Life in a Suitcase

Life in a Suitcase

Suzanne Marsh

Esther Levy was barely holding herself together as she turned to her husband, Samuel:

“Samuel, how do I cram our life together in a suitcase. Why are the Germans sending us a call-up notice. Do you think children are hiding where they are?” Samuel put his arms around Esther:

“Please, Esther, we must pack. There have been quite a few call-ups all around the neighborhood, as good citizens, we must answer. Now, please find our suitcases, so we may pack them.”

Esther went to find their suitcases. After she found them, she brought them to Samuel. He looked into her sad eyes: “Esther, we are going to require items to barter, get your rings and other jewelry, which can be sewn into the hem. Use your old, worn house dresses for that purpose. Esther did as Samuel bid her. Esther sewed most of the night; tomorrow only God knew where they would. Samuel watched out the small window in their apartment. He just hoped he and Esther could stay together; he heard the rumors, however he was not sure what was a rumor and what was the truth.

They reported to their synagogue as per the instructions on the call-up notice. Samuel felt the tension that Esther felt, the fear of the unknown. Esther saw her sister and brother-in-law, ‘Why are they here? Is it not enough that we are here?’ she thought to herself. She strode over to Sarah: “the Nazi’s called you up also?” Sarah nodded, tears filling her eyes as she replied softly: “Yes, we got the call-up notice a few days ago. Where are the children?” Esther stared at the floor, knowing she could not betray her own children, and replied: “Samuel did not tell me.” Sarah stared at her in awe but knew their children were safe.

Moments later, the large doors to the Synagogue slammed open, and in strode SS Officer Heinrich Schmidt. German soldiers were going to escort them to their trains; everyone was assigned to cars, and they would do their best to keep families together. Samuel took Esther’s hand in his: “We will come through this, Esther, we will be together again.” He squeezed her hand, which was cold, from fear. He looked at the mass of humanity crowded into the cattle car. The car smelled horrible, smells he could even begin to identify, one slop bucket per car.

The train began to lurch as it pulled out of the train depot. Samuel could hear moans coming from the middle of the car, or so it seemed. Samuel moved toward the sound. There was a small child, his head bleeding profusely from a hit he had taken to his head. Samuel glared around him: “Where are the child’s parents? He is badly hurt. A dejected-looking woman with soulful brown eyes: “I am

his mother, one of the guards, became angry with him because he was scared and cried out for me.”

Samuel asked Esther if there were any clean rags in her suitcase, explaining about the small boy. She carefully handed him a clean rag. Samuel moved again toward the child, wound the rag around his blond head, hoping to stop the flow of blood. He held the boy until he fell asleep in Samuel’s arms.

The train never stopped, people were hungry, and there was no food given to them as the trip continued to a destination unknown. Samuel quietly asked Esther: “Did you pack any food in our suitcases?” She nodded as she opened one of the suitcases. They gave everyone a small piece of bread, hoping to ease their hunger. Esther asked Samuel about the small child he tried to help, and a tear crept into his good eye as he shook his head in a negative response.

“The boy did not stand a chance; he died during the night.” Facts were facts, Samuel told himself as he watched Esther’s eyes fill with tears. He knew she was thinking of their own children, Sarah and Daniel, and hoped they remained safe in hiding. Samuel’s old friend Max had built a hidden room in his basement. He told Samuel that in the event that one of his family members received a call-up notice, he would hide the children; there was not much room. Samuel told Esther that the children were safe, and then they received the notice. Rumors abounded; most thought either Bergen-Belsen or Auschwitz. He knew about the camps but had no idea how bad they were. He prayed it would be neither camp, but he knew that was not the case.

It became clear to Samuel that the train was now in Austria; it was bound for Auschwitz. The fourth day in the fetid, airless cattle car, rumors became reality. The train pulled into Auschwitz, and the doors were flung open. Soldiers with ugly German voices: SCHNELL SEHR SCHNELL. Bayonets were pointed at people not moving quickly enough. They were forced to line up, one line toward labor and life, the other line toward death. Samuel was shocked to see this huge mass of humanity being herded toward the gas chambers. Both Samuel and Esther were strong and were put into the forced labor line. They were both thankful; they made the selection. Lights glared in his eyes as he aided Esther with the suitcase. They were forced to surrender all the possessions they brought with them. Esther was given a striped dress, much too large for her small frame. Samuel was given striped pants and a shirt, both of which had a yellow star on them to signify that they were Jews. They were marched to the showers with soldiers yelling: Schnell, Sehr, Schnell.

They were assigned to different work areas; Esther removed gold fillings from the teeth of dead victims, and Samuel did manual labor for I. J. Faben, hauling Zyklon B manufactured in Monowitz/Auschwitz III to the gas chambers. It was a great deal of walking; however, Samuel enjoyed the sunshine no matter how cold it became.

The Gestapo leased prisoners to I. J. Faben at very low rates daily, as Samuel soon discovered. Esther hated the job she had been given, removing gold from the teeth of Nazi victims; it disgusted her. She wanted to survive, so she did as she was bidden.

Samuel and Esther were confined to Auschwitz for two years. Rumors were once again rampant; it seemed the Red Army was approaching, and soon they would be liberated. On January 27th, 1945, the Red Army marched into Auschwitz, and one of the men began yelling for doctors to come forward. When the doors swung open to the first barracks, the fetid smell and the men with just thin shirts and pants. The Russians surveyed the camp, but were in awe of all they were seeing. Doctors came streaming into the camp, horrified at the conditions. There were seventy thousand ill and dying prisoners; how were they to treat all these people? Among the seventy thousand were Esther and Samuel Levy, both thin and drawn. They held hands, attempting to communicate to the Russians that they were husband and wife.

Once they were liberated, Samuel and Esther looked for their suitcases. Samuel’s was not among the pile but Esther’s was. Esther realized that her life in a suitcase was finally complete; they were going home.