Chapter 24

April 9, 1945

Everyone in the camp knew that Germany was losing the war. Yet in April, they were still prisoners. As the weeks dragged on, conditions in the camp worsened. The Germans had moved thousands of people from other camps into Bergen Belsen. There was barely any food or water. Typhus killed hundreds of people every day.

The first time Paul had gone to visit Uncle Elemir, he had walked past a trench filled with dead bodies. At first he had thought the people were sleeping. But then he had seen the flies and smelled the stink. He had screamed and run away. Every day now, there were more bodies. Some were in trenches; others were stacked in piles. After a while, they didn’t frighten Paul. They were just part of life here.

Everyone was waiting for the war to end, for something, anything to happen. Then one day, it did.

“Out, out! Mach schnell! Move!”

The guard’s voice exploded like a gunshot through the sleeping barrack.

Oscar stumbled to his feet. Paul rolled off the bunk and together they helped their mother. Draping her arms over their shoulders, the boys supported her as they moved to the barrack door. Two guards were stomping up and down the aisle, prodding people who had not responded. A few did not move. Those were the people who had died in the night.

Soon they were assembled outside along with people from several other barracks. It was still dark and the morning air was damp and cold. Paul shivered. Although it was April, it was still chilly and his clothes were little more than rags. As usual, the guards marched up and down the line, checking names on their lists. This time, however, something was different. They were not ordered back into the barracks. Instead, they were told to walk toward the front gate.

It’s like when we came here, Paul thought. And then it hit him. We’re going back to the train!

Paul looked up at the boxcar with dread. The thought of once again entering that dark, stinking hole horrified him.

Just as when they arrived at Bergen Belsen, they were forced to walk for miles, this time from the camp back to the train station. Anyu barely survived the walk. How could she survive being locked back into a boxcar?

“It will be all right, Anyu.” Oscar tried to reassure her.

“Watch Paul,” she said. “Don’t let him get lost.”

“I’ll take care of him, Anyu.”

“I won’t get lost, I promise,” Paul added. The memory of that terrifying time in the Vienna train station still made him shake with terror.

The crowd surged around them, pushing them forward until they were pressed up against the boxcar. Oscar hoisted himself up, and then reached down to help his mother and Paul. Oscar moved them to a corner of the car and settled Anyu on the floor. He sat on one side of her, Paul on the other. He looked for Aunt Bella, Madgi, and Kati but couldn’t find them. People continued to pile into the car until there was barely room to stand. Then the door slid shut and, once again, they were plunged into darkness.