Across the River Ohre, one of its fortifications, known as the Small Fort, was used by the Germans as a military prison for political dissidents who did not agree with the Nazis. Jews were not held there unless they tried to escape from the Terezin Ghetto in which case they were transferred to the Small Fort & put in one of two tiny cells that had formerly been part of a horse barn with a very small hole for air. They were tortured, starved & left to die. There was also an execution area for those who tried to escape the Small Fort. We were pleased to find a group of middle school students from Chicao who gave a concert of haunting Holocaust music & poems written by children who lived in the Terezin ghetto.
In the town of Terezin itself, the former Main Fortress, was turned into a transitional camp estabhished in late 1941 for Jewish prisoners. Some tens of thousands died here, the majority however perished after having been deported from Terezin to ghettos & extermination camps in the East. The place itself was chosen for various reasons. It was a fortress town surrounded by powerful walls facilitating easy guarding , & it had several barracks where great numbers of peope coiuld be placed.
At the Wannsee Conference Jan, 20, 1942, where the 'Final Solution" to get rid of all European Jews was approved, it was decided to make Terezen into a "Ghetto for the Old" mainly for old & prominent Jews from Germany. Jews over 65 years old, prominent persons, holders of high distinctions & invalids of WWI were supposed to stay permanently. The prisoners were assigned in the big barracks buildings as well as all other houses in town including attics cellars & courtyards. Men, women & children lived separately in large common rooms with only the most basic equipment. The rooms were immensely overcrowded with 100-400 per room & with no privacy. Vermin, lice, & bedbugs were rampant.
The situation was most shocking for the old Jews from the Reich, who traveled to Terezin convinced they were going to a spa. They held contracts that they had bought a place in a home for the old where they would be provided with boarding, housing, & medical care. Consequently, their luggage contained impractical clothing & souvenirs, but not essential things. They became the most wretched group of prisoners who died quickly.
Ultimately, Jews from all countries under German occupation were brought here. In all over 155,000 prisoners passed through the Terezin Ghetto. In the beginning the dead were buried outside the city walls, but they could not keep up due to the number of deaths so a crematorium was built between May & Sept., & until the end of the war, 30,000 prisoners were cremated there.
In Terezin unique conditions for the advancement of culture emerged. Many prominent people of culture, science & political life were concentrated in Terezin. They were determined, even in the worst conditions, to live like humans. Literary evenings & educational lectures took place, music was rehearsed & theatrical performances shown. Many operas were performed including the children's opera "Brundibar."Practically all the artists & performers were eventually sent to the East. Together with them, many original works of creative arts, of prose, poetry, & musical compositions were destroyed & vanished forever.
There is a book of chidren's poems & art work that fortunately survived which I, along with a multitude of educators, have used called i Never Saw Another Butterfly. A well-known artist, Friedl Dicker-Brandeis gave art lessons in secret to the children. Suitcases of art & poetry was found after the war.
As the military situation of Germany deteriorated, the pressure grew from abroad, especially from the Red Cross, to visit a camp. The Nazis decided to permit a visit to Terezin to use for propagaganda purposes. Several improvements were made making Terezin resemble a spa. A cafe, several shops, & a bank was established & worthless money was issued. A music pavilion was built in the town square & a playground for the children in the park.. A propaganda film was made, which included a performance by the camp orchestra. On June 23, 1944, three men representing the Red Cross visited & were led on a tightly controlled six-hour tour, two of which were spent eating lunch; Terezin passed inspection. Tragically, most musicians & others involved were sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered.
In the closing days of the war, thousands of prisoners arrived in Terezin from transports from concentration camps in Poland & Germany which were being evacuated. They brought typhus which rapidly spread among the original prisoners. Terezin was liberated by the Soviets in May 8th, 1944, & the Red Army undertook undertook crucial steps to manage the catastropic situation.
We returned to Prague & were able to walk among the beautiful, ancient buildings breathing in the atmosphere. The city was crowded with people, the most we have seen in any city so far, After dinner we were back walking the city streets. Prague is known as the place to buy garnets, & several women from our group bought them.
