Gone was her bright, lovely smile.
“A few days, I think. And then we’ll get on the trains. Don’t worry,” he added. “We’ll be fine.” Once again, he sounded braver than he felt.
Tulina smiled at him, grateful for his encouragement.
“I’ll just sit here with you,” he said. “We can talk, or play a game.”
Tulina nodded again, and they sat together in the warehouse, saying little, thankful for each other’s company.
On the fourth day – Saturday, April 18 – everyone went outside to be counted again. But this time they did not return to the warehouse. “Move along the railroad tracks,” the guards barked. “Take your belongings and board the train.” Everyone scrambled to get seats on the train, anxious to stay together as families.
The crowded railroad cars became hot and noisy. The doors closed with a bang and at last the train pulled out of the station, leaving Budejovice behind. John kept his eyes glued to the window as his town became smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared. When will I see Budejovice again? he wondered.
P ART THREE
A street in the town of Terezin today.
CHAPTER 24
T HERESIENSTADT
A PRIL 1942
When the train pulled into Theresienstadt, John and the others had their first taste of what to expect. Fierce guards surrounded them, bellowing orders as the Jews descended from the train and assembled on the platform. “Move ahead!” the guards shouted, kicking and pushing anyone who moved too slowly. They all quickly fell into line, trying to avoid this abuse. Then they were marched toward a warehouse, to await further orders.
Theresienstadt was a dirty, barren town consisting mainly of three-story brick buildings, much like the apartment buildings in Budejovice, but run-down. Other, smaller houses stood between the taller buildings. These buildings surrounded a large fenced square, a muddy wasteland in the center of town. A high wall patrolled by the guards enclosed the entire town.
The town was packed with Jewish prisoners from all over Czechoslovakia and other parts of Europe. Men, women, and children shuffledthrough the streets with their heads down, dressed in rags, moving silently. Soldiers patrolled the small cobblestone streets, brandishing rifles. Guard dogs strained at their leashes and barked ferociously as the prisoners walked by.
Left: The central square in the town of Terezin today. Right: A drawing of prisoners as they arrive at Theresienstadt, carrying their possessions.
In the dark warehouse, families searched for a corner where they might have some space and privacy. But the warehouse quickly became crowded, and people had to lie pressed closely against each other. John slept little that night. He lay with his head close to his father’s back, his mind racing. There was a desperate feeling in the air. He could sense it in the strained faces of the adults around him. He could see it in the grimness on the streets and in the buildings, in the guards who patrolled nearby. And he could feel it in the hunger pangs that were already gnawing at his stomach. He moved closer to his father for comfort.
The next day, they had to line up outside to be counted again. Johnwas exhausted, and stood timidly in line, wondering if they would be given a real place to sleep and when they would receive some food. The count seemed endless, but eventually the guards reached the families of Budejovice.
“Get into lines!” they shouted harshly. “Men on the left, women to the right, and children in a separate line over here.”
John’s heart beat wildly as this news settled in on him. Families were to be separated! Women were being sent to one large barracks, men to another, and boys and girls to two other barracks. There was mass confusion as parents all around him clutched their sobbing children. John had never been away from his family, and here in this walled prison the notion was even more alarming. He felt terror creeping over him. Where was he going? Would
“A few days, I think. And then we’ll get on the trains. Don’t worry,” he added. “We’ll be fine.” Once again, he sounded braver than he felt.
Tulina smiled at him, grateful for his encouragement.
“I’ll just sit here with you,” he said. “We can talk, or play a game.”
Tulina nodded again, and they sat together in the warehouse, saying little, thankful for each other’s company.
On the fourth day – Saturday, April 18 – everyone went outside to be counted again. But this time they did not return to the warehouse. “Move along the railroad tracks,” the guards barked. “Take your belongings and board the train.” Everyone scrambled to get seats on the train, anxious to stay together as families.
The crowded railroad cars became hot and noisy. The doors closed with a bang and at last the train pulled out of the station, leaving Budejovice behind. John kept his eyes glued to the window as his town became smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared. When will I see Budejovice again? he wondered.
P ART THREE
A street in the town of Terezin today.
CHAPTER 24
T HERESIENSTADT
A PRIL 1942
When the train pulled into Theresienstadt, John and the others had their first taste of what to expect. Fierce guards surrounded them, bellowing orders as the Jews descended from the train and assembled on the platform. “Move ahead!” the guards shouted, kicking and pushing anyone who moved too slowly. They all quickly fell into line, trying to avoid this abuse. Then they were marched toward a warehouse, to await further orders.
Theresienstadt was a dirty, barren town consisting mainly of three-story brick buildings, much like the apartment buildings in Budejovice, but run-down. Other, smaller houses stood between the taller buildings. These buildings surrounded a large fenced square, a muddy wasteland in the center of town. A high wall patrolled by the guards enclosed the entire town.
The town was packed with Jewish prisoners from all over Czechoslovakia and other parts of Europe. Men, women, and children shuffledthrough the streets with their heads down, dressed in rags, moving silently. Soldiers patrolled the small cobblestone streets, brandishing rifles. Guard dogs strained at their leashes and barked ferociously as the prisoners walked by.
Left: The central square in the town of Terezin today. Right: A drawing of prisoners as they arrive at Theresienstadt, carrying their possessions.
In the dark warehouse, families searched for a corner where they might have some space and privacy. But the warehouse quickly became crowded, and people had to lie pressed closely against each other. John slept little that night. He lay with his head close to his father’s back, his mind racing. There was a desperate feeling in the air. He could sense it in the strained faces of the adults around him. He could see it in the grimness on the streets and in the buildings, in the guards who patrolled nearby. And he could feel it in the hunger pangs that were already gnawing at his stomach. He moved closer to his father for comfort.
The next day, they had to line up outside to be counted again. Johnwas exhausted, and stood timidly in line, wondering if they would be given a real place to sleep and when they would receive some food. The count seemed endless, but eventually the guards reached the families of Budejovice.
“Get into lines!” they shouted harshly. “Men on the left, women to the right, and children in a separate line over here.”
John’s heart beat wildly as this news settled in on him. Families were to be separated! Women were being sent to one large barracks, men to another, and boys and girls to two other barracks. There was mass confusion as parents all around him clutched their sobbing children. John had never been away from his family, and here in this walled prison the notion was even more alarming. He felt terror creeping over him. Where was he going? Would
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