Auschwitz railway rocks
Object numberM2025/012
TitleAuschwitz railway rocks
Description8 rocks collected from railway tracks from Auschwitz to Birkenau, when the donor, John Gruschka, visited with "March of the living" in April 2013. For John, this journey and the rocks he acquired remind him of his mother and of her last journey.
John (Hans) Gruschka was born to Jewish parents Helene and Theodore Gruschka in Czechoslovakia in 1924. The Gruschka family came from the German-speaking town of Aussig, but they were forced to separate during the war to escape the Nazi threat. In February 1939, at age 15, John was sent to Manchester in England. He stayed with distant relatives (the Meeks - formerly Mackaborsky) and received an education, qualifying as an industrial chemist. Theodor was a Professor of medicine; he escaped to Palestine taking his daughter with him. Helene remained in Prague to care for her sick mother. On 8 September 1942 she was transported to Terezin concentration camp. On 1 February 1943 she was sent in transport ‘Cu-618’ (‘death transport’) to Auschwitz where she died at the age of 53.
John (Hans) Gruschka was born to Jewish parents Helene and Theodore Gruschka in Czechoslovakia in 1924. The Gruschka family came from the German-speaking town of Aussig, but they were forced to separate during the war to escape the Nazi threat. In February 1939, at age 15, John was sent to Manchester in England. He stayed with distant relatives (the Meeks - formerly Mackaborsky) and received an education, qualifying as an industrial chemist. Theodor was a Professor of medicine; he escaped to Palestine taking his daughter with him. Helene remained in Prague to care for her sick mother. On 8 September 1942 she was transported to Terezin concentration camp. On 1 February 1943 she was sent in transport ‘Cu-618’ (‘death transport’) to Auschwitz where she died at the age of 53.
Object namesouvenirs
Materialstone
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum collection, donated by John Gruschka.
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.