Personal Narrative: Holocaust Survivor

In my brief life, I have overcome a lot of adversity. My mom fled Mexico with her three young children to escape domestic violence. When we came to this country we had only a few personal belongings and the promise of a better future. We came to this country and lived in a small trailer with no toilet other than a bucket, and no shower except for the one that was lent to us from the kindness of a stranger, our new neighbor. As a single parent, my mother had to work day and night to support us. While she was working long hours cleaning people’s houses, as the oldest of three children, I had to quickly learn how to cook, how to clean and take care of my siblings. From getting the kids ready for school, helping them with their homework, and

It was an early December morning. The roads were slick with a thin layer of ice. The air was crisp with a winter chill and there was a slight drizzle falling from the sky. I was riding in my dad’s truck to my grandma’s, who babysat me while my parents were at work. My little brother Kaden was also with us. At the time I was four and Kaden (my brother) was 4 months. The day started off normal, Kaden was sleeping as usually and I was looking out the window watching raindrops race each other. At that moment I remember feeling happy and content just ready to drift off to sleep, when Suddenly the tires started Squealing. My mind was then cast into a sea of darkness that seem to have no escape.

Imagine that one day, everything that you and your family had worked for was taken away. You had to leave your home and go to some unknown place for some unknown reason. Think about the fear rushing through everyone around you, but you can’t do or say anything about it. Elie Wiesel and many other Jews had to go through during the Holocaust. In the book Night, Elie explains his journey through the concentration camps, he attempts to show readers what pain and suffering that had occured in them. Elie was taken from his home in Siget along with his family, however his mother and sister were separated from each other very quickly. Because Nazi’s stripped Elie of his humanity, he questioned his faith which ultimately left scars that would last

One thing haunts me from that day more than anything else. The scream of crippling pain and horror Mother made when the Nazis shot my father.The memory of that sound aches more than the old bullet hole in my back, and stings more than the day I received it. I was holding my breath and squeezing my knees to my chest as I watched through a crack in my bedroom door all those years ago. I never understood why they shot him. One minute they were both on their knees, in our small, quiet living room, begging for the Nazis ' mercy, and the next my father was blown backwards. Then my mother screamed that scream, the variety of sound that makes your eyes burn and your soul wince. The next thing I knew I was bursting out the kitchen door, running from that sound. I didn’t know where I was running to, I just knew I had to get out there before I saw my mother shot, or get killed

We all walked very happy and excited to know what’s going to happen next. Moments later we got to the camp and we saw some people dead and some people crying. We go up to the people crying and they told us that the everyone was dead back at the ghetto. I felt my heart drop to my stomach, I fell on my knees and started balling my eyes out.

When I woke up I felt like a new person, yet there was something missing. Zaroff was gone and as far as I knew, there was nothing left to fear. I didn’t really know what to do next because I needed Zaroff to help me survive on this island and now he’s dead. I paced around for a little bit and then realized that I should probably eat. I went down the stairs to the kitchen and prepared some breakfast. After eating, I cleaned myself off and put on some fresh clothing from Zaroff’s closet. When I opened the front door, I could see the fear that lay in that forest. Flashbacks instantly came flooding through my head. Although I was glad to have gotten rid of that inhumane man, I still couldn’t believe that I had something to do with another person’s death. The idea of death

Imagine if you were being hunted down in your own country by an army who wanted you dead. What would you do? Would you run away and hide from the danger or would you accept the situation you were in and let yourself be killed? Some lucky people got the choice between both options, and I was one of them. I chose to hide from the danger present in front of me, purely because of a promise made between my father and a man named Hans Hubermann.

Filing through a pile of mail one day at seventeen, I came across a pamphlet, “Camp Conowingo GSCM” it read in green, bubbly letters. Conowingo, I hadn’t heard that name since I was thirteen. As the fond memories of camp started to come back to me, I flipped through the pages, and came across something I didn’t expect to see, “Become a CIT! (Counselor in Training)” Wow, a camp counselor, I thought, that sounded like a much better alternative to watching cartoons all summer. Without much hesitation, I told my mom I wanted to be a CIT and applied immediately.

It was not at all how I had imagined it would be. America, the land of the free, was awfully confined. I stepped off the boat with anger filling my entire body. If I was forced to spend one more minute with my infuriating husband, Adel, and our three pestering sons, I was bound to jump right off into the churning green. It was my fault we were here, sure, but their four rotten attitudes were more than I have ever been able to handle.

After our encounter with Nallan, who had been promoted from senator to general, I set about to get revenge. I began to sneak around the city, scavenging weapons and supplies necessary to complete my personal mission. I would go to the nearby military base where Nallan was stationed, and learned as much as I could about it. I figured out when the guard shifts were and where the base was most vulnerable. I watched and followed Nallan and learned his schedule so that I would be able to assassinate him. I found a rifle with a few rounds, a sword, and some explosive. I did have to steal armor to protect myself. I didn’t tell Re about my plan because I didn’t want her to follow me and get hurt in the process.

I’ve read many Holocaust survivor stories, but yours really grabbed my attention. Your story had so much deep meaning that got me thinking. You never gave up. Nothing could stop you from saving your family.

I have just walked into Auschwitz, it is horrible. I see people crying everywhere and little children all by themselves. The Nazis are making us leave all our belongings behind, I had my grandmother 's locket which they made me leave behind. I just wish that things had been different. They are doing tests on me which I have no choice to do. After a long day I sit there and remember that I have no more family, just me. I walked outside and saw the smoke stacks spewing smoke. After 4 years there were less and less people everyday. It was the last of my days. The gas chambers, we were on our way. While we were undressing when we heard an explosion. We knew it was liberation, that we would be

I always wanted to learn more about the Holocaust, and I got the chance to travel with a tour group to Auschwitz. So, of course I took it. I’ve always wanted to go to Europe, and now it seemed I was able to. I was to fly out to Krakow Airport from New York. I was going to drive to NYC with the rest of the group to save money on a flight. The trip would take a total of 8 days. Excluding the time it took to travel.

I remember my very first surgery. It wasn’t major but to me, an 8-year-old child, the thought of having needles and knives and people all around me scared me awfully. When my mom first told me I’d have to have teeth removed I thought I was going to die. “We have to go have some of your teeth pulled” she told me.

It's viciously cold, people are sick, hunger is spreading across all two thousand huts, and that’s just the beginning. Further on, I hear gunshots being fired while soldiers are marching. Its 1777 and the Revolutionary War just started and soldiers are already retreating. I stay here and protect the soldiers from enemies while disease, hunger, and cold spread. I know why I was made and how I will serve - sheltering these warriors is the most important objective I will do.