Historical photos are not mine. They are used for educational purposes. I own all other photographs. You may use all of my photographs, as long as proper credit is given.
This is the seventh in a ten part series about the heroes of World War II. You can view the introduction and table of contents to this series here.
At the beginning of each story I will give a maturity rating from 1-5. 1 means the story is appropriate for younger ages, and 5 means it is appropriate for teens and up. This story is rated 3, with resources and teachers guide for middle schoolers.
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| Eva Kor (the little girl on the left) |
Forgiveness is a topic that has been up for debate for ages. One of my favorite quotes is from Mahatma Gandhi: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." C.S. Lewis also rightly stated, "Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive."
On the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, six Mengele twins visited Auschwitz and then went to a mock trial for Mengele in Jerusalem. The mock trial, with 80 twins participating, gained worldwide publicity and even more Mengele twins came forward.
Shortly after Miriam's death in 1993, Eva was asked by a professor to speak before a group of doctors. She agreed, but the professor asked her if she would bring a Nazi doctor with her. Eva's reply was, "Where do you think I can find a Nazi doctor? Last time I looked in the Yellow pages, they weren't advertising there."
But she did find a Nazi doctor, Hans Münch. Münch worked alongside Mengele in Auschwitz. Unlike most of the Nazi doctors, Münch was known for being humane to the inmates. He was the only one acquitted at the Auschwitz trials. Eva returned to Auschwitz with Hans Münch. Münch signed a documentation of the operation of the gas chambers. In 1995 Eva signed a declaration of amnesty and forgave everybody - most importantly Doctor Mengele. Many Holocaust survivors disagree with her for multiple reasons, but Eva describes forgiveness as self-healing - she did it more for herself than for the Nazis.
What happened to Dr. Mengele, you may ask? When the Soviets overtook Auschwitz, he burned most of his research papers, packed the rest of his experiments and papers in a briefcase, and fled to Argentina. He became an (illegal) abortionist in Argentina, and was shortly tried after a woman died from one of the abortions. After Adolf Eichmann was caught, tried, and hung in the 1960s, Mengele panicked and fled to Paraguay. On a raft in Brazil, he had a heart attack and drowned. He died in February 1979, without facing justice for his crimes.
Eva Mozes and her twin sister Miriam were born January 30, 1934. They were only five years old when Hitler invaded Poland, starting World War II. Her father was Alexander Mozes, a wealthy farmer. The Mozes' were the only Jewish family in their little village in Portz, Romania. Eva's father was sure the Nazis wouldn't care about them. "My father said as long as you say your prayers, did the good deeds that God wanted you to do, and lived so far away from the big city - that somehow we'd escape." Eva said. "The Nazis won't come here for six Jews." Eva's father was wrong.
In the spring of 1944, the family was taken to a ghetto, and a few weeks later they were on a 70-hour long trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Without food or water the entire trip, Eva and her family were stuffed in a cattle-car with the other Jews of the area. After being let off the at Auschwitz, chaos immediately erupted. Her father and two older sisters were lost in the chaos. Eva and Miriam clung to their mother. A guard began shouting, "twins! twins!". Eva and Miriam were dressed alike, and the guard immediately suspected they were twins. In an instant, the little girls were ripped from their mothers arms. Within thirty minutes, Eva and Miriam had lost their entire family.
Eva was determined to give the Nazis as much trouble as a ten year-old could give. It required four SS guards to hold her down as they tattooed A-7063 on her arm. She hysterically screamed for her mother. Although the guards told her she could see her mother soon, Eva knew they were lying and continued to scream louder.
The two girls were taken to Josef Mengele's lab for various experiments. Known as the Angel of Death, Mengele ran all of the selections at Auschwitz and performed bizarre experiments on the inmates to achieve the perfect "Aryan" race - blond, blue-eyed perfect Germans. Mengele was particularly interested in twins and wanted to find the secret of "twinning". Obviously, twins would build the German Master-race faster. Many, many people died brutally from Mengele's experiments.
Eva's first night in Auschwitz was grotesque and horrible. Firstly, a rat was in their barrack. Eva and Miriam were both horrified. Secondly and most horribly, there were the naked corpses of three little children on the dirty barrack latrine. Eva quickly realized this could happen to them, and something happened to her. She promised herself that she would not let Miriam or herself die.
Three times a week, the doctors injected various chemicals in the twins. They would often take blood from one arm, while simultaneously giving shots in the other. After one certain experiment, Eva became deathly ill and had a high fever. The next morning, Mengele told her had only two weeks to live. Eva knew if she died, Mengele would kill Miriam. Eva refused to die. For two weeks, Eva was in and out of consciousness - often faded in and out of unconsciousness on the way to the water faucet on the other side of the barrack. However, Eva fought back bravely, and survived.
On January 27, 1945, after nine months in Auschwitz, the Red Army (Soviet Union) liberated the camp. The Soviets found about 200 children in Auschwitz at liberation, nearly all were from Mengele's experiments.
Over a course of nine months, Eva and Miriam were in three different refugee camps. In 1950, the two immigrated to Israel. Over the next ten years in Israel, Eva became a sergeant major in the Israeli Army. It was in Israel where Eva met Holocaust survivor and Michael Kor. Michael and Eva were married in 1960 in Tel Aviv.
In the spring of 1944, the family was taken to a ghetto, and a few weeks later they were on a 70-hour long trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Without food or water the entire trip, Eva and her family were stuffed in a cattle-car with the other Jews of the area. After being let off the at Auschwitz, chaos immediately erupted. Her father and two older sisters were lost in the chaos. Eva and Miriam clung to their mother. A guard began shouting, "twins! twins!". Eva and Miriam were dressed alike, and the guard immediately suspected they were twins. In an instant, the little girls were ripped from their mothers arms. Within thirty minutes, Eva and Miriam had lost their entire family.
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| Josef Mengele |
The two girls were taken to Josef Mengele's lab for various experiments. Known as the Angel of Death, Mengele ran all of the selections at Auschwitz and performed bizarre experiments on the inmates to achieve the perfect "Aryan" race - blond, blue-eyed perfect Germans. Mengele was particularly interested in twins and wanted to find the secret of "twinning". Obviously, twins would build the German Master-race faster. Many, many people died brutally from Mengele's experiments.
Eva's first night in Auschwitz was grotesque and horrible. Firstly, a rat was in their barrack. Eva and Miriam were both horrified. Secondly and most horribly, there were the naked corpses of three little children on the dirty barrack latrine. Eva quickly realized this could happen to them, and something happened to her. She promised herself that she would not let Miriam or herself die.
Three times a week, the doctors injected various chemicals in the twins. They would often take blood from one arm, while simultaneously giving shots in the other. After one certain experiment, Eva became deathly ill and had a high fever. The next morning, Mengele told her had only two weeks to live. Eva knew if she died, Mengele would kill Miriam. Eva refused to die. For two weeks, Eva was in and out of consciousness - often faded in and out of unconsciousness on the way to the water faucet on the other side of the barrack. However, Eva fought back bravely, and survived.
On January 27, 1945, after nine months in Auschwitz, the Red Army (Soviet Union) liberated the camp. The Soviets found about 200 children in Auschwitz at liberation, nearly all were from Mengele's experiments.
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| Liberation, Eva and Miriam are in front |
Over a course of nine months, Eva and Miriam were in three different refugee camps. In 1950, the two immigrated to Israel. Over the next ten years in Israel, Eva became a sergeant major in the Israeli Army. It was in Israel where Eva met Holocaust survivor and Michael Kor. Michael and Eva were married in 1960 in Tel Aviv.
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| Eva and Miriam, 1949 |
Shortly after Miriam's death in 1993, Eva was asked by a professor to speak before a group of doctors. She agreed, but the professor asked her if she would bring a Nazi doctor with her. Eva's reply was, "Where do you think I can find a Nazi doctor? Last time I looked in the Yellow pages, they weren't advertising there."
But she did find a Nazi doctor, Hans Münch. Münch worked alongside Mengele in Auschwitz. Unlike most of the Nazi doctors, Münch was known for being humane to the inmates. He was the only one acquitted at the Auschwitz trials. Eva returned to Auschwitz with Hans Münch. Münch signed a documentation of the operation of the gas chambers. In 1995 Eva signed a declaration of amnesty and forgave everybody - most importantly Doctor Mengele. Many Holocaust survivors disagree with her for multiple reasons, but Eva describes forgiveness as self-healing - she did it more for herself than for the Nazis.
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| front: Michael Kor, Eva Kor, back: Alex Kor, Rina Kor |
Today, Eva Kor lives in Terre Haute, Indiana. She has two children, Alex and Rina. She founded a museum called CANDLES: Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors. She speaks all around the world to young people about the Holocaust. She has written two memoirs, one for middle schoolers and up and another for adults. The one for younger readers is called Surviving the Angel of Death. You can get a free full teachers guide here. The one for older readers is called Echoes of Auschwitz. In her documentary Forgiving Dr. Mengele, she describes her life and other Mengele twins' reactions to her forgiveness. To hear her story, here is a 30-minute documentary where Eva tells her story. She has truly dedicated her life to teaching the importance of forgiveness, self-healing, and tolerance.
I am blessed to have met Eva Kor in person; on April 16, 2013. You can read about my experience here. The experience, albeit brief, was unforgettable. She even signed her memoir Echoes of Auschwitz for me.
I am blessed to have met Eva Kor in person; on April 16, 2013. You can read about my experience here. The experience, albeit brief, was unforgettable. She even signed her memoir Echoes of Auschwitz for me.Eva has five life lessons she believes in. In her own words, they are:
1. Never, EVER give up.
2. Prevent prejudice by judging people only on their actions and content of their character.
3. Forgive your worst enemy - it will heal your soul and set you free.
4. Give your parents an extra hug and kiss for us children who had or have no parents.
5. Each of us has an important part to play in repairing the world. May tikkun olam ("repairing the world" in Hebrew) begin with me!
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In memory of Eva Kor's family, the 1.2 million Jewish children murdered during the Holocaust, and the three million survivors of the Holocaust.
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