Passover 5704 (1944)
The Last Passover Seder in Auschwitz
Close to Passover 5704 (1944), the Germans began to bring thousands of our brethren – the Jews of Slovakia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and the areas of Carpatho-Ruthenia – to Auschwitz. The Jews said that the Germans lured and coaxed them.
They told them that they were being moved to the Garden of Eden.
Jews being unloaded from the cattle cars in the Auschwitz extermination camp. Gestapo soldiers “welcome” them.
Close to Passover, the two first crematoriums began to burn day and night.
They managed to burn 15,000 people in one day.
Here, in this horrifying death camp on earth, where there was no value to human life, there were still Jews who treated each other with love.
The climate of the camp and its customs did not affect them.
When the charedi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews from the Carpathian region arrived, in their long black clothing, and their tzitzit (religious fringes) waved in the wind, and they saw with their own eyes to what type of “Garden of Eden” the Germans had brought them too, these Jews walked around with their heads bowed…
Some of them, when they received the portions of bread, did not want to eat chametz (leaven).
A. Sofer, Sefer Kriniki, pg. 136
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The Last Passover Seder in Auschwitz 2
Not the gas chambers, not the selections, and not the harsh labour caused the charedi Jews to despair. Even the oppresive starvation (…), which caused them distress and despair was not as distressing as the thought that on Passover, they would have to eat chametz. Their grief was too great to bear. Heartbroken sighs came from their hearts: “Oh, this is the first time I have to eat chametz”… “How can I fast for eight days in a row?”
Seder night came, and in the barrack that was populated by Jews from Hungary, complete depression prevailed. A few Jews gathered in a corner and prayed the maariv service in the holiday tune. After the prayer, a very tall and thin man stood up and announced: “Jews! It is seder night today. A seder must be made!”
Jews who arrived in Auschwitz from Hungary
A crowd gathered around him and they started doing the seder.
And in another corner the old call was suddenly heard, “Ha Lachma Ania di Achalu Avhatana” (All those who are hungry, come and eat)… Many gathered around the man and said the words along with him.
And between the bunks sat an elderly Jew who recited the Hagadah in the style of how the book of Lamentations is read, and when he said, “Hashata avdei, leshana haba’ah -bnei chorin” (This year slaves, next year – free men), they all burst into bitter tears, and this is how they all said the shehechiyanu (that we were given life) blessing.
A Jew from Hungary, said aloud: “I am ready and willing to fulfill the mitzvah of four glasses of wine,” and he then announced aloud: “I promise that next year, G-d willing, I will fulfill the mitzvah of four glasses of wine”…
Everyone together said in a sad voice the prayer of “Shfoch chamatcha” (pouring out Your wrath).
M. Zlatow, Morgen Journal, 07/04/1947
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We Had a Nice Seder
Seder night 5704 (1944), Shabbat night.
Budzyn camp.
We managed to get a bit of flour. We also managed to organized a large piece of tin that we put on an iron plate and baked matzah.
From the farmers, we bought some cobs of red beets, which were supposed to be used as a substitute for wine.
Rabbi Yoel Sontag was with me in the barracks. Yes we got some millet, we cooked the millet.
And we had a nice Passover “seder.”
Mottel Brofman, Sefer Krasnik
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Self-Sacrifice for Others
At that time, the year 5704 (1944), the famine was already visible to everyone. Many in Ludwipol bloated and died of starvation (…). Since the little food we were able to obtain was not enough for ourselves, sharing with others was a true self-sacrifice.
On Passover Eve, many families gathered in one of the houses and secretly baked matzah in small portions and from unsifted flour. The people were full of tears and hope. They prayed that next year they would do so with enjoyment. But sadly, they did not merit this.
Sefer Ludwipol, pg. 38
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Prayer for Before Eating Chametz
The rabbis of Hungary, 80 years ago, upon the German conquering (of Hungary) and the beginning of the persecutions and exterminations, ruled that it was permitted and even a mitzvah to eat chametz on Passover, and they even wrote a prayer for reciting before eating the chametz.
Our Father in Heaven, It is revealed and known before You that it is our will to do Your will and to celebrate Passover with the eating of matzah and keeping the prohibition of chametz, but with agony in our hearts, that the slavery is holding us back and we are in danger of our lives, we are ready and willing to keep your commandments and live by them and not die by them, and to beware of your warning to “guard yourselves and greatly guard your souls,” until then our prayer is to You, let us live and be established and be redeemed soon, to keep Your laws and do Your will and serve You wholeheartedly.
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