The 2LTs CoC is taking action. I would like to use this as an opportunity to share a story of survival and over the next few hours I will post excerpts from my grandmother's book. She was the sole survivor of her family through the holocaust. There are 6 mil stories like hers.

"Nothing in the early years of my pampered, secured existence could have prepared me for the war years - humiliation, rejection, arrest, fear for my life. No 11 y/o should ever have to confront such calamities."

"German friends and neighbors turned their backs on us, my father's business was seized, my school was set on fire and forced to close."

"Then on 9Nov1938, the venom and violence of the Nazi Party and the SS exploded all over Germany. During that one terrible night, the fate of European Jewry was irrevocably sealed"

"The morning after Kristallnacht, I started out for school as usual, but upon approaching it, all I could see was the adjacent synagogue in flames...firemen, police, and SS were everywhere, laughing and joking as they watched it burn"

"I stood on the corner opposite the synagogue, shivering in the raw, icy air, with my teeth chattering...what awful thing had we done that was making them punish us so harshly, and that why could even laugh while they did it?"

"Father arrived only to discover his store windows smashed and paint smeared all over the doors. Across the sidewalk, in broad brush strokes, 'Jude' was painted with an arrow pointing toward the looted store"

"In our apt bld, there lived an middle aged, non Jewish couple. Dear friends...vehemently opposed to Hitler and the Nazi Party...although they were officially notified by the German gov not to associate with Jews at the risk of punishment, they ignored such warnings"

"As a precaution, after Kristallnacht, we would only slip into each other's apt after dark, quietly, when no one was likely to be passing in the hallway"

"On the evening after Kristallnacht, a curfew was imposed upon Jews throughout Berlin. Late that night my cousin telephoned, frantically begging for help. W/o warning, her father had been picked up by the Geheime Staats Polizei (Gestapo) and taken out into that cold Nov night"

"The following morning we were able to learn that he had been taken to a hard-labor camp in Sachsenhausen...our spirits sank when we heard their reports: the camps were miserable. Rotten prisons where many had fallen gravely ill from being forced to work in the icy cold"

"Following their reprehensible and hateful acts, the nazis held every jew in GER responsible for the damages. Ernst vom Ruth's death had enraged the Nazis...they announced a punishment dreamed up by Hermann Goring. The Jewish community must pay eine Judenabgabe,a collective fine"

Fast forward to June 1941. Her non Jewish neighbors come over to their apartment: "I want to hide you in our home, away from the Nazis. I have discussed it with your parents and they agree. Nobody knows anymore what the future is like to bring..."

"...if anything should happen to your family we want you to stay with us. You can live with us. Our home will be your home. You will be our children"

Over the coming months all of their possessions would be confiscated, they would lose their apt, and businesses could not employ jewish citizens. My grandmother would enter into the service of the reich, at age 15, in a factory...until Aug 17th 1942...

"On 17Aug1942, the dread notice arrived by special delivery. Vati looked as of he had just turned to stone. Pale and expressionless, he kept staring at the letter in his hand...finally he handed it to me, while saying in a low voice, 'read the letter'..."

"In formal language, the gestapo declared that Vati must prepare for evacuation on 22aug1942. A list of what he would be allowed to take was enclosed: one blanket, a mattress, an extra pair of shoes, warm clothing, and two-day supply of food"

"Finally the day of Vatis 'evacuation' arrived...the three of us gathered in the living room and waited. Kt was a strange acene: Vati, seated in his leather chair in the corner, silhouetted against the window...i don't remember any of us speaking a single word"

"When the doorbell finally did ring, Gerd (her brother) rose to let the SS in...Vati slowly got out of his chair and tied to appear calm as he walked over to geeet them. Meanwhile, I remained frozen in my chair, tears running down my cheeks..."

" 'Don't take just him, alone!' I pleaded. 'My father can't go by himself. He'll die right away! Please let me go with him!' Sobbing, I fell to my knees and pressed my hands together." The SS would end up taking her and her father. this would be the last time she saw her brother

They would be dropped off at an 'Old Age Home' in Berlin which had been turned into an in processing center

"upon completing the paperwork, we were given transportation numbers that had been printed on tags and told to place them on our clothes...from that time I cease to be (name); now i was just to be identified by the number on my tag"

They were then shipped from Berlin to Theresienstadt (Terezin)..."those of us arriving transports were next confronted by the SS along with die Ghettowache...all luggage we couldn't carry was confiscated at this point"

They would survive 2 years in theresienstadt, mainly by finding purpose valuable to the nazis. Not showing any weakness. Hiding illness. Until 10oct1944. When they are sent to Auschwitz. She didn't know but her brother had already been sent there. He was killed upon arrival.

As the doors to the train opened..." 'move over. Make room for others!' The Nazis screamed. 'Move in there faster or ill make it worse for you' a guard shouted...we squeezed and pushed forward...the huge wooden doors finally slid across the opening and then slammed shut"

"We traveled in darkness for what seemed forever, crushed like refuse to be dumped somewhere. There was neither fesh air nor food...then I heard a shriek, like none I had ever imagined. A woman's piercing voice shattered the moaning and helpless crying..."

"She was holding her head with both hands. Those of us nearby could nkwbunderstand why. Scratched in tiny letters in a wall of the car someone had scrawled the words 'Last transport went to Auschwitz' "

Upon arriving " 'hurry now you filth swine...Men to the left, women to the right' a steely voice lashed out. Everything was happening so fast I didn't sense that I was separating from Vati....forever"

Ok. So the rest of her story is very difficult to read. Im not sure this is the right place for it. She would lose her father that day and yet find the strength to survive. She would see the liberation of Auschwitz, emigrate to the US, restart her life, and raise a family.

This is one story. There are 6 million like hers.