Sahbra Markus Surviving The Holocaust Part 10 Finally A Princess

Summary:

In this final episode of Sahbra Markus’s amazing story, she shares a little bit of her life after the holocaust. From living in DP camps in Germany to living in Israel, coming to America, and working as a famous dancer in Canada. Her life certainly did not stop being eventful. She shares one story in particular of when she finally was able to wear the blue dress that she dreamed of and be a princess. Her story truly shows us how strong the human spirit is. You won’t want to miss this final chapter.

Episode Transcription

Intro Plays

Ari: Welcome to whispers and bricks. My name is Avi Shonbrun. I’m your host. Today’s episode we’re continuing on with the amazing story from Sahbra Marcus. I don’t want to take any time away from her. So Sabra, take it away, please.

Sahbra: And so, you know, I’ve always waited for that blue dress. I always waited for that princess. I want to be a princess. I was always torn clothes turncoat. Sooner or later person’s got to be a princess. You know, Oh, girls, princesses. From Austria, with the trucks, they took us into Germany, into the DP camps.

We camps, displaced person camps, camps.

We were in several. And for three and a half years. Wow. It was not as horrifically starving. But it was awesome. It was it was there was a little bit more freedom. But it was awesome. And for a long, long time, I kept dreaming about the princess Papa said I was going to be someday. Be a princess. I mean, I deserve to be a princess. I will says Papa service. Okay, this is so smart. To get to tell you about the princess. I will jump ahead a few years. We arrived in Haifa. And we lived there for some time. And that’s the time to go to a very important event. My father’s nephew was having his Bar Mitzvah and what remained of our family and my mama and papa side. We’re going to gather to come to this very important event. I looked at Papa and I said yes, of course. I would like to go on the sky. Are you coming? I said Yes, Papa. But I have no clothes. We were so poor. We were so poor. There was barely food and there was no work Israel when we arrived Israel or was only less than one year old. So it’s 1949

of the countries less than a year old.

Yes. Israel. Yes, force. And I said, Look at me. He said it’s okay. Mama and I will take care of it. You’ll be fine. You will be a princess. I say we always say that. But he looked at me. He came home from work and he said to ask my mother. Laura, did you get it? And she said yes. Exactly what I said. Yes. Top and bottom. Yes. Only she can go in our bedroom and look on the bed. I went in there and I’m that dead? Oh my god. That was the beautiful princess dress. Pale Blue. Shiny satin. Shiny. With a matching bow. Big, big beautiful bow for my hair and a big bow to go round of the waist with the strap and the bow in the back. Oh, my ex. I looked at it and I cried. And I cried and Papa said Don’t cry. You need to have beautiful eyes for the party. Number dress me combed my hair put my ribbon on. None of us understood that no one else in this room will look like this today. Exactly. No one will ribbons and unless they had a lump ponytails are a bunch of braids, but I never had enough hair for either one of those. So putting a bone in my head was the only thing you could do in this case, it would be the laughingstock of the country. But I got lucky. My beautiful dresses beautiful, my beautiful belt with that big blue bowl on my center of my back. And my my shoes, lovely shoes, without holes like these rallies. Shoes. What I didn’t know was that Mama was scouring every flea market in Haifa. To find this wardrobe. Wow. All the other money went to food and survival. The rent for the place was minimal. We could barely make the rent. And many times we went to bed without suit. So I was a princess. And when they came to the bar mitzvah, everyone, while they were shocked with that gigantic bow on my head. Everyone was silent and informed me that I looked so beautiful Papa said like a princess. Right? And everybody agreed and looked like a beautiful princess. I was not a child anymore. And I knew I could tell from the faces that some of them were a little bewildered with the wardrobe and that big ribbon on my head that big bow. I was out was I was just past world. Wow. To help, yes, I was about 12. And I pretended I didn’t notice the looks. I pretended I didn’t care. Because popper kept his word. He got me the pain rule set. And my balls as he used to problem never lied. Never did never lie. Wow.

That’s absolutely amazing. Such an amazing story. It’s just It’s unfathomable. Yet the human spirit that you portray is just it’s such a inspiration, you know, to have lived through hell. And back. And then to see you today with that smile. With you know, you just you’re you’re you’re a very, very strong woman, obviously you needed to be. And to this day, I’m sure that you know you you are a very, very strong woman and I pity the person that’s going to cross you. I don’t know what you would do to them.

I don’t think you should be in the same city with me for a month at least.

There you go. Now, when did you come? So you left Israel ultimately, and you came to America

in 1960? In 1960,

so that’s what

actually, in 1952. My mother decided that the heat in Israel. And my take is called unseen. Yeah, is a horrific heat that comes from the desert, right dries everything. And it’s where sometimes the expression was It’s a miracle that hasn’t dried to the Mediterranean. Yeah. It was awful. She was suffering. She really hated it. When, of course, we had many, many skirmishes and my father had to go to the military in 1953. There was a campaign and my mother said, I will not sacrifice anyone in my family anymore. And you know what she did? When I first heard it, I was shocked. I said, she says they will never change. I told you again and again. They will never change my my whole name. Oh, does brown skin Nazis? We were surrounded by nations of Arabs. Right? She named them brown skin. No. Excuse me. ugly brown. Nazis. No, she she. She specified what kind? Right? Right. So what was beyond beyond reproach her anger was

Were you. Were you still in Israel in 1956?

Cuz that’s 1960. You left in 1960.

So in 56, that was when again, there was another war. Yeah, that was the that was the Sinai was the Santa campaign and 56. Right. And then you left in 1916. You came to you didn’t come to America, you went to Canada. Is that correct? Oh, no, you when you came to America, City, New York City.

Oh, sure. I lived there for 12 years, and then two years in Los Angeles. And then given a very, very lucrative contract to perform in Calgary, in Canada. So I traveled up here.

You’re a dancer, correct? Oh, yes. Oh, okay.

I was a big success in Canada. I hear every day.

I hear a

television show. I had my own school. I taught 4700 students. Wow. Yeah. Ladies of all ages. And actually, I made a film with Richard Gere. And we filmed it here in Canada. Really? Oh, yes. It’s called Days of Heaven.

Days of Heaven. Now, gotta look it up.

Don’t get excited. We didn’t win any awards.

I don’t care. But I could watch and say I know that.

You do know that lady. I have a I had a very nice part in it. But you know, a lot of stuff lends on the editing floor, right? Yeah. So my dancing scene, isn’t it? Oh, cool. A few other small stuff. With Richard Gere in one of those, the plane with double wings, you know, because the film is taking takes place in in the First World War. Okay. Bye, bye. Bye, winged plane. Right. We my husband and I were supposed to fly out of where this is taking place supposedly in Texas. Yeah, it’s shot in Lethbridge, which is the same topography. And at night, we froze to death and we burned in the daytime sooty. So. So we’re on the plane, and I’m sitting in his lap. And all he kept murmuring is, of course, we didn’t have any voiceover. That was just the wind and the sign sound of the engine motor. Yeah. He kept this thing. So tell yourself told you like that. He said he was short. Shorts. And I was too tall. I was five, eight with three and four inch heels. Wow, he was funny. He was funny. A very nice person, a very nice person. Alright.

Have to thank you so much.

For sobre

Anushka. Okay. I have to thank you so much for sharing your story. It takes a lot of courage to do it. I know that. I know that it brings back a lot of unpleasant memories, to put it mildly

that every This is why people could say What do you mean, it took you six years to write your book? Because you’re solving after some of the chapters Correct? hysteric pain. How can you wait another week or two or a month later? To get your heart broken? Right? It took six years. But it sounds it’s done.

It is and you can get it on Amazon. Right? And it’s called

only a bad dream with a question mark.

Only a bad dream with a question mark. Get it on Amazon if you want to get the rest of the details of Sabra on Marcus’s life story through the Holocaust. It’s going to be so worth the read. It’s going to be incredible. I urge you to go out and I urge you to get it. Now, I don’t know what to call you. But Anishka. Again, thank you so much. I appreciate it. I am humbled that you allowed me to record you and to get this word out and Keep doing what you’re doing, keep telling your story. Keep talking to kids. And I think that’s the most important most important part is talking to the children because, you know, they, they need to know, they need to know and they so that they can carry on the story so that the world will never ever forget. Because at this stage of the game, I mean, let’s be real. You’re probably one of the last survivors. You’re one of the youngest to get through it. You’re probably part of the last survivors. After the, you know, after your generation, there is nobody else so we need to make sure that we keep going, keep telling your story, even keep inspiring people. And what can I tell

you? Yes, I’ll tell you what Ellie reserves are to me. He said it more than once. He said, Sabra, you are the voice of one and a half million children. You must never stop speaking. They didn’t get to live to tell. You must keep speaking for the rest of your life. You are the voice of your two brothers that will mitigate too little boys. You’re never met two little boys. You don’t know their needs. They’re gone. Every child in the world will demand that you speak for them. Every child that was murdered by those horrific nonferrous Yeah.

Ari: Thanks again, Sahbra. You been listening to whispers and bricks? My name is Gary Schoenbrunn. Till the next episode, listen to the whispers avoid the bricks. Never ever give up on your dreams, no matter how old you are as sobre Anushka. Marcus has just proven to us over these past 10 episodes. Thank you very much, and we’ll see you next time. Bye for now. You’ve been listening to whispers and bricks and I’m your host Gary Schoenbrunn. Until next time, listen to the whispers avoid the bricks and never ever give up on your dreams.

 

 

Sahbra Markus Surviving The Holocaust Part 6 Wild Train Ride

 

Summary:

In this episode, Sahbra Markus continues sharing her story from the point we left off with her father being arrested by the Russians. She describes how her mother’s constant letter writing came in very handy. The miraculous way her father is released from the prison and where the family’s journey took them next. This story is so complex you are not going to want to miss a minute.

Episode Transcription

 

Intro Plays

Ari: Welcome to whispers and bricks. My name is Barry Sherman. I’m your host. We are now going into part six of Sabra marks amazing story from the Holocaust. Please help me welcome Sabra. Marcus

Sabra How are you last time we spoke

 

Sahbra: My mom had done some amazing miracles that you know hiding the saccharin in your brother’s diapers, which was amazing. And then your dad came home your papa came home. And then we left off it seems that the Russians came to the door again and then they knocked on the door and they came to arrest your papa. And that’s where we stopped. So what happened? So before I go there, I forgot to mention that when those soldiers were in the house searching, they kept walking by next to my brother saying they stink. Why don’t you do something you lazy woman? Why don’t you wash them? They stink the place they use take overs think everything is things? Is your daughter filthy also. And my mother looks at me and I could see that she says to do not Yes. Yes.

 

I was no longer in diapers, the boy that I stayed.

 

So the door Yes, broken this time hanging halfway off the hinges. Marcus, you’re under arrest. You’re a thief. Somebody came forward

 

and told on him.

 

Now, obviously, it was a lie. But he was promised a loaf of bread. He would have said anything. Oh, God was one of the workers that worked with Papa, someone that pretended to be his friend

 

that a loaf of bread can do many things.

 

They took away.

 

My mother was a prolific letter writer. I think everyone on earth has received at least one of her letters.

 

She kept in touch with everyone just to find out that they’re still alive. If Hitler didn’t get them.

 

She remembered she had a cousin in Moscow.

 

A woman that is or was

 

in charge of transportation. She was a very high ranking officer

 

in charge of transportation for father for mother, Russia, during the war.

 

She wrote to her letters and wrote and wrote and wrote

 

and was hoping that she could at least influence someone to let Papa go

 

up my Topas

 

will send up to the around mountains where the coal mines are.

 

That Mama was informed and everyone in the camp there knew no one leaves those mountains. No one needs those caves. No one leaves that place. Once you’re there, you become part of the scenery you become part of slave gangs. And that’s it. You just have to write your own appetites. You’d say you’re done.

 

Proper try to stay by the wayside. mind his own business, stay in his own cell. Stay away from people my father’s English and my father’s Russian. You could tell he was not a native Russian.

 

And if you listen very carefully, you could tell it’s a Jew.

 

And those criminals were not about to allow a Jew live.

 

And so they came to conclusion that Papa better be put in isolation, or they’ll be missing a worker.

 

Time was going by.

 

Time was going by weeks are going by

 

and why

 

One day there is noise.

 

It sounded like a revolution was taking place. And in essence, it was a revolution.

 

The convicts, the prisoners decided,

 

working so hard as they have,

 

not having food. And drinking horrifically filthy water, and becoming more and more sick,

 

was not going to be a way to survive. And so they decided, you’re going to be dead in a few weeks or a few months anyway.

 

Maybe some will succeed, and get out of that hell, and make it into civilization and survive. So it was worthwhile to have an uprising

 

in that prison to see maybe a handful which survive.

 

So

 

papa sees many of them running by himself.

 

And

 

one of them screamed at him, hey, Marcus, come join us. You may be one of those that will survive come Marcus.

 

Persisting self well.

 

My chances of surviving staying here and then I might as well take a chance. It’s a prisoner pricing is stupid. You shouldn’t join it. Go do it.

 

So papa joins them. And he’s running.

 

And he follows everyone that’s running. And it was done so well that they were actually outside,

 

outside the prison gates, outside that entire confinement.

 

Here’s someone breathing heavy next to him. He looks and it’s one of the first parts. And the prisoner the prison guards are saying, hey, Marcus,

 

what’s wrong with you fool? Why are you running with them? He says well, better to die in free air. Then be in that stench? He says, but your release papers came this morning.

 

I’m chasing you.

 

Idiot. If you keep running with them, you will die for sure.

 

I have papers to take you to the train to send you back to Murray.

 

You do. So purposes I don’t believe you. He says

 

he shows him a big package. He says a letter doesn’t come in a package. He says it’s full of money.

 

Black Market money. He says for work. He says for your transportation to get out of here and to go to Moscow to your cousin.

 

Wow.

 

What the black market can do is quite phenomenal. Because you see, just because you don’t know how to deal with it or how to operate. It doesn’t mean there are some people that are in procession in that field.

 

So he grabbed Harbor, he grabbed by zebras father, he grabbed my father by the arm, and the two of them are running because my father’s feet are in terrible shape. They’re full of blisters, and they’re bleeding.

 

So he drags and carries and helps him. And he said I was to release you when I came to your celebree there. What is wrong with you?

 

He says I was gonna die of starvation and disease. Not according to your content. Who the hell is your cousin?

 

He was able to send money look at this money. So Father says Well, why didn’t you keep it?

 

So generous? That’s exactly what I was thinking. Why would he? Why wouldn’t he have kept the money even say that the money arrived? Right? He says because that person cousin of yours is so big. If you are not found alive where she says you should be. And if you don’t say you receive this amount.

 

The common dance of this person will slit my throat. Oh my God.

 

So

 

he said I will take you to this station. I brought you clothing. I brought your socks and shoes

 

and made sure everything is big. I used money from your package to buy everything. And now do all this on one condition. And Papa says oh I knew there would be a condition but condition coverage.

 

And he said the condition is bigger

 

Half and half on the money, I’m starving.

 

And Papa looked at him. He says, Take me there.

 

Show me a way to get back to my wife and children.

 

And I will let you have half of what’s there he says, I already use some of it for clothing and food for the for you have packages.

 

So in that you can say he was kind, or you could have totally taken all the money and escape the present during the Prison Break. Sure, and pop over the head nothing.

 

He got him to a place where he was able to find rides to go home.

 

He came back

 

again, my father day, absolute eternal optimist. Those finds a job in a different nature.

 

got eight. And Mama says we have some money now.

 

And he said lawyer, how did you do this? She says remember cousin galena?

 

Sortland. Your cousin She’s your cousin, her father and your mother.

 

Or brother and sister? She said yes.

 

You found her. I said I wrote the styling.

 

You wrote the letters to starting vote Are you insane?

 

She says with the letter got bearish and they read the letter and they found galena Cogan, and she’s a big hero in honor. And for the love of her nation. She not only is in charge of the transportation, prep, transport,

 

bringing food and bringing weapons and bringing everything else to the frontlines. She lost an eye in honor of her motherland.

 

So of course, they will do what she asked.

 

Peppa said, after working in the bakery for some weeks and excelling in his job and doing fantastic work, and soldiers were eating, and he was making special wonderful things for the officers.

 

They decided that he can’t be just a regular peasant. They have to make him an honorary member of the Communist Party.

 

Popper came home that evening from work, and he said, joy over. That’s Deborah, in Yiddish. We’re leaving.

 

And she says, But Velvel I don’t think we can. Why not? She says, he’s she says that you’re shaking, your malaria is back. You’re sick. You need to go into bed and you need to stay there.

 

I’m just gonna keep an eye on the children.

 

Again, I’m there with two toddlers.

 

And Mama runs away. Mama comes back with a doctor and he’s got a whole bunch of little packets had paper packets.

 

And they’re full of quinine.

 

And the doctor I’m listening to what he says and you are to take a glass of water and you’re to open that package and you pour it in a do it so many times a day and put all the blankets in the world you own on top of him. So while Mama was done, I kept covering him with blankets and he kept kicking them off and that just went on till she came back.

 

Two days went by and Power BI still violently ill.

 

And he said well, we have to get out of here. I did not apply for the Communist Party for the documentation. They will arrest me I will be send away again.

 

She says I went to the

 

I went to the train station to see how we can possibly get out.

 

There’s not a single passenger train coming by.

 

Well, what did you see? I didn’t see a train other than military trains that are going to the front. Nothing nothing or trains that are carrying goods to the front.

 

And he says we can stay here. Today’s the last day pack everything we can have everything we can use.

 

Mama packed. So there we are. We are hiking and Jaco and I and big Backcolor big bundles of things.

 

And she says why are we going to the train? He said Leave it to me. I’ll take care of it.

 

Mama spreads a blanket on the train station on the floor, only a matter of maybe 1015 feet from the actual railroad tracks.

 

And we’re sitting there, I’m holding out to my little brothers and I’m have my legs are one bundle and my brother’s pressed against the other two. And I’m holding on to the bundles as well.

 

And Mama is standing next to us seeing waiting for a signal from top if there’s anything she needs to do.

 

Then she sat down with us and she wasn’t sitting all of maybe five minutes when another train came in every time that came was full of soldiers. Half of them were leaning out the windows hoping there was someone there, they could buy a piece of something.

 

And finally another train came we were there for hours and hours. And we were starving. And mama had hidden the food in the packages. Finally she took out a chunk of bread and gave us each for us to munch on an old woman came down she says I’ll watch your children. Give me a few few pieces of bytes of bread, just a couple of bites.

 

So Mama gave her a chunk of bread and she sat there guarding us.

 

Until she decided to rob one of the packages. Mama slept her hand and told her to get out, slapped up, slapped her and never saw my mother hit anyone.

 

Well,

 

a train came again overflowing with humans. My father said take that big package and come stand next to me.

 

So Mama took that gigantic package.

 

And she came to stand next to him.

 

The train stopped. Papa ran a few steps further to the left.

 

He looked and look and look and he said Joy violet, come here.

 

He grabbed my mother. And I saw him attempting to push her through a window.

 

You couldn’t push anything through that window.

 

When she got to the taxi, shoved them shoved and open the window a little more.

 

He said My mind’s too big and she was a skeleton for God’s sake. And he shot and he shot then she got through the window. And then he served a package that’s 50 times bigger than the window and Mama grabbed and yanked and pulled and he pushed and she grabbed and yanked the package went in. Papa came running took high and

 

practically threw him into mother’s heart arms. She pulled him through the window. Then she did with Yakov. Then he took the packages. Then he grabbed the rag and me the blanket that we were sitting on. He threw us to the window. Mama slept us say. And she kept looking at us and doing this Quiet. Quiet. No one’s say a word. No one’s Be quiet. And look. Where’s papa? And Papa is jumping. And mumbles buddy is more than halfway out the window. So I was holding on to her legs. I was afraid Mama was going to pull up. So she pulls an iPod and she pulls then I pull them then I saw my father’s fingers holding onto the windowsill and she dragged him in. Then I saw her holding his spins. And she dragged them and drag them and then he came tumbling on top of all of us. And then Papa turn immediately sitting with his knee in my chest. And I thought he was going to crush me. And he yanked on the window and closed it and then he looked at us and he said she helped

 

me to Nishan Sheridan, it is forbidden to speak. You mustn’t speak and there we are. We’re lying on the floor, on top of packages on top of each other

 

to speak, we are dying of

 

our eyes are burning from the stench of the place.

 

They’re not speaking. No one is speaking and we’re breathing Quietly, quietly

 

and I hear voices from outside.

 

I tell you I saw them

 

they sneak them through the window.

 

are a bunch of Jews. I am sure of it. I tell you I saw them go look in that room you’ll see I am telling you that to all You’re an idiot and you’re drunk get outta here. I tell you I saw them he pushed him through the window urinated took the besides of that when the nose human can go through that window and they pushed in big banjos once he started talking about all the big bundles, for sure he was a drunk and stupid to now get rid of that bum.

 

And they told them you had to rock your stupid.

 

Nobody can go through that little window. Let us all an adult man and a woman and gigantic bundles. So some berries shoved them because I couldn’t hear his voice anymore. And so when the train started to move,

 

and it’s moving, and it’s moving,

 

and Papa whispers to us. Is anybody in pain? Is anyone hurt? Are you okay? Is anyone hurt? Is anyone in pain? No, papa. No. They dragged out. My brother is hurt. I don’t know where he was. But I can I I had his shoulders. So I figured the rest of it was attached. So I kept pulling and pulling. I said these high definition.

 

Kotlin native Ciriaco young color. Young color. Yeah. Okay. Young color. And he looked at me and smiled. Young color was always ready for a smile in their receipt. And then we were not moving.

 

So papa and mama and the kids. Were all trying to find out where the rest of our limbs are. You were looking for arms legs, and

 

my mom was putting the two little ones on the big bundle.

 

Imma let you okay. Yes, Mama. Time. My leg. Okay, you okay? Yes.

 

As we’re getting organized. A fist

 

is better banging on the door. Now let me ask you something before you go on. What was like? What was this? This was already a train car. But was there like no Pete? Was it a cargo

 

compartment or was it most of matrix when I said it was packed with soldiers going to Right? Right? I know. But I’m saying like you’re I can’t I won’t answer this question right now. You can have to wait another minute. Okay.

 

So that’s this is banging on the door. You’ve been there a long time get out.

 

You’re not the only one in this train that needs to pee.

 

And Papa such soon give me another minute.

 

So he gave him another minute and then he banged on the door again. I’m gonna pee in my pants. Get out.

 

Come on. What’s the matter with you? You’re not the only one on this train. That’s the only bathroom.

 

Wow. Get out. And still my father was making a move.

 

After 10 minutes of others banging and more banging and more banging somebody yelled. Maybe that drunken the train station was right. Maybe there’s a Jew hiding in there.

 

And so Papa had to open the door because the officer said did you open the door immediately or I’m going to shoot through it.

 

And Papa responded if you shoot through the door, you will kill two beautiful Russian boys, future soldiers. So Mother Russia.

 

So they will know shooting.

 

The door opened up.

 

The problem was you couldn’t open the door. We were taking up all the space and all the air and every inch of it.

 

So we had to rearrange ourselves.

 

Papa said we will need help to get out. We are stuck. How many of you? He says a family and many bundles.

 

Several soldiers volunteered. They helped our packages out of there and put against one of the doors by roll.

 

Then they started peeling out humans out of that bathroom.

 

They brought us all out

 

and they stood there in shock.

 

The size of the bundles the size of the humans and the number of people that came out of that battle.

 

And the officer said, you know, the punishment for boarding a military player train. And Father said, is it more than death?

 

He says, No, it is death.

 

Now going to the front, Father said, well, Had we stayed we would have died of starvation or beatings.

 

What are we going to do with you?

 

Father said, I am a great cook. Armies walk on their stomachs. I can help cooking I’ll feed you. I am good.

 

The coming down to that

 

officer looked at an SSR cook. That second step behind you want to cook for you says I am great. That’s where I learned from my father. When many, many years ago, some anti Semite said can you actually dance? And I said, Don’t be silly. I am great.

 

I remembered my father’s words. And because it was an anti Semite, he deserved to be put down like that. I am great. Wait till you see me. I will charge you double. And that was a magnificent, big night up in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

 

The number one anti Semite club have ever entered owners and patrons.

 

So they brought us out of there.

 

One soldier yelled, give me him.

 

And they insisted they want to hold Yaakov in their lap and play. Then a voice from another side. From the right side of the train by the window. A beautiful tall man stood up. He says, I want her. She looks just like my little girl at home. Give me to hold her. Give me the beautiful little girl. So he took me. I was handed from soldier to soldier to soldier from one row to the next over everybody’s heads. They just did the same with time. One soldier actually jumped up and walked over to my mother. Mom’s mom’s cadivi and he almost carried dragged her to his seat for her to set.

 

And all the soldiers kept offering us food.

 

Ari: Wow. Wow. Wow.

Okay, that’s you’ve been listening to whispers and bricks. This was part six of sobre Marcus’s amazing story. Until next time, when we’re going to continue with part seven. Listen to the whispers avoid the breaks and never ever give up on your dreams. Bye for now.

 

 

 

 Sahbra Markus Surviving The Holocaust Part 5 Lucky Guess

 

Summary:

In this part of our series of Sahbra Markus’s amazing story. She shares what life was like when she and her family arrived in Russia. How they walked for miles and the many miraculous things that happened that kept them alive. From making candy to sell in the market to selling sucrose on the black market. There are so many ups and downs to this story it’s bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Episode Transcription

Intro Plays

Ari: My name is Ari Schonbrun. I’m your host. This episode is part five of Sabra marks his amazing, amazing escape during the Holocaust. Please help me welcome Sabra. Marcus. Sabra. How are you today?

Sahbra: Thank you. All right, we stopped last time when the commandant of the Russian barracks there crossing the river bog. We started our way out of that little wooden cabin, where he had his headquarters. And so we were a short distance away from that little cabin. My father whispered very quietly, very softly. To Deborah, do you know where we’re going? And she said, No. And as they whisper to each other, we come to a fork in the road. And my father whispers again. What do we do now?

And my mother said, if I remember correctly, my mom, my grandmother used to say, when in doubt, go to the right. My father said, What does that mean? She says, I have no idea. What since we have no way to go? We don’t know where we’re going. Why? Why don’t we do what my mama said. When in doubt. We have a fork in the road. Velvel we’re going to the right. And we did. And I’m dragging along holding onto Mama’s pocket that keeps tearing a little more every time. And we proceed to go to the right.

Now, how old are you? At this point?

I would suggest my goodness, I think I should be two and a half.

Okay, that’s what I thought. That’s what I thought. Okay. Please continue. Imagine

having to walk all these distances.

Right? That’s, that’s what’s amazing. But please,

you can say mama pick me out. She already has two big packages he’s carrying. And Papa is carrying a huge, huge one. And as we have made our way there is a voice behind it. Screaming out loud. And I peeked back to see what it was. And there is that red haired, pink pig man as I have anointed him with his hands around his mouth, yelling like key guests. Keep going. And at the same time I saw two men with a rifle standing with him on each side of him two soldiers and their rifles. were pointing at our back. Had we gone left? We would have been dead because there was no village on the left. It means Mama was a liar. Oh my god. So when in doubt, go to the right. Grandma’s expression of why no origin known mama used that expression and took us all to the right. And we got to life Wow I tell you, when I think of some of the miraculous things that happened, I can’t believe that those things actually happened. But I was there. I was there. Lucky guests. He screamed, keep walking. Those words I have been carved into my mind and into my heart. We kept on walking. Again, doing exactly the same, we didn’t fall and kept on walking. We walked through farms, farm land, geologists. Papa was no longer mute. Papa was no longer an invalid. It took us 48 hours for copper to be cured completely. was no no invalid. No, no, no inverse sale, not a person that was unable to speak. Papa would go into the farm houses. And Mama would explain that. We had lived in a village closer to the Polish border and it was bombed and it was burned. And we have no home and could pop up please do a day’s work for them in return for food. And many were generous. Others beat us and made a sleeve. T of Ray, you’re a Jew. And then you get beaten up. And one woman said I’ll take her mama said no. So Mama got beaten up, grabbed me grabbed the packages, and was attempting to run how the around with a child holding onto your neck and you’re holding on to two packages. But we get out. We kept walking and walking. The reason I mentioned in the previous segment, get an atlas get a globe and take a look. Look for so on your right. Then go all the way making your way west and look for two Russian satellites. One Uzbekistan and the other Turkmenistan why because they are 1000s and 1000s and 1000s kilometers apart. or miles. You you listening to this? You Ollie, tell me. How did we get from more sell to those two satellites of Russia. It is ages of working. And sometimes we get lucky and a man with a cart would let us hop aboard

any wagon any cart? Otherwise it was all by foot. How did we get 1000s upon 1000s of miles from Warsaw to is Pakistan and Turkmenistan. If I live to be 1000 I don’t think I will actually analyze and understand fully how something like that is possible how it is feasible. It’s almost impossible to believe it. But that’s what happened. So we come to a place called Golaud Murray, the city of Murray and it is hot. And it is summertime. It’s like living in the Mojave Desert. It’s like living in the Negev desert in Israel. It’s like living in the Sahara. The summer is treacherous. I don’t know the details. I was too busy. Fainting from the heat. And besides I was too young, too small. I didn’t know and I probably wouldn’t care. Somehow we found ourselves in a small apartment. And Papa said Papa was a brilliant pastry chef. He said if I could find some flour and some a little piece of butter. I could start baking and Mama’s said, baking is good. But there’s one thing that’s missing in this world today. With that, my mama was so proud. She says Candy says candy, something to suck on that sweet. That’s delicious. Nobody sells it. It doesn’t exist. And the Russians love sweet. Pepper said the Russians love sweet. He says yes. He says, okay, and where do I steal a sack of sugar? Mama says, we’ll do it legitimately. We will get a license. you’ll expose yourself. We will get a license. I don’t know how. But my mother, may she rest in peace, the Voer f4 emortgage Marcos was able to accomplish miraculous impossible deeds that no person on earth possibly could. I don’t know what she did. But we have a license for a whole sack of flour. And then she went out into the market and found items to use for color. And then she bought fruit and squeezed the fruit and used the actual essence of the fruit and the meat of the fruit and throw it into the big cauldron that Papa was using to cook. And she bought what I until this day, I have no clue what it’s called in English. But in Mama’s language, it was called voles machine GA LS machine. My mom, what is a verse machine? That’s a machine you pour the sugar and all the good stuff that Papa just cooked in there. And then it cools off. And then you pull it apart and you have candy and candy falls out of it. And then you and I will go to the market with a box and he will sell the candy and we will buy bread. This was like a whirlwind. My mother was a whirlwind. Wow. But that’s exactly what happened. Papa make candy. And then one day Papa overslept, and they can be overcooked and had a taste of burn in it. My mother was frantic she was madder than I had her. She says both you burned that was our last sugar. We have nothing. And he thought a little bit and thought a little bit and his genius showed up. You’re selling Cafe unless she looked at him as if he had lost his mind. She said I brought that tinge of burn into sugar. Made it taste like coffee can be

all of a sudden the only people in Russia were the Marcus family. Mama and I in the market selling coffee candy. People were standing in droves and Mama send me back to the house. Go get another package from Papa of coffee cans. But I wasn’t there to hold the money back. It was cut with a knife and all the money was gone. So all the profits of the coffee can be disappeared and we left the market without the penny on the floor he crawled over and grabbed the bag and took cut it with a knife. I wasn’t there. The bag wasn’t in my lap. I went to get more. I went to get more candy. So we came home with nothing. No money for food and no money. Then the heat was so horrific. We were we were unable. We couldn’t live we will die. One day I said to Papa we need to do something. We sit down with Scott today. Tonight you will actually sleep. Mama went up a long long ladder to the roof. She opened up a piece of roof and she threw it out there was some kind of cover. Then Papa started handing her buckets of water and she took them and the buckets disappeared under roof with Then it carried me out, handed me to her. And then he climbed it climbed up. I was sitting on the roof, and I was looking around. Oh, sorry. At this point, we already have Hi. Hi. I was born in Uzbekistan in Marie, soon after we arrived. And there we are. This is why I thought it was funny. We were in the market with one hand, my mother is selling candy with the other hand, she’s aiming Heinz mouth so she can breastfeed and sitting there exposed. But there was no other way. No other way. And they said, Mama Hymas eating? She said, Yes. And I said, Can I have the other one? She said, No, you have to guard the mill that the money. You have to guard the money, so I couldn’t get free. And I am three years old. So I beg your pardon. There we are. I am sitting on the roof. And I look around and I see huge angels shaking their wings, big white wings. And they disappear go down. And then another one pops up on a different roof and then 1050 Maybe 50 or 100 keeps showing up. Waving shaking their wings. They look like they’re going to fly off the roof. Beautiful angels. Said pop. Look at all these angels Papa. And he looked around and he says it’s okay honey, you will be one soon. I said my papa. Who are those beautiful angels? Look at them. They’re waving their wings. And then they close the wings. How do you see themselves and disappear? And when that’s when I saw my father. So I set up a what are they? What can they be? And he said much HEPA Duke a sheet and dunked it into the bucket of water. Took out, squeeze some of the water out. Wave that door open your arms. Mama opened her arms. He put the sheath around her back and put the edges into Mama’s hands. Mama closed her hands, shook her arms and looked like an angel getting ready to fly away. And then she closed her arms around her set down on the ground on the mattress went to sleep.

I said the angels paw These are real people those angels and Papa city you want to be an angel? I said why is because then you won’t be happy anymore. So papa put in a sheet a small sheet in the bucket of water. And I shook my arms like an angel is a thought he was going to fly. And he says Have yourself and lay down on the mattress. Go to sleep honey. That was a first what he did with time the same thing he wrapped them in a call sheet put him next to mama. And then he did the same for himself and I kept watching all these angels and all the rooftops of the city of my ray. They were no humans only angels, all of them on the roof. It took some time before papapa found out about that trick. And we suffered so terribly. Papa became unwell. We don’t know how he was never anywhere else than where we were. That he started coughing and he became very unwell. And then the fever Kay.

purposes. I’ll be okay and okay. And then he did become okay. And we couldn’t get any more sugar. We couldn’t do the candy anymore. Mama couldn’t his mama couldn’t get if mama couldn’t get sugar then no one A nurse can do it because mama could do anything.

Papa went out and took an absolutely horrific chance of getting a job with the Russians. But they desperately needed people to work in the bakery. So he went. He was there for a long time. And every time he came home, he did something very strange. He would walk over to the kitchen table and turn his pockets inside out on top of the table as he leaned over, and lots of lots of white powder would fall out. Mama, what is it? Oh, it’s nothing. Mama, what is it? That’s a little bit of sugar. Mama, what is it? It’s nothing. And that will come and on and on and on. And when Papa finish stamping his pockets, mama had a very big hanky, that she doubled over. And she would carefully sweep with the tip of her finger over into the hanky and tie it up. And this could go on for a long, long time. And sometime in the daytime. Mama would say take care of your brother. I was about three and a house. Haim is six months old. Take care of your brother. I’ll be back soon. I’m three and a half babysitter. I am an insurance. I am unearned income. Jaime’s a nuisance but I’m a I’m a middle girl. Don’t let go of home he’s gonna die. So now we have another candidate that for die. Don’t let go of home. He will die. Okay, Mama. Okay, now what number was doing? Papa was stealing small handfuls of saccharin. saccharin was worth its weight in gold. It was the only commodity for sweet sugar was non existent. That’s why she couldn’t get another license. So papa was stealing soccer. And I stayed as a babysitter to watch Hi him. So Mama can go to the market where the black market portion was where people were reeling and dealing and things that have been stolen in things that are illegal, immoral and more. And she’s come back with food. Sometimes I remember one she actually had a piece of chicken and this went on for a long time. And while all this is going on, my brother Yaqoob is born. Jakob is about a year and a month, a year and a month older. Yaqoob is a year in amongst younger than Hi. So now I have two children to take care of. Because I’m such a big girl you see

somebody started yelling from the hallway. In that little building where we live. Every family no matter what size they were 546 2900 Everybody has one room in that house. And that house was putrid with everyone cooking cabbage. That entire building was a source of stench. cabbage, cabbage and more cabbage. That was the only thing anyone could afford. It was the cheapest item and that was plentiful. The farmers were growing it a woman was yelling they’re coming. They’re coming my mother rearranged something didn’t have much time. And our door burst open. Tea. Marcus, you Marcus, where are you hiding it? She said, I don’t know what do you mean? Hiring what? I have a little girl, two boys. They’re both right here. We’re not hiding. We live here. We belong here. They were born here is the Russians.

They turned that little room upside down. They broke everything that could be broken, broke everything. We will find it and you will go to jail you and your breaths, you will Oh rot in jail. And your husband is going to jail, you will start. She kept saying I don’t know what you’re looking for. I don’t know what you’re looking for. Tell me what it is. I’ll help you. We’ll find it together. What is it? What is it? And finally, when there was nothing left to break, no more intimidation to left. Let her make her speak and say something they want to hear. They decided it’s time to get out.

So they left. before they left, they said maybe you don’t understand how serious this is. And one of them was coming towards her and I thought he was going to beat her. This when my mother did something unbelievable.

I glared at her I almost shrieked for her to stop. But I wasn’t on time. Because what I saw her do is pinch. My brother Jaco very, very hard. That child never cried. Yaakov was a little angel. I realized Angel never cried, never complained. He was the sweetest little baby on Earth. And I saw her pinch him and pinch him and the more she pinched, the more solid he was then she started the other side and pinch the other leg. That’s when he shrieked and started screaming worse as she kept pinching and pinching. The screaming and the trying the cry finally got on their nerves. They said we’ll be watching you and they left split slamming a door. The only thing that wasn’t broken and when they left, oh yes, before he left, he said change those breaths. They stink. And that was true. Everybody stunk. The house, the children. They left. Mama walked over to a big package and said on this car Come help me that start with the ankles. She starts to unravel and unwrap all his all his diapers and rags. I mean, there were no diapers. So she unraveled all the rags that we had. When she took off the force, the first few portions of the regs there was nothing then I’m saying well, why was he screaming? Why was he stinking so bad? And then she got to another read except that it was big and sink and covered in numerous handkerchiefs and a scar. She removes that. And then came the diapers that were soiled. Mama wrapped a gigantic package of Sekaran in between the diapers that Yakov was wearing. That’s why no one could find the factory. That’s why everything in the house was broken and destroyed. But Mama saccharin will say Wow, we had months worth of food in that package. Had they taken it we would have starved. So

the miracle

now Mama is wrapping your calls with fresh ragss mama change time with fresh rags. Cuddling, cooing singing to them trying to calm them down. Poor young color never never complained. He was the sweetest child that to me that he was a true Angel. Crime was the one that had the black hair and the dark eyes just like mama, and always looked like he was judging everybody. That two year old child was judging everybody wasn’t till he was about one and a quarter. Okay, I’m saying my, my he’s big. She says, but look how smart he is. I said, Yes, he seemed it he looks like he understands every word we say. She says maybe he does. Proper came home that night. And he said, I think they’re in trouble. Joy is everything safe and Okay. She says everything is okay. Is it hidden in the right place? She says it’s everything is in the right place. A few minutes later. Yes. Yeah. I’m sorry. Did you want me to break down? No, a few minutes later. A few minutes later. Again, the door banging with a fist. Marcus, you’re under arrest.

Ari: Okay, we’re going to stop here. You’ll be listening to whispers in bricks. The Amazing story from Sabra Marcus. This is the end of Part Five. Stay tuned. Stay tuned for Part Six. Coming soon. Remember, this is whispers and bricks. Always listen to the whispers avoid the bricks and never give up on your dreams. Bye for now.

 

 

Sahbra Markus Part 8 Mama Returns

Summary:

Sahbra Markus continues to tell us her amazing story. As we join the story in Part 8 Sahbra has just escaped the church and her parents have come to get her. She is understandably angry because of all the horrible things she had to witness and endure at the church. Her family continues on their journey on foot. Her father’s foot bleeding having to walk for miles. It’s nearing the end of the war but that is not known yet. As in every part of this story, their journey is not easy and I am sure you want to find out how they make it through.

Episode Transcription

Intro Plays

Ari: Welcome to whispers of bricks. My name is Ari Schonbrun and I’m your host today. We have Part Eight in this episode part eight of separate Marcus’s amazing survival story of the Holocaust. Please help me welcome Sabra Marcus. This is Part Eight, Sabra. And last we talked you were just escaped from the church. And you were miraculously it seems that miraculously you had found your your mother in the forest. Let’s pick it up from there. And give us the rest of the story.

Sahbra: Yeah. So here I am. I’m lying there still. My face to the ground. Back Papa had taught me you know, when you’re hiding. And I heard noise. And I had rustling in the bushes. And by God, there was my mother. And I looked at her. You see had God showed up in person. This couldn’t have been a whole lot less. Unbelievable.

Ari: That I mean that’s, that’s totally totally amazing. So.

Sahbra: But today, why are you here today? Why? And I kept asking. You see? I was a very inquisitive child. I trusted no one I believe no one because everybody was out to kill us. Why should I trust you? The only one trust I trusted and believed and loved still do. Is that beautiful Russian young soldier from Kiss me gay gave me food. Oh, my goodness. Oh, I Yeah. I have a friend that just came to visit my my friend Lily. Your cat? Yes. Little girl. My friendly. Hi, Lily. Okay, by Lily. But she saw a glass of water she had to come and see what it is. So there we are. I am in total disbelief that my mother is actually standing their heads and said to me Oh, he said that’s the work. I say I asked her I said no, no. Have you been here all this time? And she said no. We just got here. I said this is the church’s over the air. Mama good church. I want to use what I didn’t understand what I couldn’t get through in my mind is Did she actually come to pick me up is what I was trying to ask. Did she remember where she left me? Up? She’s been gone for so long. Why isn’t she come back to get me? This is where resentment sets in. have been here for months and months. I have been tortured and worse. I’ve been through hell. Where have you been? Well, it’s simple. She and Papa have joined the Partisans. And they have been fighting and killing Nazis since they were little busy.

And where were your your two brothers at this point?

Named with grandma. Okay. With the lady and yeah, the former people.

Right, right, right. Okay.

Of course my mother doesn’t understand the resentment. She doesn’t understand the anger. She and Mama. She and Grandma and Papa everybody left me to those damn Nazis and priests.

What am I supposed to do say thank you. I was in hell for my I’ve watched children die. And worse and worse. Nobody came to help me. You think I’m angry? Oh no, you don’t know the meaning of the word.

I could a string of any adult with two bare hands. And I am four and a half member said, Papa and I are trying to help to win the war. Now, these are words I understand, because the Nazis kept talking about they’re gonna win the war and amendment. Everybody’s gonna win the war and nobody gives a damn about me. I know and understand lots more than any of you give me credit for at that age, I assure you, my anger was not only was it justified, but the problem was, nobody understood that a child of that age can actually have absorbed, learn, suffered and been so badly abused. And what it does to your psyche, what it does to your heart, what it does to your soul. I promised me I will never trust anyone, especially not my mother and father, anybody else in that place. They put me into that horrible hellhole, better known as a Christian Catholic Church. Do you know what I’m going through now? Do you know what’s happening in Canada now? That the hundreds and 1000s and 1000s of graves, unmarked graves of children and adults are being found in the schools. Catholic schools all over Canada, they took away the children from their parents, so they could erase their their knowledge of their own language. These are all native children from numerous tribes and bands. They were all taken from their parents and put into those horrible schools. Not allowed to say a word in their own tongue, have to learn English or have to learn French they will beat into a pulp 1000s of them died and thrown into graves into holes and covered up. This is what’s going on in Canada this minute as we speak. And you know what this is doing to me. All the 1000s and 1000s of Jewish children this was done to die the Nazis not they didn’t call themselves schools several survivors are still alive from those so called schools. The stories they tell with absolutely terrifying. Schools are being ran by Nam nuns and priests. What kind of religion is this where they mutilate and abuse all these little children of all ages Mama said we are leaving. We have to go someplace else. As we kept walking as partisans took us to a place where again I saw Papa take out a small bag and he started pouring he was pouring in again. I saw the sparkle of at this point that please forgive me. I have a cat here that likes to talk. Excuse me. Alexa is telling the truth? I’m wrong. It’s his supper This is Alexei.

Oh, another one.

He’s got his Ali. Alexei. Yeah, and he says it’s time for dinner. So okay. Let me finish what I was saying. Can you hear him

I hear him but it’s fine because we can we can you know, whatever we

can you give me two minutes. Give me a few minutes. My cat doesn’t speak English. He speaks Russian. So. So let’s go. Let’s try. Oh, how much time should we use? How much time have you got?

Whatever you want? 15 minutes? 10 minutes?

I’ll try that depends on and it says in charge. Alright, let’s go. So are we running? Yeah. So we will be led to a meeting point where my father again paid someone

and with diamonds I assume?

Yes, of course. And this time we were told I was told we are going to leave the war. What I didn’t know is that the war was actually concluding. It was just minor skirmishes here and there. And many people that didn’t know the war was over. They they kept still running around murdering each other the reason purple gators diamonds to that man. And when I looked I think the war was two minutes from over. And in many places that was over, except some people still didn’t finish fighting. You know, there’s always stragglers. It was money given to a person that was leading. Huge, huge group of people. And they’ll be going from Poland into Czechoslovakia from Czechoslovakia to Austria. And from there, we’re going to be left to make our own way into Austria. And we were going towards Salzburg. Salzburg Yes. Salzburg. And it’s all by foot. Oh Leifert crossing each country by foot. And don’t mind Don’t forget. They had already gone to pick up the kids. Before we joined that group, the kids were waiting. Send the message to bring them so we had to go a little bit out of the way get the kid join the group. And I looked at my father’s feet there were no shoes. Why wait? Where are your shoes? Where my father shows Papa? Your feet what’s what’s wrong with your feet? Your your shoes proper. His feet were wrapped. Again and again and again. Who knows how many rags and when he walked, you could hear squish, squish, squish. With every step you took, you could hear squash. And the man that was leaving he had a whole bunch of helpers. And he said to her I said to my mom. If he lets go if he gets lost. I am not sending anywhere to go look for him in the woods. And I will not stop this massive caravan from moving along. I heard that I was holding on to my mother’s pocket. And that’s when my mother kept repeating the same sentence again and again. Remember, you’re a Jew. Never forget you’re a Jew. Don’t let go of my coat. You’ll get lost and die. Words lost and die. I have heard that 1000s of times 1000s of Sometimes you’ll get lost and die

is part of the interview. So I tell you we kept going and going in then all of a sudden

there was no more squash. You know, my father’s feet. It was blood in his the rags that was squishing each time he took a stand. It was squish scores. Every time you took a step there was a scores. But there was no scores right now. Mama that was lost. Mama, don’t be silly is right there. I said, No. I don’t hear squash. You don’t hear score? What do you mean? I said, every time Papa takes a step I can hear squish. The blood in his legs is squishing every time he walks on the ground. Papa is gone. Mama do something. So one of the leaders came running, tell her to shut up. She’s gonna get us all killed. And Mama said My husband is a little slow behind us. Please go get him. He says I told you the rules. If he doesn’t keep up with us, that is not my problem. And I will do nothing about it. I’ve told you the rules. I gave you the roles. We are not going back there. She said. Do you know what happens when three children start screaming at the same time? And my mother looked at me she was our Mischka. Mama. Now she says I’ll say when when I say now start screaming as loud as you can. And the man says I warned you I gave you the rules. She says we paid you many diamonds. You are not going anywhere without my husband. He said that he could be dead down there. She says we’ll bring the corpse and she’s she looked at her time. And high was sleepy. She’s high and you want to start yelling very loud. I looked at me and I said when Mama says now. The men peeled away from us. rent to the floor forward area. Came back with two soldiers. Yeah, two of his soldiers and went to the deck. And they found my father and we all stood there for a good half hour. We stood there and waited. They found my father. Each one of them dragging on half of his body. My father just fell from exhaustion and the pain of his feet. They were bleeding profusely. His feet were red. And it was all big, big bundles of of rags. So my mother says Now everyone can sit for five minutes. 10 minutes. I will rebandage my father’s feet. Yeah. And I said but mama she says make sure that nobody walks away without us. If they start walking, you start screaming. Okay, I was scared. Yes. Mama.

wasn’t wasn’t she afraid that they would let just like shoot you guys.

They do. Shoo you can they shoot the nuts. We’ll hear the guns.

Okay. All right. I’m sorry. Okay, I’m sorry. Okay.

It’s my way or the highway, remember? Yeah, she produced nothing except die. But she’s already been served with that for the last few years. Yeah. Are you still here? All she kept saying is Bo Hashem. Thank God. You see. Okay, so mama fixed him up nice. Anyway, everyone, so we kept on walking. I have no clue how many days how many weeks. But then one day we were all told sit, be quiet. We will notify we will send a runner to notify the people at the bottom of that hill over there which looks far away that you people are coming so they don’t shoot you. And so they send a runner and the runner came back And they spoke chairman, but don’t forget, I remember Chairman, I know the language. I just spend almost six months with those bastards. I spent all those months with those Nazi officers. I learned the language I spoke it as well as they did. I learned that language. I was so good at that language that I hated me as much as I hated them. But I knew that somehow somewhere, it will save my life. So I kept learning. And I learned every day more and more and more. And that runner came back and spoke in German, and in Polish and to somebody else and Russian and informed everybody we are just minutes away from the Austrian border. And not all that far away from a major city by name of just forgot it again. I get so upset with it. zalze work. We are right next door to

Salzburg is a city in Austria. That’s one

of the most magnificent cities. Okay, so we arrived to the border of Austria. And this is a whole story all by itself, which we will do in the next session.

Ari: Okay, man, Sabra. It’s just, you know, it’s just absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your story. You know, there’ll be more coming, I’m assuming. So thank you again, let me just tell my audience you’ve been listening to whispers in BRICS. My name is Avi Shaumbra. And I’m your host. This is the end of part eight of Sabra Marx’s amazing story. Stay tuned. And until next time, listen to the whispers avoid the bricks and never ever give up on your dreams. Bye for now.

 

 

Sahbra Markus Surviving The Holocaust Part 7- Feeding The Hungry

 

Summary:

Sahbra Markus continues sharing her amazing story. In Part 7 we are once again on the military train with Sahbra and her family. She details the amazing bravery and strength of her father. The generosity of the men on the train. On the train, they finally get to eat without worrying about later which Sahbra is constantly thinking about. Of course, they eventually have to disembark and their journey to and in Poland continues. They walk many miles when they arrive in Poland and are forced to witness some of the terrible toll that the war has taken. If you have been following the series I am sure you can’t wait to hear what happens next. This episode reminds us how strong we can be and to always help those in need. You won’t want to miss it!

 

Episode Transcription

 

Intro Plays

 

Ari: And they were on the way to the front. They were discovered in the bathroom actually. And when the soldiers were needed to use the bathroom they banged on the door and they said they’re going to break the door down unless they open up so they had no choice they opened up. And what happened from there? I’m gonna let Sabra cont inue her story, Sabra. How are you today?

 

Sahbra: Hi, thank you. I’m fine.

 

Ari: Okay, so I know. I know everybody is sitting on their on the edge of their seats. They’re, they’re, you know, they’re waiting for these episodes. So please let us know what happened on that train.

 

Sahbra: Well, the men in charge started to distribute the children. So high was given to one Jacob was given to another, and a soldier from about the middle of the car, sitting by the window. Yes, give her to me. He’s looked so much like my little girl. I miss my little girl. I may never see my little girl again. Let me hug this one. And so I’m being pesto over the heads of older soldiers. And until I get to him, and he, he takes me and he hugs me so tight. And you can feel the love coming from his heart. No sooner that he settles me in his lap. What is your name? So I sat down and he says, oh, no, Scott. That’s endearment through. It’s so much love. Oh my gosh. I mean, my mom and dad called me and asked about this man. He said Anushka and there was an enormous amount of love and, and in a beautiful Russian accent and he was gorgeous. And he had a beautiful big blue eyes and I was totally mesmerized by this gorgeousness. And now I’m almost sore, and I’m falling in love. Are you kidding? This was a big day for me. And I am falling down. He says how are you? And I said, we will very frightened pushing us in the Windows the way he did. And people outside was screaming. We so they used a very vulgar, horrible, ugly word for jus the people on the in the train station. We saw ZD Zuiderzee there’s another word derogatory word for the word Jew. The word should be re meaning a Hebrew. And he said, You are a beautiful girl. Don’t listen to stupid people. Are you a Hebrew? A you’ve re I said I don’t know. What is it? And he said, You look hungry. I look hungry. I was hungry. The word the moment I was born and I haven’t stopped being hungry even though right now as we speak. I am hungry. 24/7 And he says I think you look hungry. I said yes. Yes. And he takes that bag of his that backpack from next to his feet and do you want a nice big piece of all nevermind mind. He breaks off a big piece of bread. The heel on the street. So I take it and I take a tiny little bite now and I’m waiting for him not to look at me so I can hide it under my dress. You see so I can give it to mama? Cuz she has no food. Papa has no food. That’s such a big piece. So I took a little bites I wouldn’t feel guilty giving all of it away. And he looks at me still still a fish. What are you doing? I said, Oh, I ate enough. I will keep this for later. He says you always have things for later. I said oh Always, because what if later comes in there is no bread? He says Anushka I have a lot of bread. I’ll give you more. Right now. I want to see you eat most of it. And I said to myself, Oh, I couldn’t I would get sick. I never eat that much. He says, because we have more to eat. He takes out a knife and I’m saying, oh, nine. Why does he need a knife? He toward the bread? Why does he need a knife? outcomes at gigantically long lone salami. Big Fat salami. He cuts off a chunk and again, push shy, eat. who’s shy? I didn’t know what to do with the salami. He says in his night, do you not know what to do? answer’s no. I’ll show you.

 

He takes it from my hand. Takes a big bite now. He is having a wonderful time. Oh, cool shade. It’s edible. Yes, it’s Oh, so I take a bite and it is delicious. I believe me I didn’t ask him to surplus kosher. Know About kosher. All I knew is about mama kept saying if you don’t eat, you’ll die. There’s food here. So you have to eat. And so there I am. I am enjoying it. But I’m eating tiny pieces because I need it for later you say so you eat a few tiny pieces now. And then you hide it on the your skirt for your mama for later. And again is watching me says I’ll be doing for later again. I said a little bit. Toy con him last only a little bit for later. He says no. You eat everything you have in your hand. And then I give you two bit more pieces. You can give your mama and papa for later. Oh, he was he was on to me in two seconds. Wow. And I said but what will you eat for later? You need for later also. He says I have lunch. I have a lunch for later. He helped me and he made sure I ate and he made sure don’t not only kept saying don’t eat big pieces, because he promised me more you see, but I didn’t believe him. And I said if I finished all this and you don’t give me for later, what will my mind Papa do. So he realized the only way to have me eat is given me two big chunks of the same again. So I can hide it under my skirt. And then I’ll be able to eat my own stuff. I in all the years that I have lived since I can promise you this array. I have always made sure that if I found offered above anyone that is hungry. There is a need of food than need of clothing. Any anyone are their families that need anything. I was the first one on line to hand it out. I have people that I know here in town. part time job three children mom and dad, mom not working dad working part time. I go out shopping, I buy groceries. I fill it out for both for the family and for myself. I’ll tell you why. It makes me so happy inside. To know that these three little children who want from nothing. It’s God gave me life and kept me around all this time. And every time I ask why. And I have an answer in my mind. So that others wouldn’t go hungry as you did. Wow. feed people sobre feed people sobre we were on the train for some time when I heard that. Oh big officer that allowed us to live and remain on the train. Yelling Hey, you, Marcus. Come here. We’re coming near a small village. And we’re going to take a break because we are all very hungry. How long will it take you to make us food? Papa said what do you have? He says Not much. He says well what do you have? So papa found out they’ve got a sack of rice. They’ve got sacks of potatoes. They’ve got a whole bunch of chunks of bacon, you know, big size of bacon, and they’ve got salt. And pepper said give me a generous portion of rice. Give me a big chunk of that bacon. Give me a bag of salt. He says what four? He says, so I can barter with the farmers. He says, No, this is an army train. We travel in our stomach. You cannot be giving away food. He says, Well, I’m not going to go and steal it from them. This is a war. They’re barely surviving. He says you’re forgetting you have your family here. We can drop you off right here and inform the military that you have sneaked into the country.

 

My father said Go ahead. And in the meantime, you’ll all start. Wow. Oh, pop by had Gunson. Oh, yeah. And he looked at him. He says you’re a Jew. He said yes. He says I thought Jews were weak and quiet. He says I can outbox anyone on this train. You bring them in, I’ll show you. And he said, What do you mean you can out box in the universe? He says okay. You insist, I’ll tell you a story. He said every Sabbath. When we finished a services in the synagogue, every Saturday after the service, we were making our way, taking a shortcut through one of the fields. And of course, the poll likes to go into Gentiles who are working the fields is suffered. It’s got nothing to do with them. They’re waiting for Sunday. And every time he walked by that particular small field, they came out to beat us up. And every time they beat us up, none of us ever got home on Sabbath without the bloody face, or parts broken or torn. And the clothing feel fair and torn and disarm disarrayed. So I decided one day that this has gone on long enough. I went into town into the portion where they have the restaurants and the theaters, you know what we call downtown. And I found a place and they saw two men boxing picture a big big poster. I went inside there said what do you do here? Who are you? And they said we teach boxing. This is where boxers come to become champions of Poland. We have had several good ones. And my father said good. I will be the best you will train me. I will be the best. You have money. I have money. Papa topper started taking boxing classes. No one. In Poland. No Jew has ever seen the inside of a boxing arena. It’s unheard of unthinkable. Here a nice Jewish boy you go to yeshiva or you become a professor if they let you. But you don’t go to a boxing match you crazy. He was there for months and months and months. And it became a year and became two years. No one you were saying no one knows his family, not his brothers not since there’s no one knew anything. And only the owner of that gym know about it. He told no one else he says they’ll beat you up. He says give me give me two years, then tell them and then tell them to come and beat me up. I’ll take care of them. Well, this one time those home against came out of the fields and they came to beat them up. That was their Saturday afternoon fun. Don’t murder the Jews if you can. And my father said to them, instead all of us brawling around like children are like little girls. Why don’t we do this? Give me your best fighter, your strongest fighter who is in charge. You can and will go one for one

 

So one of them steps out. He’s the Big Shot. He’s the big hole again. He already is in charge of everything. He says I’ll fight you. And he said, Fine. Father said, no rocks, no stakes, none of your storm equipment, you know that you’re carrying, like, shovels and rakes and this and that. He says, Just hence. Just your hands. And that poll like was hysterical. He was laughing so hard. He said, You, you’re stupid daddy Jaden, you’re going to fight me? And Papa said absolutely. Yes. And he said, and what is the winner get is asking that polish that boy. And Father said, If you win, you’ll go back and beat us up, as he says you always have. But if I win all of you here and everyone you know, you will make sure they never lay a hand or a finger on another Jewish boy or girl in this city. Ever. You find out that one of them is beating up a Jewish child. You go and beat him up and they can stop. So they shook hands. Papa gave him a lesson he never forgot. He absolutely terrorized that young man. His space was bleeding. His nose was broken his clothing were totally just shoveled. buttons were everywhere. And his his own whole against wanted to help and he kept screaming No. We made an honorable deal stay away. Which was not a very honorable thing amongst them to do to a Jew. But he decided to keep his word. He wanted to be a man of his word. Wow. And so Papa one. And never again, was a Jewish boy or girl harassed, molested or raped in that city. Ever. So now, my father is on the train. And the polls come and Dan says, Hey, you will go in, take steel, Rob, whatever, from those poor Russians that are hair starving. And you’ll bring us everything you need. And you’ll cook and you’ll feed my people. And my father said, No. Idiot give me things they need to barter. I said Papa says I am sure they need soap. I am sure they need bacon. I am sure they need this that. And what about cold? Do you have called I need give me a sack of coal. And give me 20 men. And we’ll go shopping. The train was stopped and Papa and his 20 soldiers went shopping. Those soldiers who are in all of my father, if he told them to jump off a bridge, they would ask at the exact moment. How soon do you want it done? They were totally enamored of the man. They admired himself. i You really? You really worked at it as the star the Big, Big Jim was called the star at was famous all over Poland. And he said yes. He said Why did you leave? He said I didn’t want to leave for the war. I left just before I was able to go for the big, big fights. Papa was a middleweight. And he was excellent and he won all the fights. A Jewish boy a fighter. Are you kidding? But he wants so they get to the farm. And the poor farmer sees all those sorts of soldiers and he says anything you take from us. We’ll make a start. We’ve got so little and Father said Dad, you need salt. And his eyes lit up. He said do have some Can you give me some is says I have a big bag of salt. What can you give me for the salt? Let’s let’s do some business.

 

He said two, maybe three chickens are perfect. No, I need more than that. What can you give me for the salt? And he was thinking and thinking you, you know that expression, you could hear the wheels turning in someone’s mind that they said I couldn’t hear it. I couldn’t hear it. And he said finally, no more than 12 when he saw the size of that sack of salt, salt per set, okay, bring the 12 chickens in looked at the soldiers, and he said two of you. And two of you get all these chickens to the child? Yeah, no, sorry. Yeah, you have to slaughter the chickens, you have to kill the chickens, and get a few other people and all these sit down and pluck them clean. Do nothing else. Just pluck them out quickly, and try and move away as much as you can. Otherwise all of you will be covered in lice. So so we shake the chickens. He says shake them as much as you can before you kill them. And then again after. So a few men left with 12 chickens. They were ecstatic. Singing, laughing running.

 

Papa said What else do you have? He says I can’t give you my car. He says no. Do you have any pieces over cow that you already slaughtered?

 

And so it went on and on and Papa got a chunk of a cow. This one had to live because she gave milk and he had four children. So he had to keep the cow. And he said I harvested a lot of vegetables. Do you need vegetables? Papa said yes. Give us onions give us carrots. Can you spare potatoes? Yes. He says okay, it says what can you give me? Papa showed him that big side of a pig. Have that bacon this side of pagan, huge, huge, must have been a monster of a sow to get that done. And he looked at him he says all of it. He said Papa said all of it. I will give you plenty I will give you he says well how many say are eating and Papa so you see the train over there? Yes, he says, everybody. I don’t have enough for everybody. So don’t worry about it. And Papa said, Look, can you give me four bags of rice? Rice and gold were the same thing. Same price. And the farmer said to what my wife and I started laughing Do you want my wife to top I said no. She’s to breastfeeding. Now and I already have one on the train. You have a wife on the train. And three children and three to Anna military train. I don’t believe you and the soldier is saying traveler traveler. It’s true. It’s true. Wife with three children and what are you going to do with all this? He says I’m going to cook meals. I said yes I need water. Can you spare water he says I have a good well bring bring buckets, I’ll give you water. So they did good business. Papa bought all kinds of vegetables and all everything he needed. And he tells the commandant Okay, so now Yes, and he gave them also a bag of coals. A big bag of call back man was just in heaven. Well, they made fires and they positioned huge huge colegas popper had those 20 soldiers they became his they became his helpers. They were cutting chickens. They were cutting pieces of bacon. They were cutting potatoes and carrots and and peeling numerous onions. I mean they were going to town. And then Papa said Now bring me the the rice and bring the bacon and bring the salt and Papa was Putting it together, putting you together. And finally, he waits an hour and keeps mixing and mixing. And then he takes the taste. And he looks at the commander, he said, remember our agreement? And he looked at me says, How soon do we eat? He says, Do you remember my agreement? He said, Yes, your wife and children get to eat first. Nobody gets a bite till they have their bowls in front of them eating. He says, right? He says, well, then bring me both, I can give food to my wife and children. Well, the soldiers brought them. And Papa filled them up to the brim. And then my mother looked at him and said, This is hazard. He says, not in your goal. Your goal is only chicken, the kids bows are only chicken. But what he didn’t remember to mention is that in that same gigantic part, there was a half a pig cooking. But all he remembered to mention is chunks of chicken of 12 chickens that were in those big cauldrons. You don’t need to say everything. You don’t need to tell everybody everything. If you want to keep them alive, sometimes not saying too much is better. Less is more was the first time we had a hot meal and ages. A good meal. It was so nourishing, lots of rice, lots of meat, lots of vegetables. I was a fantastic meal. And the commandant was that soldier was that

 

we ate again, and again. And again. I’m sure that if mama was trying to keep a lovely figure, she would have to be very careful. From all the wonderful food we will all all of a sudden be where we have more food than you can imagine. It was phenomenal. It was fantastic. And then I don’t remember how long we were on the train. You weren’t there for a while. And it kept moving. Because don’t forget you have you have to wait for other trains that are carry ammunitions. And other things to the front. And so the soldier trains had to wait. And then we waited and and then we moved another few, maybe several 100 kilometres and then we have to wait again and then wait again. Because we’re coming all the way from Uzbekistan. We told you about 1000s of kilometres to get to the front. And so it took quite a while. And then one day after who knows how many weeks that commanding officer comes and says I said to my father, Marcus, this is going to be a very sad day for all of us. And purposes, well, why? I’m not going anywhere. We’re all eating well, where he says, Oh, yes, you’re leaving. Why am I leaving? We brought you the furthest point we could. He says that we crossed the river. Now he says there’s not much of a river. There’s just maybe a puddle and becomes a river a few miles down. There’s some kind of I didn’t know. As if a road had been carved, or somebody threw gigantic rocks and diverted the water from a certain point, you were able to go through. And he said Papa said how are you getting into Poland? And Soldier The officer said, You cannot go with us that far. More than likely we will be bombed more than once or twice or five times. Before we actually get to that point. We’re hoping to be able to make it I heard that conversation and all I kept thinking of is my beautiful friend. My Russian that keeps giving me food. And I heard his officers say we may or may not make it. I was horrified. What do you mean you can’t make it? You’ve got my friend on this train. So I asked my father if we can take him with us. Please my friend and he’s giving me food I mean how better affect you You get up every five minutes, which is cool shape. Do you want to eat something dead? Would I ever say no? Are you I have a hell of a leg and a hollow stomach, I had to fill those. We had to disembark and we left. And again, we do the same thing like we did on the way there when I was a very, very tiny little child. Now I have to walk everywhere. I am walking everywhere. I’m a big girl. Now you see, I’m four. And we’re in Poland. I don’t remember the details how we get in there. But all I remember is we are hiding all day long. And walking and running at night. And what I am sad to say we had to go into farmer fields and steal a few carrots. You just see what is my mama knew what, whichever was what? And she would take it then you rub it all over yourself to get rid of the dirt. You spit on it and you wipe it? Well, you have to get rid of the dirt of the soil. Are you going to eat a carrot that’s covered in dirt? Hygiene, hygiene, nothing, you just didn’t want to swallow so much mud pies. So we made it in there. And it was such a interesting. I don’t know. I don’t know whether it was an A couldn’t have been on purpose because he had no clue where we were going. And I really didn’t know how we wanted to get into this is to Poland and as close to Warsaw as possible.

 

Well, the word battle was raging. There is no such thing as civilians in a place like that. You didn’t even see soldiers because most of them with deadlines laying down dead. We saw corpses everywhere. houses that have been burned down. It was absolutely the most horrific sight. Whether it was a Jew or a Gentile lined dead. All you saw were people of all ages. There was no sign on their forehead saying Jew or Christian or anything else. They were people, children. And I saw children my age and my brother’s ages that kept saying But papa, why would anyone hurt little people like us. And he says no Java scam, little girl. In a war, nobody cares. Whether it’s adult or child during a bomb falls at doesn’t know where the shrapnel is going. They go wherever and if you are in the way. Unfortunately, you are hurt. And Mama knew where to go. Mama knew mama knew it was her part of the country. And she kept directing. And we had to do all this by night. And the landmarks were gone. Here landmarks were gone. The landmarks were bombed. There were no landmarks. You had to figure out. And Papa said, Well, do you know where we’re going? And she said, Well, there was a big church right here. And there’s no church, it’s gone. It says and when you saw the church, when you remember it, which way would have been the farm? That village that you’re looking for? And she was she closed her eyes? And he stopped she’s kept trying to picture from this point do we go left? Do we go right? Do we go straight? She said Well, there was a road a little further up. And then there was a ravine and then you had to go to the left where the wagons were going. And she kept describing and explaining percent. Every few minutes we will stop. You’ll close your eyes and picture what you remember in your mind. And when we’ll follow your memory and that we did. We did that most of the night. And sun was coming up. We have to try and find a place to hide. Where in the heart of the war. Nobody cares. If you have children. They are a burden. You shoot them to arrest them burden and they eat so Mama said, I know this place we go in there and she goes straight for a door and she no knocking. She could have been shocked What if the Nazis were in there they come and do everything. Mama she she didn’t actually actually bend and open the door and throw it open and somebody inside shrieked donate Sky dot each guy is the word Dora. Dora is from Deborah or designer. The old woman came around my yard shiver scarred all my ACL. She kept talking because she’s so close. From the Russian border she kept fixing Polish and Russian and getting excited. You’re alive? Who is who these people push the door open again. And he marches in with three children. Soto Yes. Now she’s talking polish? Not Soto Yes. What is this? What is this? She keeps repeating. And Mama introduces her. This is my husband. These are my children. And the old lady says I remember when you were that age, and they used to hug you and kiss you and feed you.

 

Mama said we survive. Wherever you wherever you can hide it. There’s no July then you are in 1000 kilometre radius around the How can you be? Does anyone know you’re a Jew? And Mama said we were dropped off by a military train. Doddridge Ka, military train. Your silly. No military train will take a woman and a man and three children babies. We were on it for months.

 

That’s impossible. I’ll tell you this story. Well, first of all, everyone get in close the door.

 

You take off your coat. She yelled a few names. People came running. They came and she said okay. You bring her address. You give her one of your coats. You give him a coat. Those pants. They got to go. You’ll give him this. Everything was Russian. You knew we didn’t belong there. You had to become a local immediately. And she looked at us and she says jesca No, no. Anca Okay, so now I’m on Anca Anca is the same as Anushka. It’s foolish, right? CYMA Hi, monka. I looked at Mama. She says same as JavaScript. I said, Okay, fine. I’ll take it. And she was a little fat. And she was sweet. And you knew that if you hug her, you would sink into all that wonderful, soft, warm flesh. So she came over, she says Anca and she looked at my mother, why Anca? She says an actual name is Alma. Why? She says, Errol. You heard about her. And your woman starts to I love that boy. From the day he was born. He was like my son. They were the tenants that worked the land that belonged to my grandfather. And they and their families have been dead for several 100 years on that land. Just like my family was in judging and in hostels for over 400 years

 

as loyal citizens that nobody cared a time of war, shoot them all. I hand them over to the Nazis to do it.

 

We were there for quite a while. Kids were being hidden. And of course, I was her granddaughter, and her grandma’s daughter claimed me as her child. And she says, we have a problem. She doesn’t speak a word of polish. And then looked at my mom. And I said to her, I understand, understood what she said. She said, Well, you were so young. A child hears the brain records. And when, in case of an emergency, the brain does. What is the word? It replays the recording? And so all of a sudden, I looked at my mother said, I understand many words she’s saying. She said, Yes, but you know what? We are going to have you go through the same thing as we did. When we ran into that. Red pig phase. anti-semite, Russian communist at the Russian border with Poland, right there by the river. Remember, I told you, you’re not allowed to speak because you are mute. I said, I am mute again. But I speak Russian. I speak Yiddish. She says no, you don’t. You do not. You speak nothing. Till you learn some polish. That’s when now I realize I had a fantastic aptitude for languages. By the time was the war was over. I spoke five. Not because I wanted to, but because I had no choice and I wanted to live. So no, four because five didn’t show up to laughter. i We arrived to another country. Five and six came later. So here we are. And this week, grandma, she’s teaching me polish. Her daughters and grandchildren are teaching me polish. Everybody is speaking Polish only so my parents can re polish up their own language because we’ve been gone for quite some time. And Grandma said she’s too old. We can’t keep her. We need to find a safe place. There is a church. Not so far a Catholic church with kind, wonderful priests. And I heard that they’re taking in children, boys, girls, anybody that needs help, they’re taking in children. And I think what we’re going to do is harness those oxygens. by some miracle they haven’t been taken from them and butchered and eaten will harness the oxygens. It will take a long time to get there because everything is so slow and the roads are almost totally destroyed by the tanks. Well, we will take her to that church and they will keep her till the end of the war. Then you’ll come back and you’ll pick her up and the other two little ones they will stay here with my daughter took us for ever forever on that wagon. Horrible things happened on the road. Nazis came with trucks Nazis came with wagons with with jeeps and some wagons that they stole confiscated from the farmers loaded up with everything those people have left to survive on will stolen from Father Nazi Hitler. We were going to a church that she said would save my life. A church where all these wonderful kind of priests are helping numerous numerous children.

 

What they didn’t know. And what they didn’t tell was the fact that it was a place for Nazi officers, so r&r It was a place where numerous Nazis came and stayed for a week or two all pedophiles and I was left with the priest and after being there for weeks, and weeks and weeks, I managed to sneak out of the church and I went to the right

 

in the yard and made another right and then I found all the children that kept disappearing every few nights. There were piles and piles of little bear children of all ages.

 

The elders there was eight. That one I saw murdered myself, I was speaking out with one eye from under my blanket. And I saw that big fat priest raped her and then put a pillow on her head because she wouldn’t stop shrieking and screaming. And I found galena there, I found her on top of one of those heaps.

 

And, and I said to myself, I will get out, I will run away, I will run away. Every time I was able to get out, I went to a slightly to the left. I kept digging under the fence. I kept digging and digging and digging. And then one day I succeeded. The hole was big enough for me to run was just coming winter it was cold. And all I had was a long white. Some kind of sack it had a hole in the middle to put your head through and two holes on the side to put your arms through. And it was one of those one size fit all. If you’re a big it fit you if you were very little you couldn’t hardly walk because it was too long. And you kept tripping. And if you tripped somebody hits you over the head and yelled at you with bad words. And if you’ve stumbled again, then sometimes you didn’t get that piece of bread that you were promised to dinner.

 

So you have to learn how to walk and not fall. Even if they hit you, you still don’t have to fall.

 

I get out and a Yank tap that rag that white sack all the way up to my chest holding on to it tight. And I had a chunk of red in one hand that I stole from the priests room. I saw him bring a loaf in there. And they sneaked in I stole a big chunk of bread. And I was running in I was running and I remember I remember when we arrived there months ago, months ago, months ago that I saw woods. I saw a forest and you know who lived in the forest. Remember I told you, my friends the wolves. And since they love the moon and I love the moon and the moon gave them and the light at the same time and helped us cross into Russia for safety. So maybe I can talk to them and ask them to take me to my mama and papa. Papa said whoa I’m not so friendly. They’re not like the dog that I saw in Warsaw when I was very middle. I said that Papa, surely, if they are so sweet and they sing so pretty, and they love the moon, and Risca they’re not friends. They it’s nice to love them. It’s okay. And always make sure nobody hurts them. But but but they’re not friends like people. I said, Yes, they are. i There’s no way you’re going to teach me things I already know better than you do. I’m almost four and a half. We know I know everything. What makes you think you’re so smart? I know I have survived to before. So I remember that conversation with my father. And I sewed the forest. I saw the woods. I don’t know what it’s called in English. Is that a woods? Is that a forest? What is it? I don’t know. So I went in there. And I’m saying, Well, how am I going to find a horse? You can’t just say here was like the lady did with the dog. And the dog came running. But I didn’t know that they were so hungry. It’s lucky. They didn’t make a meal out of me. And so I go in there, and I’m going and I’m running. And I’m running because you see, I have nothing else to wear. And I’m in white. And White can be seen for miles. So I have to keep running. And I fold and I run and I get up and I told her I’m stretched. And I’m bleeding and I’m stretched and I don’t care and I’m and the trees and the branches are slapping me in my face and I keep wiping and I keep running and I keep running. Then I thought I heard somebody speaking. I said I heard somebody speaking. Tell me you don’t believe in miracles. You tell me you don’t believe the Holocaust had brought about 1000s upon 1000s upon 1000s of miracles. You’re looking at one. I am in the middle of a forest that is full of wolves. Nothing ever built there except some dead grass that started to wither. But I did hear a voice. So I became quiet. And instead of running like a crazy girl crawling on the ground sneaking out like I saw other animals do an inner Russia. So I’m crawling and crawling and I heard the voice again. You see ravines, water and silence of woodland, carry a voice, distances, distances. And I kept crawling towards this voice. The reason I kept crawling to the voice is because it was a woman’s voice. And then I listened even more carefully. And more carefully. I said to myself, That’s mama. It’s not a voice. That mama. I said that how can it be mama? You haven’t seen her in so many. Some came up and some went the way and then and then came new children and and more other officers. You don’t know how long it’s been? No. Once I get stubborn let me tell you. An army of Russians couldn’t stop me from saying I know I’m right. I understand. That’s mama. In that case, I better start moving faster, so she doesn’t disappear. And I heard the wolves and I’m saying well, if they’re singing, and you hear Mama’s voice, you must be right. How else would they be together? I asked my Wolf. So take care of my mama. And I keep growing and I keep crawling and I’m getting closer and the verses are getting longer. Not that they got darker. It’s just that I got closer. And then I said well, Mischka has only one thing you can do to find out is it’s really mama. Husker. Mama. T my mama Mama Yo my mama and silence to cover in somebody said very quietly don’t answer who knows who else is listening and my mom was scared gamma male ci d quiet be silent it’s my aid remained laying down on the ground. Listen, I have phenomenal phenomenal years phenomenal even today I was blessed here for survival and an ear for languages. Now we said the silent so I am silent I said to myself if she doesn’t show up soon I will speak louder. In batch everybody’s gonna come in those months that I was in the church

 

Ari: you been listening to whispers in bricks. And this is the end of Part Seven. In Sabra Marcus’s story. Until next time, listen to the whispers avoid the bricks and never ever give up on your dreams. Bye for now.