Eyewitness to History: Holocaust Survivor Ruth Cohen

Summary

Ruth Cohen recounts her life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Born in Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia, in 1930, she experienced a happy childhood until the Nazi invasion. Her family faced persecution, leading to their deportation to Auschwitz. Ruth survived the horrors, including the loss of her family members, and later moved to the United States. She emphasizes the importance of learning from the Holocaust and urges everyone to use their influence to combat hatred and promote a better world.

Takeaways

• 🏡 Ruth Cohen was born into a loving family in Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia in 1930.
• 🔄 Her life changed dramatically after the partition of Czechoslovakia in 1938, leading to the loss of her father's business and the forced departure of their German nanny.
• 📚 Ruth attended the Hebrew Gymnasium, but with the political changes, education became segregated and the language of instruction changed to Hungarian.
• 😢 The family suffered the loss of relatives who were taken to Majdanek and murdered, plunging them into mourning.
• 📅 In 1944, the arrival of Hitler's forces in Hungary marked the beginning of further hardships, including the closure of schools and the requirement to wear yellow stars.
• 🚶‍♀️ Ruth and her family were forced into a ghetto and later deported to Auschwitz, where many family members were murdered upon arrival.
• 🛏️ Ruth survived typhoid fever in Auschwitz, thanks to the help of people she met while working as a messenger.
• 👋 Ruth had a brief, joyful reunion with her father at Auschwitz, but also witnessed the tragic death of her uncle and the horrors of the Holocaust.
• 🏭 Ruth and her sister were later sent to work at a Siemens plant in Nuremberg, but due to her deteriorating health, Ruth was unable to continue working.
• 💥 Near the end of the war, Ruth experienced liberation by White Russian partisans, which was both a moment of joy and a stark reminder of ongoing antisemitism.
• 🏛️ After the war, Ruth returned to Mukachevo and later moved to Prague with her family, where she underwent treatment for tuberculosis.
• 🗽 Ruth and her father immigrated to the United States in 1948, arriving on the first night of Passover, which was also Ruth's 18th birthday.
• 🌟 Ruth emphasizes the importance of learning from the Holocaust, recognizing the capacity for both good and evil in human nature, and the responsibility each person has to make the world better.

Q & A

Where was Ruth Cohen born and in what year?

Ruth Cohen was born in Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia, in 1930.

What significant event occurred in Czechoslovakia on March 8th, 1938 that affected Ruth's life?

On March 8th, 1938, Czechoslovakia was partitioned, which led to significant changes in Ruth's life, including the annexation of her town by Hungary and the beginning of her family's persecution.

How did the educational system change for Ruth after the partition of Czechoslovakia?

After the partition, boys and girls could no longer study in the same classroom, and the language of instruction changed from Czech to Hungarian.

What happened to Ruth's father's business after the partition?

Ruth's father's business was taken away immediately following the partition.

What tragic event did Ruth's mother's family experience?

Members of Ruth's mother's family were taken to Majdanek and murdered.

When did Hitler march into Hungary, and how did it affect Ruth's life?

Hitler marched into Hungary in March 1944, which led to the closure of Ruth's school, the requirement to wear yellow stars, and eventually being forced into a ghetto.

What was the role of Miriam Leitner in Auschwitz for Ruth and her sister?

Miriam Leitner, a friend of Ruth's sister, was their Blockälteste in Auschwitz and helped Ruth get a job as a messenger girl while her sister became her assistant.

How did Ruth's life change when she contracted typhoid fever in Auschwitz?

When Ruth contracted typhoid fever, people she had met as a messenger saved her life by hiding her when the Nazis came to conduct a selection in the infirmary.

What was the significance of the Siemens plant in Nuremberg where Ruth was sent to work?

The Siemens plant in Nuremberg was significant as it was the place where Ruth and her sister were taken to work after being selected for forced labor. However, Ruth was in great pain and unable to work due to her health.

How did Ruth and her sister experience liberation from the concentration camps?

Ruth and her sister experienced liberation when White Russian partisans arrived at their camp two days before the end of the war, and they were able to leave the camp.

What was the impact of the Holocaust on Ruth's perspective on human nature?

The Holocaust taught Ruth about the capacity for both good and evil in human nature, and the importance of standing against persecution and hatred to prevent such atrocities from happening again.

What message does Ruth convey about the responsibility of individuals in shaping the world?

Ruth conveys that each individual has the ability and moral obligation to make the world better, no matter how powerless they may feel, and to use their influence to push back against hatred and inhumanity.