Civilization Stories ( Facebook)

“The evacuation of Auschwitz was a horrendous experience for me personally,” reflected Regina Laks Gelb. “I survived only because I was pulled by my two sisters.” The three sisters had arrived at Auschwitz in summer 1944—about six months prior to its evacuation. They were tattooed upon arrival. “My older sister received the first, my middle sister the next, and I received the third,” recalled Regina. She hoped that their consecutive numbers meant that they would be able to stay together. As the Soviets closed in on the camp in January 1945, the Nazi SS guards began evacuating about 56,000 prisoners on foot to the west. These death marches have become infamous for their relentless pace, grueling conditions, and extreme violence. Regina and her sisters were forced to march approximately 34 miles through the winter snow. Prisoners who fell behind were shot. “The most outstanding recollection for me of that period is not what I remember, but what my sisters remember,” Regina remarked. “I was hallucinating and they were dragging me. And really, if I ever was going to perish, that was the time.” All three sisters managed to survive the Holocaust together and eventually immigrated to North America. “[As] much as I was trying to be very independent, not to be a burden to my sisters, I always knew they were really looking out for my benefit.” Photo: USHMM, courtesy of Miles & Chris Laks Lerman