Performance Piece by Victoria Ritter–Part III

Here is the final part of Victoria’s prize-winning Holocaust performance piece. People who have not read the previous sections, should start with part one, two posts behind this one. Comments are welcomed.

After The War

(Play 2 lines of “Polish Dance”) This violin helps me to put a voice to the memories, songs, and stories to all of the children who died. As you can see, I made it out of hiding. The Nazis robbed me of my childhood as I always had to be on my guard and never relax, but I am alive.

I remember the thrill of liberation. I watched the American convoys pass. The soldiers gave us chocolate bars and candy. It was heaven and they were so nice and handsome. I have many more stories to tell, but that is for another time. I live in America now and teach violin in a High School.

My Mother was never buried but I did plant a tree in her remembrance. Whenever I see it I think of her knowledge of trees and how she died trying to achieve the freedom that they represent. Father has a tree too, right next to Mother’s so I know they are close together right now, wherever they are.

Epilogue

All Jews were targeted for death, but the children’s death rate was very high. “Of the estimated 216,000 Jewish youngsters deported to Auschwitz, only 6,700 teenagers were selected for forced labor; nearly all the others were sent directly to the gas chambers. When the camp was liberated on January 27, 1945, Soviet troops found just 451 Jewish children among the 9,000 surviving prisoners.”[1]

The Bielski Brothers saved more than 1,200 Jewish men, women and children from perishing in the Holocaust. They were called “The Forest Jews,” They built an elaborate village in the woods and rescued Jews and used guerilla attacks against the Nazis. They stockpiled weapons and supplies to kill the enemies. No Jew was turned away from their “Jerusalem in the Woods.”

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[1] Holocaust Encyclopedia