My beloved son and daughter! these lines I am writing, my dear children , in the vale of tears of Viljampole, Ghetto, Kovno, where we have been for over two years. We have now heard that in a few days our fate is to be decided. The Ghetto is to be crushed and torn asunder. Whether we are all to perish or whether a few of us are to survive, is in GodÌs hands. We fear that only those capable of slave laborer will live; the rest, probably, are sentenced to death.
We are left here a few out of many. Out of thirty five thousand Jews of Kovno, approximately seventeen thousand remain; out of a quarter of a million Jews in Lithuania (Including the Vilna district), only twenty five thousand live plus five thousand, ho during the last few days were deported to hard labor in Latvia, stripped of all belongings. The rest were put to death in terrible ways by the followers of the greatest Hamman of all times, and of all generations. Some of those dear and close to us, too, are no longer with us. Your Aunt Hannah and Uncle Arieh were killed with one thousand five hundred souls of the ghetto in October 4, 1941. Uncle Zvi who was lying in the hospital suffering from a broken leg, was saved by a miracle. All the patients, Doctors nurses, relatives and visitors who happened to be there were burnt to death after soldiers had blocked all doors and windows of the hospital, and Uncle Dov and his son Shmuel were taken out and killed with the rest of the Kalvavia community during the first months of the war that is about two years ago.
Due to outer forces and inner circumstances, only our own ghetto has managed to survive and live out it's galuth life in slavery, hard labor and deprivation for the past two years. ( Almost all of our clothing, belongings and books were taken from us by the authorities)
The last massacre when ten thousand victims were killed at one time, took place on the 28 October 1941. Our total community had to go through the selection by our rulers: these to life ..... those to death. I am the man, who with mine own eyes saw those about to die. I was there, early on the morning of October 29th, in the camp that led to the slaughter at the Ninth Fort. With mine own ears I heard the awesome and terrible symphony, the weeping and screaming of ten thousand people, old and young a screams that tore at the heart of heaven. No ear has ever heard such cries through times and generations. With many of our Martyrs I challenge my Creator; with them, from a torn heart I cried out in agony, Who is like you in the Universe. My LordÓ In my effort to save people here and there, I was beaten by soldiers. Wounded and bleeding, I fainted and was carried in the arms of friends to a place outside the camp.
There a small group of about thirty or forty survived, witnesses to the fire. We are, it appears, one of the staging centers in the many to be taken, with their belongings to the Ninth Fort, which is some Kilometers distance from us. There they were killed with extreme cruelty. We learned later that they were misled Ò they were told they were going to Kovno, to settle in our Ghetto.
From the day of the GhettoÌs founding, I stood at its head. Our community chose me and the authorities confirmed me as Chairman of the Council of Elders, together my friend Advocate Leib Garfunkel, former member of Siem, and a few other close and good people, concerned and caring of the surviving few. We are trying to steer our battered ship I furious seas, when waves of decrees and decisions threaten to drown it every day. Due to my influence, I succeeded, betimes to ease the verdict and to scatter the dark clouds that hung over our heads. I bore my duties with high head and upright countenance. Never did I for ask for pity. Never did I doubt our rights. I argued our case with total confidence in the justice of our demands.
These are the hardest moments of our life, you, my dear ones always appear before our eyes; and are present in our deepest thoughts and our innermost heart. In deepest and darkest nights, your Mother would sit beside me, we could both dream of your life and your future. Our innermost desire is to see you again, to embrace you, and to tell you once again how close we are to you, and how our hearts beat as we remember you and see you before us. And is there ones, sustain us. And you, my children, how was your life these past five years, so hard and full of sorrow for the Jewry of Europe?. I know that far away from this place, you have shared our anguish and in agony, listened to every slight rumor coming from this Vale of Tears; and that deep down, you have felt with us this unparalleled tragedy of our people.
With regard to myself, I have very little to report. Last year I suffered an acute and severe attach of Rheumatoid Arthritis, which kept me bedridden for nine months. However, even in the most difficult days of my illness, I carried on the duties of my community; and from my bedside participated actively in the work of my friends. Now I am better; it has been about six months since I ceased being regarded as sick. I am not fully well, either; but I continue to work ceaselessly, without rest or respite.
About six months ago we received a message from Uncle Hans, transmitted to us by way of the Red Cross; It said that you are all right. The little note written by a stranger, took nine months to reach us. We have written and written to you by way of the Red Cross and private persons. Did any of our words reach you? We are desolate that during our stay here we could not contact you and tell you that we are still among the living. We know full well how heavily weighs upon you the doubt regarding our survival, and what strength and confidence you would derive from the news that we are alive. This would certainly have given you courage, and belief in work and life. I am very doubtful, my beloved children, whether I will ever be able to see you again, to hug you and press you to my heart. Before I leave this world and you, my dear ones, I wish to tell you again, how dear you are to us, and how deeply our souls yearn for you.
Yoel, my beloved! Be a faithful son to your people, take care of your nation and do not worry about the Gentiles. During our long exile, they have not given us an eighth of an eighth of what we have given them. Immerse yourself in this question, and return to it again and again.
Try to settle in Eretz Israel, tie your destiny to the land of our future. Even if life there is hard, it is a life full of interest and meaning. Great and mighty is the power of Faith and Belief. Faith can move mountains. Do not left to the left or the right, as you pursue your path If at times you see other people straying, do not let let your hart loose courage, my son. It is not their fault, it is our bitter Galuth which has made them so. Let truth always be before you, and under your feet. Truth will guide you, and show you the path of life.
And now my dear daughter Sara, read most carefully what I have said to Yoel, trust your clear mind and sound judgment. Do not live for the moment, do not stray from your chosen path, and pick flowers at the wayside, they soon wilt. Lead a life full of beauty, a pure life, full of content and meaning. For all your days walk together: Remember and never forget it all your days; pass this memory as a holy testament to future generations. The Germans killed, slaughtered and murdered us in complete peace of mind.. I was there and saw them when they sent thousands of people, men women and children, infants to their death, while they enjoyed breakfast and mocked our martyrs. I saw them coming back from their murderous missions, dirty, stained with the blood of our dear ones from head to toe. There they sat at their table, eating and drinking, listening to light music. They are professional executioners.
The soil of Lithuania is soaked with our blood, killed at the hands of the Lithuanians themselves. Lithuanians, with whom we have lived for hundreds of years, and whom, with all our strength, we helped achieve national independence. Seven thousand of our brothers and sisters were killed by the Lithuanians in terrible and barbarous ways during the last days of June 1941. They themselves, and no others, executed whole congregations, following the Germans orders. They searched with special pleasure caves and wells and fields and forests for those in hiding, and turned them over to the ÓauthoritiesÓ. Never have anything to do with them: they and their children are accursed forever.
I am writing this in an hour where many desperate souls, widows and orphans, threadbare and hungry, are camping on my doorstep, imploring for us to help. My forces are÷÷÷. There is a desert inside me, my soul is scorched, I ÷÷÷at this hour.
And now for a moment, I close my eyes and see you both standing before me, I embrace and kiss you both; and say to you again that until my very last breath I remain your loving father.
Elchanan
I have added a few lines. It has been two weeks now since we passed from one authority to another. They changed our name ; and now instead of being The ghetto, we are called concentration Camp No. 4, Kauen, with new officials and functionaries. Our share of misery is not yet over. On 26th of last month they took 709 people out of our Ghetto. According to information we received, they separated the children and the elderly they are probably dead by now. Those who are able to work were sent to Estonia to hard labor. On the 5th of this month they took out of Shavli all the children under thirteen and the elderly men and women. They were told that they were being taken to Kovna. They are probably all dead now.
As our own fate, we await it in the very new future.
These lines, together with some documents I am putting in a safe place. I pray that they may reach your hands one day.
With love, affection
P.S. We have learned from a very reliable source that the Germans are trying to erase ant trace of their murders. The bones of our martyrs are to be burned in the 9th fort and in other places, by people who are experts in this kind of job. (Chemists)
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