The End is Near: "Any Moment Now"
Reflecting on History
Soviet soldiers escorting concentration prisoners
January 1945. The Soviets were headed towards Berlin. Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler ordered concentration camps to transport their prisoners to “safer” camps deeper into German territory. Hitler was still optimistic when he said, “The German leadership is determined to brave every crisis. The Third Reich will not be deterred; it will never capitulate.”
One of the Camp Police had said that at any moment now, the war could be over. But Sonja didn’t trust the rumor and at night, she dragged herself out of the stable and asked a guard. “Go to sleep; it’s almost over.” “This Friday, we will evacuate. Those of you who can walk must be ready to walk to Gross-Rosen. It’ll take three days. Those of you who can’t walk, report to the sick bay,” a guard announced. They calculated the odds of walking three days, thirty-five miles a day, through the snow.
January 27, 1945 fell on a Saturday morning. They were woken up at daybreak by distant artillery, but the camp was unusually quiet. No roll call? Someone opened the door and looked out. The sun was shining, but it was very cold, about -13 degrees. “It looks like they’re gone.”
They waited an hour or so before some women left the sickbay to explore. “They’ve taken all the food. We’re going to explore some more.” They went to the farms to find out what was going on. Some of the women decided to remain there. Others returned with warm woolen sweaters and warm coats. Only twenty now remained in the sick bay, of which Sonja was one. Nobody bothered with them.
She was thirsty, and eyed the icicles hanging from the slanted ceiling beams. She hoisted herself up, snapped a couple of icicles for the others, and kept one for herself. She lay down again and pretended to have won a lollipop.
Two days later, the door of the sickbay opened, and a Soviet soldier wearing a fur cap stuck his head in. When he saw the emaciated women, he got on his knees and said “Gleb.”
“We will bring you bread.” He backed out and called his mates. Two others looked in. A little later, they brought bread to last for a couple of days. Every couple of days a different friendly Red army soldier looked in on them.
Soviet tanks arriving in Auschwitz
Several days later Soviet trucks arrived and took them to the city of Trachenberg, which was under Soviet control. It was another three or four weeks before the Soviets had liberated the whole area.
A friendly Soviet doctor treated her hands and her feet. She washed for the first time in months. She had a feeling that her parents were not alive anymore. But Herman? Herman would come back.
Trains were leaving for Western Europe, but armies were still fighting and for months, they traveled through the snow covered Carpathian Mountains, back and forth between Poland and Czechoslovakia. She was asked and assisted taking care of the wounded soldiers.
“Why don’t we go to Prague on our own?” said one of the Czech women after a few weeks. “This is taking too long.” They liked the idea and Sonja decided to join them. They took a train towards the Czech border and walked for two days, until they reached the border. Her Czech friends told her to keep quiet while crossing. It turned out to be good advice. Once across, they continued walking. They wanted to get to Kosice.
They walked for days, through stunning forests and picturesque mountains. Farmers provided them with bread and allowed them to sleep in the stables. It slowly started to sink in that they were free. The fresh air and the beautiful scenery were marred by evidence of the war. Even after her Auschwitz experience of hunger, fear, and pain, the dead body of a horse and its rider upset her deeply.
