenbaum, Balbina

Blaustein, Szaja Yehoshua

Blaustein, Dwora

Blumenfrucht, Rywka Sara

Blumenfrucht, Pesach

Borensztein, Sara

Bornstein, Emanuel

Reizl, Shoshana

Some of the Murdered Jews of Kazimierz


Aufman, Eva

Awnstern, Abraham

Banach, Joseph

Barsch, Moische

Bienstock, Feiga Lea

Borensztain, Zlata

Borensztejn, Mosze

Bornstein, David

Buchbinder, Henzel

Buchbinder, Chana

Buchbinder, Sender

Buchbinder, Malka

Buchbinder, Sula

Some of the Murdered Jews of Lipowa


Jakubiec, Marie

Silberstein, Herman

Silberstein, Shmuel

Tarlowski, Klara

Walter, Henryk

Zajbert, Lajzer Eliezer

Some of the Murdered Jews of Olkusz


Besser, Mania

Besser, Chil Yekhiel

Chanczinski, Netl

Some of the Murdered Jews of Plaszow


Atteslander, Zygmunt

Atteslander, Izrael

Atteslander, Moniek

Atteslander, Temka

Bendet, Fanny

Bendet, Herszlit

Bendet, Odette

Bernstein, Rachel

Bernstein, Wilhelm

Dicker, Joseph

Fajer, Ruchel

Fogl, Benjamin

Gnut, Mihail

Grosman, Freida

Gruen, Faiga

Gruen, Julek

Grunspan, Lusia

Grunspan, Samuel

Habensztoch, Jehuda Lajb

Kirszblum, Eugenie

Leser, Hesie Yitzkhak

Lipperman, Benjamin Bishko

Nepomniatzki, Leija

Raubvogel, Zelig

Riegelhaupt, Armin

Rosner, Gerszon

Rottenberg, Solomon

Sternberg, Menachem Maness

Stimez, Miriam

Stimez, Moshe

Szpindler, Eliezer

Ulreich, Sara Hadasa

Weisberg, Richard

Weisberg, Max

Wrobel, Mozes

Zeidel, Paula

Zeidel, Stefan

Zeidel, Roza

Zeidl, Sigi

The River Vistula.

The River flows through Cracow and has had it’s share of tragedy and as a City can be so easily defined by a River as it flows through its environs, Cracow has been shaped by the ebb and flow of these Waters since creation. On my walk from the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter toward the Schindler Factory on Lipowa Street I crossed the River Vistula and watched as it stretched past Architecture that had been a witness to the departure of its Jews toward Destruction in The Holocaust. The buildings stood rigid against the tide of Jewish People being forced from all that they had known, and just as many of Cracow’s citizens did, remained passive and indifferent to their torment.

Millions of litres of water flowed underneath Me and I couldn’t help wondering, how many Jews perished, Shot and were thrown into the River. Or were drowned while attempting to escape across the River. Or were simply thrown into the fast flowing current to see them disappear beneath its drenching power. Much sport was to be had by Nazi’s who could witness Jews drowning, just to mark the time of day.

Some of the Murdered Jews of Sosnowiec


Anisman, Lea

Anisman, Moshe

Anisman, Rivka

Eidelman, Meir

Eidelman, Chana

Eidelman, Aizik

Englard, Dora

Englard, Shmuel

Goldsztajn, Regina

Goldsztajn, Hernyk

Hajda, Nosson Yitzchak

Hajda, Yerachmiel Dovid

Hajda, Sinai Mordechai

Izraelevich, Regina

Oks, Shlomo

Oks, Chana

Olmer, Eliahu Hershel

Olmer, Shlomo Michael

Olmer, Yitzkhak

Olmer, Pola

Ostri, Yaakov

Ostri, Regina

Rabinowicz, Yisroel

Tennenberg, Yosef

Uiazd, Zysl

Uiazd, Yaakov

Some of the Murdered Jews of Tychy


Richter, Wilhelm

Rikhter, Klara

Rikhter, Willy

Rikhter, Eduard

Rikhter, Oskar

Weissenberg, Artur

Weissenberg, Felicitas

The Town of Wadowice is well known to those who have studied The Holocaust. Pope John Paul II went to School there and knew the Jewish Community that had been ravaged by Hitler’s legion of hater’s. For that reason, I have placed the names of some of the Murdered Jews of Wadowice in that submission which asks exactly that of the late Pope, what did he know of their fate?

Then there are the Names which, in the Polish language, do not mean much to the ordinary Visitor. Though they remain infamous in more than 1,100,000 ways, time has recalled them as Birkenau and Auschwitz:

Some of the Murdered Jews of Oswiecim

Bachner, Wolf
Bachner, Roza
Bainerman, Anca
Barbar, Berisch
Basser, Wolf
Baurenfreind, Leibis
Beer, Julja
Beer, Rosa
Berenshtein, Doba
Bernstein, Marcus Mordekhai
Bernstein, Regina Ryvka
Better, Max Mordechai
Birnfrajnd, Jakob Dawid
Blacharowich, Yekhiel
Blumenfrucht, Yehuda Arie
Blumenstock, Henryk
Bochner, Mailech Elimelekh
Bombak, Eljahu
Bornstein, Basze
Bornstein, Ruzia
Bornstein, Zisman
Bornstein, Chaja
Bornstein, Ruzia
Bornstein, Kalman
Bornstein, Berisz
Brandstatter, Chaim
Braw, Shlomo
Brawer, Henoch
Bronner, Jakob
Bronner, Mina
Bronner, Sala Shulamit
Bronner, Miriam
Bronner, Manja Mania
Bronner, Pinchas Josef
Bronner, Frieda
Cejzel, Pinchas
Celler, Sara Beila
Cwerling, Szmuel
Cwerling, Antszel
Cwerling, Jakob
Cwerling, Leja
Edelstein, Natan Nute
Eichner, Reisl

Engelhardt, Naftali
Englaender, Dawid Shaul
Englaender, Mina
Enoch, Wolf Wilhelm
Enoch, Frimcia Frumet
Enoch, Wolf Zeev
Enoh, Rosalia
Fejgenbojm, Bernard
Feltscher, Amalia
Fenigher, Berta
Fenigher, Sali
Finkelsztein, Lejzer
Finkelsztein, Simcha
Fischer, Brandil
Fiszgrund, Chana
Fiszgrund, Rachel
Fuchs, Regina
Galizer, Shalom
Galizer, Szalom
Garfunkl, Yochewed
Garstner, Jechezkel
Garstner, Fajge
Gassner, Adela
Gassner, Frida
Gassner, Chaja
Gatter, Moshe
Gezank, Ihezkel
Glicensztajn, Arie
Goldsztajn, Nacha
Goldwaser, Sali
Gottlieb, Aron
Gottlieb, Abram Psachja
Grobner, Dwora
Grobner, Slomo
Grobner, Jechezkiel
Gross, Yosef
Gross, Abraham Hirsch
Gross, Racl
Gross, Yakow
Gruen, Bezalel
Gruenbaum, Icus
Gruenn, Faiwl
Gryn, Becalel
Gutcherz, Lola Lea
Gutter, Amalia
Gvertman, Pesia
Gvertzman, Shalom
Gvertzman, Beila
Mair, Chaim
Malc, Eliezer
Manesfeld, Necha
Manesfeld, Natan
Manhajmer, Gitel
Mechner, Haim
Mondschtein, Debora
Najburg, Awrum
Nebencal, Hirsh
Nebenzahl, Lola Lea
Neufeld, Reuven
Neuhof, Henia
Neustadt, Hersh Herman
Neustadt, Reisil Rakhel
Nojfeld, Rachel
Nussbaum, Ester
Nussbaum, Gisela Gitel
Ohringer, Gerschon
Piller, Gitel
Piller, Bronka
Priever, Ewa
Rajchenberg, Jakab
Reicher, Chaim
Reicher, Ester
Rosbach, Shaindel
Rosenberg, Pinha
Weber, Chaim
Weg, Yosef
Weinfeld, Rivka
Weinheber, Mojzesz
Weinheber, Herman Tzvi
Weinstock, Sara
Weinstock, Gerschon
Weintraub, Hinda
Weiss, Mordchi Josef
Weitz, David
Weitz, Gitel
Wenger, Sender Aleksander
Wenger, Josef Yosef
Wenger, Helena Khaia
Werner, Arie Leib
Werner, Leibisz
Wetstein, Motl
Wildman, Mordechaj
Wildman, Israel
Wilk, Moshe
Wilk, Hela Khaia
Wilk, Abraham
Wilk, Moshe
Wisen, Golda
Wishnicer, Baruch
Wohlmann, Irena
Wohlmann, Alfred
Wolf, Frida
Wolf, Moshe
Wolf, Mosze
Wolf, Isroel Alter
Wolnerman, Moshe

One of those I met on the Tour here was Carl, who wondered why he landed at Auschwitz and did not recognise the façade. I immediately knew what had so confused him. He had remembered that other image which impacts upon the senses and it is just as potent as the sign

“Arbeit Macht Frei”

and that is that imposing entrance to Birkenau. Immediately he saw it, he realised what he had always considered had been Auschwitz! That must avail itself of so many who can become confused by images, if there isn’t the clear indication as to what they are looking at!

Perhaps to some it is appropriate to deal in terms which appear relevant to what we are involved in here. The Holocaust belongs to a singular term which has encapsulated the Memory for 6,000,000 Murdered Jews. Immediately upon sight of this Sign for Brzezinka, I was struck that a time had existed before The Holocaust when this rather benign name meant little to those Jews residing there, other than as a residence they could occupy? Now History has stolen this Towns name and constructed a Name more filled with Horror and terror than mere comprehension could compose. For over 1,300,000 innocent People, 1,100,000 of them Jews, Birkenau has become synonymous with the Industrialised Capacity for Mass Murder.

Some of the Murdered Jews of Brzezinka

Bachner, Rozalia
Baer, Heinz
Baer, Kurt
Baer, Tirza
Cechstein, Chana
Enokh, Rakhel
Enokh, Rutka
Enokh, Yaakov
Badrin, Wilhelm
Badrin, Berta
Badrin, Josef
Badrin, Ernestina
Badrin, Kurt
Goldberg, Hela
Goldberg, Renia
Goldberg, Shlomo
Goldberg, Pesakh
Goldberg, Roza
Goldberg, Nakhman
Goldberg, Izo Izidor
Hecht, Ida

Kenigsberger, Alek
Kenigsberger, Icie

Loeb, Aron
Loeb, Benjamin
Loeb, Berta
Loeb, Emanuel
Loeb, Lina
Loeb, Melitta
Loeb, Sara
Meyer, Juliua
Mirberg, Leizer
Mirberg, Rakhel
Mirberg, Leib
Mirberg, Meir
Mirberg, Yeta

Rosner, Berta
Shindel, Baruch

Schindel, Beria Pesel
Stapler, Berl
Stapler, Sara
Stapler, Blima
Stapler, Helena
Strauss, Hans
Wachsner, Rosa
Wasserberger, Henryk