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FSCH students meet Holocaust survivor
A group of local junior high students recently learned, through the life of a Holocaust survivor, about the systematic persecution and murder of Jews that took place in Europe under the German Nazi regime from 1941 to 1945.
Fort Scott Christian Heights Junior High School students Theresa Schafer, Elizabeth Wallace and David Cox, with the help of their teacher Karen Schellack and the Lowell Milken Center, created and performed a skit about the life of Holocaust survivor Bronia Roslawowski on March 1 at the district Kansas History Day competition conducted at Fort Scott Community College.
The group's first place win in the competition earned them an opportunity to perform their skit at the state Kansas History Day competition on April 26 at Washburn University in Topeka. In preparation for this competition, the three students, along with some of their classmates, journeyed to Roslawowski's home in Kansas City, Mo., on March 31 to meet her and get a better idea of who she is.
FSCH student Jacob Hansen explained that Roslawowski and her family had been sent by the Nazis to live in a ghetto, an area that segregated them from the non-Jewish population. After this, the soldiers began taking one person from each family to concentration camps. Hansen said that it was Roslawowski's sister that the solders wanted to take; however, since her sister was sickly, Roslawowski went with the soldiers instead.
According to the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, www.mchekc.org, Roslawowski was sent to several different concentration camps, as well as a labor camp.
"Bronia was born in 1926 in Turek, Poland. When the Nazis came to Turek in 1940, she was relocated to a ghetto. From there she was sent to three concentration camps: Inowroclaw in 1940, Gnojno from 1941-1943, and Auschwitz from 1943-1944. She then was sent to a labor camp, Reichenbach, on a death march to Zalcweidel, and then to Nederzachsen from which she was liberated in April, 1945," the Midwest Center Web site said.
FSCH student Beth Hill said she and the other students watched a video about Roslawowski's life. The video, Hill said, was very sad.
"On the second tape, I kind of had trouble listening on some parts," Hill said. "It was really sad listening to her tell of her experiences in Auschwitz and of the time when she had to work in the swamps. It's amazing how she was able to escape going to the gas chambers at Auschwitz."
Hatebusters.com, a Liberty, Mo.-based Web site, also contains information about Roslawowski. According to the Web site, Roslawowski was on her way to the gas chambers when fellow prisoners helped her escape the death that was awaiting her.
"She was a prisoner in the back of a truck on her way to the ovens. She escaped into the snow and was hidden by fellow prisoners. When found she was kicked almost to death, " Hatebusters.com said.
Schafer said that Roslawowski attributes her survival to a higher power.
"She (Roslawowski) repeatedly said, 'There was a God in Heaven looking out for me.' She firmly believes that God was watching and protecting her during her Holocaust ordeal," Schafer said.
According to Schafer, despite the harsh treatment Roslawowski was given during the Holocaust, she does not hate those who have wronged her.
"She (Roslawowski) was also very adamant that hate can only be repaid with kindness. She showed genuine kindness to many in the camps and was very sweet to us when we visited her," Schafer said.
The example set by Roslawowski motivated FSCH student Pamela Self to show more love to other people.
"Her outlook on life was awesome," Self said. "She loves everyone and appreciated everything in life. Her cheerfulness helped me try to be more loving," she added.
Wallace said that Roslawowski's vow to stay alive and her ability to speak many languages, including German, helped Roslawowski to make it through the Holocaust.
Wallace said that the Holocaust is something that should never be repeated.
"Meeting a woman who has gone through the worst experience in history was very educational. It was a moment in history that we must keep from happening again, Wallace said.
FSCH student Kaitlyn Arnold described Roslawowski's story as "heart-wrenching." Arnold said that she really enjoyed spending time listening to Roslawowski tell her story.
According to Cox, the group not only visited Roslawowski's home and watched videos about her life, but they also visited the delicatessen that Roslawowski once owned in Kansas City.