Why Me?

By January 1945, as the Soviet Army was getting closer to Birkenau, mentally and physically I felt better about myself and even dared to think that there was a possibility of leaving Birkenau normally (not through the chimney).
By the middle of January cannon fire was heard in the distance, this was more hope. A few days later, our barrack was awakened earlier than usual and each one of us were given 2 portions of bread, lined up outside of the barrack and camp “A” was evacuated (luckily prior to this time, I was able to acquire some additional food and winter clothing with boots while working on the scheise commando). We were joined by other camps in Birkenau and the “death march” started on a cold winter day in Poland.
For the next 27 hours, we marched on the snowy, windy roads stopping occasionally to relieve ourselves in the fields and swallowing snow as our liquid with a few bites of bread. If anyone could not walk others helped him for a while till they got tired. When someone fell to the ground, he was dragged to the side of the road and shot in the head. The following morning some of us arrived in Gleiwitz concentration camp. Immediately I found a barrack to rest, placing my back-pack as a pillow on the concrete floor and slept for a few hours.
I woke up in the afternoon and went looking for my friends. While walking, I met people from other camps and started to look closer for someone from Sobrance. For a while I had no luck . With thousands of people aimlessly walking around it was not an easy task. Just about the time I was ready to give up, I saw a group of people huddled together (apparently to try to keep warm), I walked toward them and as I got closer, someone’s back looked familiar to me. I circled around this person till I was in front of him, we made eye contact. Both of us recognized each other; it was my brother Zoltan. We hugged each other and cried, there was so much to say but neither one of us could find the right words. After a while we separated and I turned to the right and saw the face of my father (Josef). We hugged, kissed and cried; I could not believe in this miracle. After a while we settled down and made some future plans to stay close together, if possible. Everyone knew the war would probably soon be over.
A few days later, the three of us were placed in open coal cars. Twelve days later we arrived in Buchenwald, this was the beginning of February. In Buchenwald we stayed together in a men’s barrack. Unfortunately, about a month later, my father became very ill and was taken to the hospital. Sadly this was the last time we saw him.
Next, my brother and I were placed in Barrack #66 with over a thousand boys. At the beginning of April 1945, as the U.S. Army was getting close to Buchenwald another death march was planned. My brother (Zoltan) was picked to leave immediately on this march. I was younger and I was not picked to leave on that day.
Those of us who were left, were sent back to our barracks to await another death march. This second death march never materialized because Buchenwald was “found” by the 6th Armored Division of the 3rd U. S. Army on April 11, 1945.
The boys in Barrack #66 were placed in the Guards’ Barrack for seven weeks which was set up as a hospital. Each one of us was examined by a U.S. Army doctor, and appropriate medical treatment was provided as needed. At that time my weight was 66 pounds and I just turned 14 years old. We were fed cooked cereal with vitamins and cared for by the U. S. Army Doctors. Their aim was to make us well again in order for us to travel to our homes and other places.
After my return to Sobrance, I found out that from my extended and immediate family of 41, I was the sole survivor.
On July 3, 1946 I arrived in the United States.
My survival was a miracle. By immigrating to the United States I had many opportunities to rebuild my life. I married and had two sons, grandchildren and had a successful and gratifying career. I now focus on working on issues to help indigent survivors, and also speak in schools re: the Holocaust. My life is very fulfilling and I am grateful to have the health and energy that enables me to “give back”. Someone up there must have been watching over me!