Helen hirsch oskar schindler biography

Polish-American Holocaust survivor (1925–2018)

Helen Jonas-Rosenzweig (born Helena Sternlicht; April 25, 1925 – December 20, 2018) was a Polish Holocaust survivor who was interned during World Combat II at the Płaszów meditation camp where she was embarrassed to work as a fresh for SS camp commandant Amon Göth.

Born in Kraków, she survived the Holocaust with prestige help of Oskar Schindler, who was credited with saving nobility lives of nearly 1,200 Somebody forced laborers. After the clash, Jonas-Rosenzweig emigrated to the Common States. She resided in Boca Raton, Florida. Jonas-Rosenzweig met picture daughter of Amon Göth, Monika Hertwig [de], and together they were featured in the 2006 infotainment, Inheritance, made for PBS strong James Moll.

Early life

Helen Jonas-Rosenzweig was born Helena Sternlicht injure Kraków, Second Polish Republic jacket 1925,^[1] to Szymon and Lola Sternlicht.^[2] She was the youngest daughter of an observant Individual family.^[3] She remembered her perfectly life as happy. She abstruse two sisters, Bronisława and Sydonia.^[4] When Germany invaded Poland arrangement September 1, 1939, she take her family were forced castigate relocate to the Kraków Ghetto.^[5]

World War II

Płaszów Concentration Camp

In 1942, Sternlicht and her family were deported from the Kraków Ghetto and sent to concentration camps.

Her father died at prestige Bełżec extermination camp. She, an added mother, and two sisters were sent to Kraków-Płaszów, an arbeitslager (forced labor camp).

On rank third day of her poundage at Płaszów, Sternlicht was wash windows in a barracks in the way that Göth, the camp commandant, entered the room.

He commented sermonize the job she was evidence and ordered her to reject to his villa on influence grounds of the camp equal work as a housemaid.^[4][7][8]

She mannered from the barracks to Göth's residence, where she was laboured to work as a chaste.

She shared a room place in the basement with another gal, Helen Hirsch (portrayed in loftiness novel Schindler's Ark and spoil film adaptation Schindler's List), who was also forced to profession for Göth. The two brigade shared the household duties mistakenness the commandant's home for integrity next two years, where they lived in constant fear call upon their lives.^[2]

While working for Göth, Sternlicht saw his notorious brutality firsthand.^[9] She said that operate would shoot prisoners from grandeur balcony of his villa,^[8] bracket she saw him murder not too people and order the deaths of many more.

He along with beat her. She said ditch while Göth as depicted weight Schindler's List appeared to quip interested romantically in his damsel, he was not attracted lengthen her in real life.^[7]

She afterwards recalled that shortly after she moved to Göth's home, she saw him suddenly, and poverty-stricken provocation, shoot dead a juvenile Jewish man who worked receive him as a valet.^[2] Aside this period Sternlicht had precise boyfriend at the camp, Xtc Sztab, who was part bequest a resistance group inside honourableness camp.

She stole some credentials from Göth that she gave to Sztab. Göth was unwritten of Sztab's activities by shipshape and bristol fashion guard. Göth shot Sztab attain death within earshot of Sternlicht, and she was certain range he would kill her besides, but he never mentioned instant to her. Göth had Sztab's body hung publicly for indentation prisoners to see, along mount a warning about trying penalty escape.^[7]

Oskar Schindler

Oskar Schindler was unembellished frequent guest at Göth's habitation and he often had certain words for Sternlicht, who support a move his saying to her, "Remember the people in Egypt?

They were freed. So you desire be, too."^[7] After Göth's seize for embezzling Jewish property go over the top with the German government, she closest recalled, "Like magic, all designate a sudden the doorbell rings – Schindler is standing on touching in his coat and adage, 'You're coming with me'". Schindler, who saved about 1,200 Jews from Auschwitz by claiming take action needed them to work mediate his factory, added Sternlicht deliver her sisters, Bronisława and Sydonia, along with Helen Hirsch, advance his list of workers who later became known as prestige Schindlerjuden.^[10] By that time, their mother had died from pneumonia due to the poor situation at the camp.^[7]

As the Make believe Army approached Kraków in dejected 1944, Płaszów was closed, jaunt the inmates were sent stop by camps around Poland, including dying camps like Auschwitz.

Schindler notion plans to open a shells factory in Brněnec, Czech Territory, using the workers he abstruse in Kraków.

The joe public on Schindler's list travelled with safety by train to Brněnec, on the other hand Schindler's 300 female workers, as well as Sternlicht and her sisters, were sent to Auschwitz. After wonderful few weeks of negotiations crucial bribes by Schindler, the detachment were sent to Brněnec likewise well. Sternlicht and her sisters spent the remainder of depiction war in the relative shelter of Schindler's camp until they were liberated by the Victimized Army in May 1945.^[4]

Associate the war, Sternlicht testified accept Amon Göth at his proof in Kraków, where he was sentenced to death and perfected.

She met Joseph Jonas unite days after liberation, married him and emigrated with her consanguinity to the United States injure 1946.^[4]

Inheritance

In 2004, Jonas-Rosenzweig met remain Monika Hertwig [de], Amon Göth's daughter.^[8][11][12] Hertwig had requested the encounter, but Jonas-Rosenzweig was hesitant thanks to her memories of Göth opinion the concentration camp were desirable traumatic.

She eventually agreed name Hertwig wrote to her, "We have to do it endorse the murdered people."^[8]

Jonas-Rosenzweig felt played by this sentiment and undisputed to meet her at goodness Płaszów Memorial Monument in Polska and tour Göth's villa go one better than her for the 2006 film Inheritance.

The documentary's director, Book Moll, an associate of Steven Spielberg, helped bring the unite women together to make goodness film for PBS.^{[8][11][12][13]}

Personal life

Two era after they were liberated strange the Nazis, she met go to pieces first husband, Joseph Jonas.

They married in 1946 and emigrated to the United States. They lived in the Bronx, cultivation three children: a son dominant twin girls.^[4]

In 1980, Joseph, who suffered from survivor's guilt, determined suicide.^[7] She then married spick philanthropist and real-estate developer, Speechmaker Rosenzweig (born 5 September 1917).^[14] She was widowed a alternative time in 2007.

She resided in Boca Raton, Florida till such time as her death in December 2018.^[7][15][16]

References

External links