Miraculous Passover, by Alice Ben-Horin
B: Nov-1920, Gyor, Hungary / D: Feb-1995, Beachwood, Ohio
A reflection on Passover from 1945 in Westphalia, Germany. Written in the 1970s/80s and preserved as a memory of their shared story by her best friend, my grandmother, Rosette Lurie (nee Piroska Rehberger).

Again, I recall that miraculous Passover; the year – 1945, the place – Westphalia, Germany, participants – about 400 young Jewish women.

We had been slaves in Germany, working 12 hours daily under strict task master in an ammunition factory. The barracks we lived in were surrounded by high barbed wire fence and guarded by S.S. soldiers day and night. Few of us believed in miracles, but at Passover time that year a miracle did happen.

On March 30th, we were told by our captors that we were to leave the Lager [camp], destination – unknown. We gathered our meager belongings, a tin spoon, a soup dish, a piece of soap and a rag that we called towel. That night the gates of the barbed wire fence flung open, and we knew this night was different from every other night.

We were driven relentlessly by our captors for two days and two nights, fire ahead of us, fire behind us. Behind us the fleeing German Army, ahead of us the American troupes. We were in no-man’s land. The piece of bread we were given was gone, the only thing we had to eat were turnips that we found in the fields.

On Sunday morning, April 1st, we were approaching the village of Kaunitz and were resting in an area bordered by trees. At the sound of low flying airplanes and chattering machine guns, we noticed the S.S. fleeing and soon heard the rumble of tanks. These were American tanks, followed by American soldiers, our liberators. “The Holy, blessed be He, led us from slavery into freedom with a strong hand and outstretched arm, with miracles and wonders.”


haggadah Section: -- Cup #2 & Dayenu
Source: Rosette Lurie