Mordechai Gebirtig was a composer, he was a carpenter and he was the author of poems and lyrics in Yiddish. He was born on May 4th. 1877 and was Murdered on June 4th. 1943 in the Cracow Ghetto while he struggled with the Nazi intention to force him toward Belzec. Though this poem is not of the crisis to face the Jews of Cracow under the Nazi kosh, it is a testimony to the Jewish burden for being born within Poland.
Our Town is Burning!
It’s burning! Brothers, it’s burning! Oh, our poor town, alas, is burning! Angry winds with rage are tearing, smashing, blowing higher still the wild flames—all around now burns! And you stand there looking on with folded arms, and you stand there looking on—our town is burning!
It’s burning! Brothers, it’s burning! Oh, our poor town, alas, is burning! The tongues of flame have already swallowed the whole town and the angry winds are roaring—the whole town is burning! And you stand there looking on with folded arms, and you stand there looking on—our town is burning!
It’s burning! Brothers, it’s burning! God forbid, the moment may be coming when our city together with us will be gone in ash and flames, as after a battle—only empty, blank walls! And you stand there looking on with folded arms, and you stand there looking on—our town is burning!
It’s burning! Brothers, it’s burning! Help depends only on you: if the town is dear to you, take the buckets, put out the fire. Put it out with your own blood—show that you can do it! Don’t stand there, brothers, with folded arms! Don’t stand there, brothers, put out the fire—our town is burning.” Mordechai Gebirtig.
