Commentary: Just researched the history of the Deaf during World War II and thought the Heilman family of Poland was interesting. A Deaf Jewish family whose daughter, Anna, is one of the "Unlikely Heroes", and was featured in a film of the same title. Also she wrote "Never Far Away" about her experiences in the Jewish resistance during World War II.Anna Heilman, is one of the surviving Auschwitz ex-prisoners who were in on the plot to blow up the crematoria. She, her sister Estusia, and other women smuggled gunpowder out of the Union munitions factory to the Sonderkommando.
Biography: Anna was born on December 1, 1928 into a middle class assimilated Jewish family in Warsaw, Poland, to Jakub and Rebeka Wajcblum, who were both Deaf. She have two sisters, Sabina, Estusia and a brother that owned a factory (Snycerpol) in Warsaw that employed Deaf workers to make wooden handicrafts.
Biography: Anna was born on December 1, 1928 into a middle class assimilated Jewish family in Warsaw, Poland, to Jakub and Rebeka Wajcblum, who were both Deaf. She have two sisters, Sabina, Estusia and a brother that owned a factory (Snycerpol) in Warsaw that employed Deaf workers to make wooden handicrafts.
WWII: Rebeka was born in 1898 in Pruzany, Poland. She was from a wealthy family. When the children were younger, they had a nanny who was also Deaf.
Anna, Estusia and their parents lived in an area that became part of the Warsaw Ghetto, in an apartment building on 38 Mila Street, just down the street from 18 Mila Street, headquarters of the ZOB (Zydowska Organizacja Bjojowa - Jewish Fighting Organization), led by Mordecai Anielewicz.
Anna joined Hashomer Hatzair, a youth movement. Anna participated in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, wouldn't leave her Deaf parents behind.
Anna, Estusia and their parents were among the last deportees from the Warsaw Ghetto when they were taken to Maidanek in May 1943. Anna's parents were executed upon arrival at Maidanek. Estusia and Anna were sent to Auschwitz in September 1943.
They smuggle gunpowder out in pouches on the inside of their clothes. They were regularly searched. When they saw from a distance that they would be searched, they would release gunpowder out onto the ground, where it would mingle with the ground.
Estusia was betrayed and then hanged on January 5, 1945, two weeks before the advancing Soviet Red Army reached Auschwitz.
After the war, Anna emigrated to Palestine (Israel), reunited with her sister, Sabina, and married.
Anna, Estusia and their parents lived in an area that became part of the Warsaw Ghetto, in an apartment building on 38 Mila Street, just down the street from 18 Mila Street, headquarters of the ZOB (Zydowska Organizacja Bjojowa - Jewish Fighting Organization), led by Mordecai Anielewicz.
Anna joined Hashomer Hatzair, a youth movement. Anna participated in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, wouldn't leave her Deaf parents behind.
Anna, Estusia and their parents were among the last deportees from the Warsaw Ghetto when they were taken to Maidanek in May 1943. Anna's parents were executed upon arrival at Maidanek. Estusia and Anna were sent to Auschwitz in September 1943.
They smuggle gunpowder out in pouches on the inside of their clothes. They were regularly searched. When they saw from a distance that they would be searched, they would release gunpowder out onto the ground, where it would mingle with the ground.Estusia was betrayed and then hanged on January 5, 1945, two weeks before the advancing Soviet Red Army reached Auschwitz.
After the war, Anna emigrated to Palestine (Israel), reunited with her sister, Sabina, and married.
Today, Anna lives in Ottawa, Canada, have two daughters.
This is Smokey, stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology. Good night, Deaf America!
0 comments:
Post a Comment