Living Through the Night-- from WAY's Online Special on the Holocaust

Special Online issue

Deaf People Trapped in Hitler's Holocaust

Rose and Esther, 1943

Living Through the Night

Young, deaf, and Jewish, Rose faced the Nazis with her baby, her husband, and lots of courage.

As told to World Around You by Maria Petal, Michelle Baron, and the exhibit "In Der Nacht;" photos from "In Der Nacht" exhibit.

In 1935, Rose Rosman felt like the world was falling apart. Rose was 18 years old and deaf. She was living in Germany, learning French and dress making—and in love with a very special boy. (Estimated Jewish population of Europe in 1939)

Then her parents told her that she must leave.

Rose's parents lived in Poland and the Nazis had come to power there. The Nazis did not like Jews and Rose, her family, and her friends were Jewish. The Nazis were getting ready to take their homes, their businesses, and all of their possessions. (Cities where synagogues were destroyed)

Rose had grown up in Germany. When she was 10 years old, her family had sent her to the school for the deaf in Berlin. The school for the deaf was called "The Israelite School for the Deaf," and it was part of a thriving deaf and Jewish community.

Rose loved the school and the community—but she especially loved her boyfriend, Max Feld. Max was also a student at the Israelite School for the Deaf. Rose felt like she had known Max all of her life.

But now, her father said that the whole family must flee. They would go to France.

Flight

First, Rose went to Poland to meet her family. She stayed there for two years, while her father and mother went to Paris to set up his business again.

Then Rose and her sisters followed. They were very nervous because the Germans would not let Jews cross the border into France. map

But Rose's father had a plan. Rose and her sister would ride into France with a famous actress. They would hide in her big car.

The Nazis respected money and fame. They let the actress into France without looking into her car.

Rose and her sisters arrived in France. They were safe—at least for a while.

Rose and Max, 1939

In France

The new life in France seemed wonderful. Mr. Rosman was busy with his business. He owned a sewing factory and he was beginning to make money.

Rose and Max wrote to each other often. Rose learned that life for Jews in Germany was getting worse. Then in 1937, Rose learned that Max's family was leaving Germany. The Felds planned to go to South America; they would pass through Paris on the way

When Max arrived in Paris, Rose was thrilled. Soon they were engaged to be married. The Felds wanted Rose to come to South America with them. But Rose's mother begged her not to go.

Max agreed to stay with the Rosmans in Paris. His family said goodbye and left.

Soon, Max and Rose had a busy life with their deaf friends in Paris. In France, deaf people were one community, Rose and Max learned. Jews and non-Jews, lived and worked together.

Attack

But, the Nazis were growing stronger. France and Germany were at war. And Germany was winning.

In 1939, the Germans attacked Paris. Bombs fell everywhere. Rose could not hear the bombs, but she felt the buildings shake; she saw the fires.

In the middle of a bombing attack, Rose and Max were married. No one could go outside because of the bombs, so Rose and Max were married in a small ceremony near their home.


Max Feld, prisoner, 1942

After the bombing, the German entry into Paris felt quiet. Rose and Max were walking down a Paris street, holding hands, when they saw the German soldiers. The soldiers were marching in columns. They entered the city without resistance.

Rose had a special secret. She was pregnant. She felt the world was crazy and she thought about aborting the child. Max would not let her.

In December, Rose's baby was born. Rose and Max named her Esther.

France under the Germans

The Germans set up a government in Paris, and life changed quickly for the French people especially the Jewish people. The Germans made Jews live in a special part of the city. They could only shop late in the day, and they had to wear a yellow star on their clothes.

The German police—the Gestapo—seized Mr. Rosman's factory. They sent Mr. Rosman outside of Paris, to work on a farm. Soon, Rose learned that her father had been arrested. He had gone out for a pail of milk and forgotten to wear the yellow star.

In May, 1941, the Gestapo came to the apartment and arrested Max. Rose held Esther in her arms and cried.

But Rose could not stay with Esther. The Germans forced her to work in her father's factory. She was not paid for her work; she was a slave.

In the Factory

In the factory, Rose and other women, helped to make uniforms for the German soldiers. They sewed fur collars onto the winter coats. And every day, they risked death.

The women used long, thin needles—pushing the needles through layers of wool and fur. The thin needles broke easily, and every time a woman broke a needle, she had to ask the supervisor for a new one.

Each woman was permitted to break five needles a day. If they broke more than five needles, they were sent outside. Outside a wagon waited for the women who broke six needles. The women who left in the wagon never came back.

By late afternoon, many of the women would have broken four needles. They would be sewing with the fifth needle. They would try to sew slowly; they would hope that the day would end before the fifth needle broke, too.

Sometimes, all of the sewers worked together to save the woman who broke her fifth needle. One of the sewers would make the supervisor look away; another sewer would quickly trade her good needle for the broken one.

But, every day, there were fewer women in the sewing room.

Into Hiding

Rose's friends told Rose to hide. Max and Mr. Rosman were arrested. It was only a question of time before the Germans arrested Rose, too.

How long would Rose wait?

One day, as Rose and her mother walked to work, they noticed a French policeman staring at them, The policeman went to the door of the factory and waved his baton in front of him. The women realized that the policeman was telling them not to enter the factory.

They went back to the apartment immediately. They gave Esther to a French woman. They could not take a little baby into hiding. They realized that the policeman had saved their lives.

Then, Rose and her mother fled to a friend's farmhouse. For nine months, they lived in the farmhouse basement.

Rose with a friend, 1985

Finally, the war ended. The Nazis had lost. Rose and her mother were free.

Rose Today

Rose learned that Max and her father were dead, killed in Nazi death camps. But Esther was safe. Overjoyed, Rose took back her daughter.

Then Rose, Mrs. Rosman, and Esther left France. First, they lived in South America and then they came to America.

Now Rose lives in Los Angeles, California. She is a member of Temple Beth Solomon of the Deaf.

General comments may be sent to: Cathryn.Carroll@gallaudet.edu