Statement

Written with Mariána Meissnerová, born 2. 9. 1924 in Prague XII., Hradešínská 31, former prisoner in Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Märzdorf 1Note 1: Merzdorf

Until 1942 I lived with my parents in Prague. We had to leave the apartment in one night and were placed on transport Ba. My father, since he was an important businessman, was exempt and I left for Theresienstadt with my sick mother. We were left with only our bags, everything else fell to the Kleiderkammer, to the Germans.

I was doing pretty well in Theresienstadt. I worked in the garden and sometimes, although it was very dangerous, since I could be searched by the police and arrested, I would bring some vegetables for my parents. Unfortunately, sometimes even that wasn’t enough, and so they suffered from hunger, as almost all the other old people.

I later got married in Theresienstadt, since I was worried that I would be separated from my husband and so that, if we were transported from Theresienstadt, we would be placed on the same transport. Unfortunately, my husband was put on the first of the October transports, which were only for men, and taken away to Auschwitz, where, according to the testimony of eyewitnesses, was sent to the other side, to be gassed. One week later, I was also transported, believing that I was going to be with my husband. I was lucky that 14 days after my departure from Theresienstadt I was placed on a labor transport to Germany.

Shortly after I arrived in the camp, I became gravely ill. I got a high fever and diarrhea and they threatened that I would be put on a sick transport and taken straight to the gas chamber. As soon as I felt better, I went – still a bit sick – back to work and that’s how I survived. I suffered through, like many others, terrible hunger and cold. Several times, I collapsed from exhaustion at my machine. Our German master was so nice that he threw me into some kind of box, left me lying there, and hid me from the SS. Although once the female commander did find me. They poured cold water on me and I had to continue working.

And so I returned to Prague after so much suffering. My parents also died in Auschwitz.

I remained alone with my widowed sister who came back from Bergen-Belsen. I’m 21 years old and want to train to be a seamstress and begin a new life.

Signature:

Meissnerová Marianna

Statement accepted by:

B. Gerzonová

Signature of witnesses:

Marta Kratková

Helena Schicková

Accepted on behalf of the Documentation Campaign:

Scheck

On behalf of the archive:

Alex Schmiedt

11. IX. 1945