Friday, May 09, 2008

Guest speaker recalls horror of the Holocaust

Photo by Marny Malin-Retired Col. Frank Cohn lights a candle in memory of victims of the Holocaust. Watching is Holocaust survivor Halina Peabody, who recounted her memories for the remembrance at the Fort Belvoir Chapel Friday.

As a young Jewish girl living in Poland during World War II, Halina Peabody is all too familiar with the pain and despair associated with the Holocaust. That unforgettable period in world history, which took place more than six decades ago, resulted in the deaths of more than six million Jewish citizens across Europe.

Incredibly, according to Peabody, she is alive to talk about what she endured as a child. At one time in her life, she never thought that would be possible.

“I’m one of the more fortunate ones. So many others weren’t as lucky,” she told an audience gathered inside the Belvoir Chapel Friday.

“While so much has changed in our society, one thing hasn’t. It’s our desire as a people to never stop trying to make this world a better and more peaceful place to live. That will never change.”

Encouraging words from someone who faced death starting at the age of seven. When Russia invaded Poland in 1939, Halina and her family were living in Zaleszczyki, a small town just outside Krakow.

Her father, while attempting to cross over into Romania, was caught by the Russians and accused of being a spy. He was sentenced to 20 years hard labor and shipped off to Siberia as
punishment. The Germans entered Poland a year later.

“With my father gone, it was my mother, myself and my younger sister. That’s when things started to get bad,” Peabody recalled. “Once the Germans came, everyone in town had to work for them.”

“The SS Soldiers imposed harsh rules on civilians and anyone caught hiding Jews was either executed or badly punished. Eventually, most of the Jews in town were found and sent to concentration camps in Germany.”

Knowing full well what would happen if found by the Germans, Halina’s mother obtained new identities for the three of them from a local priest. Then they then traveled by train to Jaroslaw, Poland, disguised as Catholics. They would never again return to their hometown in fear of being caught and killed. 

While on the train, an inquisitive older man sitting next to them found out they were Jewish and threatened to report them to the authorities. After a heartfelt discussion with the man, Halina’s mother convinced him not to.

“I remember my mother asking him if he had children and what it would feel like to lose a child,” Peabody said. “My mother begged him to take only her and to spare my sister and me. Thankfully, he decided to not say anything. It was a very tense and scary train ride. We just prayed to make it through each day together.”

Once in Jaroslaw, Halina’s family began living with a washerwoman sympathetic to their situation. Unfortunately, the arrangement was short-lived. A day prior to the Russians advancing into the town, a hand grenade detonated over the house they were staying in. The washerwoman was killed and a piece of the grenade wounded Halina’s hand.

“That was a terrible day in our lives. We not only lost this wonderful woman who had been helping us, but now my mother had to worry about me and whether I would lose my hand or not,” Peabody said.

“By the grace of God, doctors were able to save it. I felt so bad though. I didn’t want to be a burden to my mother. She had gone through enough already in keeping my sister and I safe.”

Fortunately for Peabody and her family, better times were ahead. Just as Halina was recuperating from her injury, Russia broke off its partnership with Germany after the Nazis rescinded a previous agreement over land and attacked their one-time ally.

Soon after, her mother was informed by relatives that her husband was alive and living in Palestine. With assistance from a Jewish agency, the family would eventually reunite and settle in London, where Halina would grow up.

“I had dreamed of that day for so long and, when it finally happened, I couldn’t believe it,” Peabody said. “All we ever wanted was to be a family again and now it was happening. My mother was so happy she began crying. Our struggles were over.”

She would go on to represent England as a table tennis player in the 1953 and 1957 Maccabiah Games, the Jewish equivalent of the Olympics in Israel. After a love affair with the country, she settled in Israel until 1967. After getting married and obtaining a position with the American Embassy, Peabody immigrated to the U.S. in 1968.

During her ordeal of the Holocaust, Peabody says she was blessed to have learned the Catholic faith and about having morals in life. To this day, she admits it was a hard lesson to learn. 

“At my young age, it was tough to comprehend why people would be doing this to others. All I was taught was to love thy neighbor and to show compassion for each other,” Peabody said at the end of her speech. “But, I did learn about the human spirit and that there were people with compassion and love in their hearts. And, despite what I and so many others went
through, I was able to see the goodness in people.”