Object numberM1999/028:002
CreatorGenia (Gena) Kochan (Poet)
DescriptionPoem, in Polish, written by Genia (Gena) Kochan whilst in hiding with her brothers and sisters in the city of Dzialiszyce with a non-Jewish family called Novak. The poem, dated 25 September 1942, was sent to the donor, Morris Kochan, surviving brother, by the Novak’s after the war. Genia was deported to Auschwitz where she was murdered.
The poem talks of her decision to run away. " ...But never again would I have run away. I would have demanded to be executed with the same rifle so as to never separate from my parents." She also writes of the Nowak's, "angels" who "gave us shelter and took care of us." She ends: "In the moment of sadness and despair I rhymed this poem about the fate of the poor ever wandering Jew."
The poem talks of her decision to run away. " ...But never again would I have run away. I would have demanded to be executed with the same rifle so as to never separate from my parents." She also writes of the Nowak's, "angels" who "gave us shelter and took care of us." She ends: "In the moment of sadness and despair I rhymed this poem about the fate of the poor ever wandering Jew."
Production date 1942
Subjectpoems, hiding, victims, Righteous Among the Nations, rescue
Object namepoems
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 168.00 mm
height: 196.00 mm
Language
- Polish Despair without borders
A storm is moving from city to city!
And our fears progressively grows larger;
Deranged youth aimlessly wander the streets;
No temptation will lure them
Great trepidation is in their eyes!
Neither bribery, prayers to God nor cries in the cemetery helped;
There in front of tombstones, hundreds of people came daily; Children, the elderly, the youth, all today are as one with God;
They beg to be rescued, for survival, they admit all their sins and give an oath to make amends.
Today she uttered from the depth of her heart terrible groans, God! Ease our torment.
Such were the prayers which today went to God, so that the enemy’s crimes would be deflected from us.
The day had come when police arrived into the city and surrounded it from all sides and carried out their criminal acts; without pity they carried out their cruel deeds on unfortunate victims;
They were completely not afraid of God; the elderly they shot dead, the youth they transported to unknown places; and in this manner they tore out of our hearts the life that we adored.
Why did we run away?
Because they forced us out of our homes and turned us into victims, so as to preserve our lives?
You went like victims!
You left! but I can not comprehend that I don’t have anymore a father nor a mother;
That they will never return to this small hut.
For you I hid so as not to be taken to Germany to work, for you I crossed the border endangering my life, and now though I did not want to; I ran away but I myself I don’t know why? But I was terribly afraid of death; did I pity my own life? Did I pity the distress of my beloved?
I don’t know, I can’t say why.
I only know one thing; that I am suffering terribly as a result of what had happened and that my heart whilst I am alive will not have any room for greater suffering;
There will only remain a bleeding wound; it will never heal.
If I would have known all this, never! But never again would I have run away. I would have demanded to be executed with the same rifle so as to never separate from my parents…..I left for your will, I left though it hurts me terribly. People pulled us towards them as if they were angels, the Nowak’s , they gave us shelter and took care of us.
How will we be able to repay you? Everything in the world is pale! Only in painful hearts it is blue!
May love flare for all of you.
In the moment of sadness and despair I rhymed this poem about the fate of the poor ever wandering Jew.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Morrie Kochan