A REMEMBRANCE AND TRIBUTE TO COURAGE DURING THE HOLOCAUST: BY CLARENCE SCHWAB…..PLEASE SEE NOTE
There is no URL here. My friend Clarence Schwab delivered this speech on Yom Ha Shoah at Young Israel of Long Beach, New York.
Like some here tonight, I am a child and grandchild of Holocaust survivors. My father and my father’s mother survived. And I am also the grandson of a rescuer, my mother’s father, Gilel (Hillel) Storch. This day of remembrance, I hope to share with you one of my grandfather, Hillel Storch’s, rescue efforts toward the end of the war, and the impact it and his other contributions have had on me.
I first learned about this rescue effort from my grandfather when I was twelve.
Over a ninety day period, starting in February 1945, my grandfather, then living in Sweden, dares to think and act unconventionally, and in so doing, helps keep imprisoned Jews alive in concentration camps in Germany.
To frame the effort, permit me to give you some context.
A successful businessman, a Zionist and a representative of the Jewish Agency, my grandfather, Hillel, comes to Stockholm in July 1940 from Riga, Latvia, just as Russia invades. He had secured a six-day business visa through well-placed contacts, because he was one of Sweden’s most reliable suppliers of phosphate.
As a stateless refugee, who did not speak Swedish, he nonetheless manages to bring his wife and young daughter — my mother — from Soviet-occupied Latvia to Stockholm the following year.
Only weeks later, the Nazis invade Latvia. Though he tries repeatedly, he could not save other family members, and his early attempts to rescue other Jews from the Nazis also fail. Realizing the enormous resources needed for large scale rescue efforts, he establishes and heads the Swedish Section of the World Jewish Congress, becomes a representative of the Jewish Agency’s rescue committee, and develops contacts with Swedish and US government officials.
In mid 1942 a German spy approaches my grandfather, suggesting he could help ransom Jews. My grandfather seizes this opportunity because he realizes this overture indicates Nazis place a monetary value on Jews. He also recognizes the vital importance of maintaining contacts with the Germans, to try to keep Jews alive.
He and like-minded Swedish Jews develop many rescue efforts, and tirelessly and desperately try to implement them. Many fail. Only several succeed. One of which begins in February 1945.
My grandfather learns of Hitler’s orders to kill remaining concentration camp inmates in Germany, as the Allies approach. Nazis will either blow up camps with inmates inside or initiate death marches. At that time, between 350,000 and 400,000 prisoners reside in camps in Germany.
He pushes for and helps persuade the Swedish Foreign Office to formally propose, on February 13th, to the German government, Sweden’s willingness to receive all Jews imprisoned in Germany, without restriction.
But, my grandfather learns Sweden does not yet focus effort on transporting non-Scandinavians to Sweden. Instead Sweden only focuses on securing Himmler’s approval for the Swedish Red Cross to transport Scandinavian POWs by bus, from concentration camps in Germany to Sweden.
Given the further imminent destruction of hundreds of thousands of additional lives, my grandfather decides he must try to establish direct contact and concrete negotiations with the one person, he believes, is uniquely positioned to stop Hitler’s directives: Heinrich Himmler. Himmler oversees the concentration camps and is the executioner of European Jewry, executing the loved ones of many here tonight and also 18 members of my grandfather’s and his wife’s family.
One avenue in particular proves especially productive. In Stockholm, on February 25th, through a mutual friend, my grandfather meets Himmler’s masseur, Felix Kersten. Himmler relies on Kersten for gastrointestinal relief, trusts him and discusses various matters with him. On that day, my grandfather presses Kersten to ask Himmler to nullify Hitler’s concentration camp order. Kersten agrees.
Eight days later, on March 3rd, Kersten flies to Germany on a scheduled visit to his patient. He represents the Swedish Foreign Minister who is keen to secure Himmler’s approval for the Swedish Red Cross transport initiative. But, in addition, Kersten brings with him my grandfather’s major overtures.
Kersten negotiates over many days with Himmler, on my grandfather’s behalf. My grandfather used three related psychological insights in these negotiations. These insights help answer the questions: why would Himmler talk to a Jew? And why would a Jew think he could influence Himmler to not carry out his Fuhrer’s orders?
First, Himmler actually believes Jews controlled the strings behind the world’s governments, and he believes Storch is part of that Jewish world government.
Second, my grandfather communicates through Kersten that the war will end poorly for Germany. Perhaps Himmler’s actions now regarding Jews could help him later.
Third, Himmler has begun to think independently of Hitler. He wants to open direct negotiations with the West to arrange a separate peace, so the US, Britain and Germany together, could repel the Bolshevik invasion of Western Europe. Himmler believes Storch could be useful in establishing such contact with the American president.
Kersten returns to Sweden on March 22nd with a letter from Himmler meant for my grandfather, and certified written assurances beyond expectations.
Dated March 12th, the letter reads THE 4 Points of AGREEMENT
But Himmler has a condition: the negotiations must be secret. Hitler would have Himmler killed if he learned that Himmler was negotiating with a Jew about not carrying out Hitler’s direct orders. Himmler communicates with my grandfather by writing letters addressed to Kersten, but actually meant for my grandfather. If an article were to surface in the press about any of these efforts, all concessions would be retracted.
In addition, Kersten informs my grandfather, that on Kersten’s suggestion, Himmler agrees to meet with Storch to also continue negotiations in person. Himmler assures safe conduct, stating, according to Kersten, “Nothing will happen to Herr Storch; I pledge my honor and my life on that.” Surprising words, Himmler guaranteeing the safety of a Jew!
Repulsed by the thought of a meeting with Himmler, nonetheless, to help prisoners stay alive, my grandfather informs Kersten the following day of his consent to meet with Himmler. Kersten then awaits word.
In the meantime my grandfather’s and Kersten’s breakthroughs with Himmler, and my grandfather’s further appeals, help persuade the Swedish Foreign Office to expand the now operational Swedish Red Cross White Bus mandate to include Non-Scandinavians, including a “quantity of Jews”, “in case it was deemed appropriate and no inconvenience could be feared to arise from it.”
While Sweden supports my grandfather’s negotiations, however, the US State Department and the British government do not. Instead, they attempt to obstruct them. The US State Department does not pass on my grandfather’s March 27th telegram to Rabbi Steven Wise at the World Jewish Congress in New York. The British Foreign Office also does not pass on his messages to intended recipients at the World Jewish Congress and the Jewish Agency in London. In a letter prepared for Winston Churchill on the matter, the British Foreign Secretary recommends against British involvement with Himmler. Churchill replies in a note, “I agree. No truck with Himmler.”
Nonetheless, my grandfather continues to shape events on the ground. Very skeptical of Himmler following through on any promises, he works to repeatedly verify and re-confirm Himmler’s actions through Kersten, Count Folke Bernadotte (a cousin of the King and functional head of the Swedish Red Cross) and through several Nazis aligned with Himmler. Each, in effect, becomes my grandfather’s representative in this effort. He instructs. They do, and then report back.
On April 7th, for instance, the German spy and another Nazi each inform my grandfather separately, at around midnight. Himmler’s second in command, loyal to Hitler, just issued orders for Bergen Belsen to be blown up the next morning. My grandfather acts immediately. He and Kersten place a call to Himmler’s adjutant from Kersten’s apartment, on a phone line specifically set up by Himmler to get hold of his masseur at a moment’s notice.
Upon his return from Germany, Bernadotte delivers a personal letter from Himmler’s adjutant to Kersten dated April 8th (the next day), actually meant for my grandfather. It states that Bergen-Belsen had been assigned a more “humanitarian” commandant; and that the International Red Cross had received permission to visit Therensienstadt. Separately, Bernadotte reports to my grandfather what Himmler’s adjutant had told him in person, namely, that Himmler frustrated the orders to blow up Bergen Belsen.
On April 15th, the Germans hand over Bergen Belsen intact with 60,000 surviving inmates.
After a further meeting with Himmler, Bernadotte updates my grandfather on April 17th that Himmler confirms concentration camps in Germany will not be evacuated and, instead, will be handed over intact. Bernadotte also reports all Scandinavian Jews – 423 in total – from Theresienstadt and neighboring camps will arrive in Sweden the next day. My grandfather writes back to Bernadotte to have Himmler permit the White Buses to pick up the inmates of Ravensbruk concentration camp, releases to which Himmler had already agreed in the March negotiations.
Finally, after several delays, Himmler invites my grandfather to meet with him April 19th. But positive results of the negotiations have already been established over the prior frenetic six weeks, including the handing over of Bergen Belsen intact, Buchenwald (though partially evacuated) and 423 Scandinavian Jews from Theresienstadt. In addition, ongoing Kersten communications and Bernadotte meetings with Himmler, to verify and re-confirm promises, suggest the trip would not gain much. Given these and other considerations, my grandfather decides, two hours before the flight to Germany, that one of his colleagues fly in his stead. His colleague had not been part of the lengthy and delicate negotiations, but courageously agrees to travel with Kersten.
While the meeting takes place and shines a light on Himmler’s mind, as expected the meeting accomplishes no more than what had already been agreed. Himmler keeps his March promise to Kersten and agrees to have 1,000 Jewish women from Ravensbruk brought to Sweden on Swedish White Buses, with more concessions to come.
Those concessions come the following day, on April 21st when Bernadotte meets with Himmler. Fulfilling my grandfather’s request, Bernadotte asks for and secures the release of all females from Ravensbruk camp.
Within ninety days of my grandfather’s desperately hatched efforts, all remaining camps in Germany are handed over intact. The Swedish Red Cross brings, according to my grandfather, about 6,500 Jews to Sweden during the war on its White Buses; the largest rescue effort of its kind during the war. In addition, the White Buses bring many more survivors just afterward, many of whom suffering terribly from typhoid and other ailments.
My mother used to tell me that when women arrive in Sweden, my grandfather visits them in hospitals, and brings each a lipstick, so each woman could feel beautiful again. He works with newly arrived refugees, trying to reunite families. He helps create new families by covering the costs of many weddings. He attempts to arrange aliyah for some who want to go to Palestine. And he lends money without ever taking a receipt.
He even involves himself in thinking about how to begin to honor victims and their memory. He learns, just after the war, that Hitler had ordered Swedish granite for a victory monument. That granite was still in Sweden — undelivered. He has the following idea: to purchase part of the granite and use it instead to commemorate the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, which deeply moved him.
He purchases the granite with help from the World Jewish Congress, Skandinaviska Banken, the South African Board of Deputies, DAIA in Argentina, and his own money.
The Warsaw Ghetto Memorial monument in Warsaw is made of that granite.
And yet, despite what my grandfather was able to contribute, he always felt he could have done more….
Coincidentally, a beautiful story of life unfolds during this time. Rabbi Wakslak’s (The Rabbi of Young Israel, Long Beach) father, from Poland, is among those survivors from Auschwitz with typhoid who come to Sweden just after the war, perhaps on a White Bus. He recovers, meets the Rabbis’ mother, who is also from Poland and an Auschwitz survivor; they marry and have a baby boy there whom they name Chaim…Life.
They live in Sweden until about Chaim’s third birthday, before emigrating to America.
My grandfather’s insistence on coming to the aid of others has always inspired me. It is in order to nurture such instincts in myself and my family that I developed two questions we discuss each Friday night.
At our weekly Shabbat dinner, my wife Pam and I ask our children Zachary and Eleonora, and ourselves, two questions: “Did an opportunity present itself to you this past week to help someone or protect someone from a bully?” and “What questions did you ask, or want to ask, in school?”
The first question encourages ethical action; the second, thinking for oneself and speaking one’s mind.
To further encourage these instincts, I also participate in Hevrah Torah Saturday mornings and bring my children, from time to time, in the hope that they also listen to the reading of the parshah, observe the questions asked and the ensuing discussion, reflect on them, and ask questions themselves.
In summary, to save lives my grandfather ventured where few did: by thinking unconventionally, by understanding others’ needs, by acting promptly and by pushing. And, even after repeated failures, and the prospect of further failure, not giving up.
Aina Erlander, the wife of Sweden’s Prime Minister, Tage Erlander, who helped my grandfather in his rescue efforts, would say of my grandfather, “Storch – he never saw a door”.
My mother used to tell me that her Papa acted in a completely different way from other people. He had a hot temper, a very strong will, and he pushed and he pushed until he got what he wanted. The word “no” was simply not in his vocabulary.
I share these reflections and information in the hope that some hear about it, or a story like it. Become inspired – knowing such actions did take place and, therefore, can take place. And, because of that knowledge, at some point, try, unflinchingly, themselves to do something to protect humanity.
Thank you for allowing me to share these with you this evening.
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