From Under the Heavens, Do Not Forget!
In the Gemara (Megillah 6) it is written on the verse “do not let their plans succeed”: This is the Germamia of Edom, if they go forth, they destroy the entire world. Germamia, according to the rabbinic commentators – is Germany.
The Gra (short for “Gaon Rav Eliyahu,” also known as the Vilna Gaon), already wrote 250 years ago that Germany is Amalek.
Therefore, on the days of Purim and the revival of Amalek, we try to wip out the memory of the Nazi Amalek who destroyed the world and consumed a third of our people, women and children, holy and pure people.
Even then, during the years of rage, the Nazis knew about the days of Purim, and would commit sadistic murders on them while organizing mass public events.
Here are two testimonies from the holiday of Purim during the Holocaust, in the same year, in two different places (they were published in the “Zachor” documentation files).
10 Martyrs who were Hung on Purim 5702 (1942)
Yes, this also happened in Zdunska Wola. In preparation for Purim in the year 5702 (March 1942), the Germans decided to celebrate Purim in a special way.
That is:
In many ghettos they set up gallows on which ten Jews were hung on each. You will surely ask: why exactly the number ten? Well, the Germans, who followed the Jewish calendar, wanted to demonstrate by avenging the hanging of the ten sons of Haman. And so it was also imposed on Zdunska Vola to sacrifice ten of its best sons on Purim 5702. And this is how the town’s resident, L. Piotrkowski, described the event:
“There is no human power to describe the Jewish heroism shown by these ten martyrs in the last moments of their lives. Everyone as one held firm and silently climbed up the gallows and announced: ‘Jew! Do not cry, dear brothers! Hold on! You will also get to see their downfall. Brothers, take revenge!…’ And finally, from the throats of the ten martyrs came the cry of Shema Yisrael (Hear Oh Israel), and when the entire crowd of Jews, five thousand men and women, answered as an echo to each other, “Shema Yisrael,” their souls departed in holiness and purity, at exactly 12 noon, on Purim, the year 5702 since the creation of the world.”
Testimony of Dora Zagan Vienner – The Martyrs who were Hung on Purim in the Brzeziny Ghetto
The Nazis were “artists” in inventing tortures that would hurt us as much as possible and shorten our miserable lives. Hungry and depressed, we surrendered to them physically, but they failed to break our spirits. A spark lived inside every tormented Jew. We hoped for the day of revenge and repayment.
In March 1942, huge notices were posted that a hanging of 10 Jews would be held on Purim and that all the Jews in the ghetto must be present at the event (this event was held that year in many ghettos on the day of Purim, as “retribution” for the hanging of the ten children of Haman).
On the appointed day, they set up a gallow by the river, near the place where our magnificent synagogue was located, which the Germans, may their named be blotted out, had burned. The Germans forced all Jews to participate in the “sight”. When the Jews gathered and began to bring the condemned to the hanging, some of the Jews burst into tears and wails. The SS immediately silenced them. “If there is no quiet, we will shoot you, all of you.” Deathly silence immediately reigned.
The condemned behaved in a pleasant and beautiful manner; they went out upright, and showed no sign of fear before their death. One of them was a homeless poor man named Yidel Suchachevsky. He was a quiet man who had never harassed anyone. This Jew, as he ascended the steps of the gallows, declared with a heroic voice: I am going to sanctify the Name of G-d on behalf of the whole city! After the hanging of the martyrs, the Nazis forced all the Jews to pass around the martyrs and look at the gallows.
