TESTIMONIALS
First One In, Last One Out: Auschwitz Survivor 31321 is a harrowing tale of endurance, courage, luck, egotism and morality, one mans story of survival in the face of Nazi brutality and anti-Semitism.
Murray Scheinbergs memoir of survival through the Nazi holocaust symbolizes mans determination to live no matter the odds. But it also represents the degradation of the human spirit imposed on the Jews of Europe by the evil Nazi machine.
It is both an uplifting tale and a sorry one about human nature in the face of evil.
Abraham H. Foxman
National Director Emeritus
Anti-Defamation League
TESTIMONIALS
A magnificent telling of a moving and heartfelt story that will forever be etched in the minds of so many.
Ira Hochman
Friendly Visitors Program/Holocaust Survivors
High School Assistant Principal and College Professor-New York City
I am moved to tears beyond what I can express. I know many Holocaust survivors since my parents are also survivors. However, this is an exceptionally incredible story and the authors writing is extremely moving. The story is a testament to the love of life and will teach future generations that good triumphs over evil.
Ruth Baron Gerold
Child of Holocaust Survivors
Jewish/Yiddish Music Educator
The author brilliantly wrote about her uncles life throughout the Nazi regime. She successfully engages the reader in the emotions and drama of this horrific period. It is a unique and remarkable story of a mans struggle for what he believed. Ultimately, he survived to live as a free man in America. This is a must-read-page turner.
Larry Klass
Retired Veteran-U.S. Army
I am grateful Ms. Shimon has shared her uncles story, not only of physical survival but also of overcoming unbelievable adversities to build a new life. It is a powerful and compelling story that should be promoted in schools and read by all.
Faye Kilstein
Child of Auschwitz Survivor
First Generation American
First One In, Last One Out:
Auschwitz Survivor 31321
First One In, Last One Out:
Auschwitz Survivor 31321
Marilyn Shimon
2016 Marilyn Shimon
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the permission of the author.
ISBN-13: 9781533305497
ISBN-10: 1533305498
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016908391
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
North Charleston, South Carolina
Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of information provided, no one associated with this book can be held accountable in part or in full for any inaccuracies within. The names and places of people used were those provided by my uncle or obtained through his oral testimonies and are in no way intended to cause harm to any deceased or living person. Views and opinions expressed in this book do not imply approval or endorsement by any third party.
This book is dedicated to the memory of my Uncle Murray (also known as Moishe, Moniek, Mondig, and Morris), a hero who was born on December 11, 1911, in Warsaw, Poland, and who died in 1996 in Los Angeles, California. His profound determination to survive during the brutal years of the Third Reich and his relentless drive to outsmart the Nazis provide valuable lessons in perseverance and courage to follow ones dreams. I hope that this remarkable story will be passed on to future generations so that the young can realize the depth of cruelty humans are capable of, as well as the strength one can muster to overcome hardships, so mankind never suffers another Holocaust .
This book is also dedicated to the memory of my loving father, Martin Hirsch, a proud Jew who diligently served in the US Army during World War II. My fathers unwavering love, wisdom, and encouragement gave me the incentive to delve into this dark, ugly period of our history and to share my Uncle Murrays story. I will always be grateful to my father for empowering me with this strength .
Additionally, I want to dedicate this book to my dear son, Roy, and to thank him for all the joy and sunshine he continues to bring into my life. I love you, Roy .
Lastly, I want to dedicate my book to all the victims of the Holocaust .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
M y mother and consultant, Shula Hirsch, deserves the credit for the inception of this book in the early 1960s. I feel honored that I was able to transform her vision into reality. Without her countless hours of suggestions and encouragement, I would not have been able to write my uncles story.
I also wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my brother Sheldon for his assistance in editing and contributing valuable suggestions to the making of this book.
It happened, therefore it can happen again:
this is the core of what we have to say. It can
happen, and it can happen everywhere .
P RIMO L EVI
To remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all .
E LIE W IESEL
For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing .
S IMON W IESENTHAL
The sad and horrible conclusion is that no one cared that
the Jews were being murdered. This is the Jewish lesson of the
Holocaust and this is the lesson which Auschwitz taught us .
A RIEL S HARON
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist .
Then they came for the Trade Unionists ,
and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Trade Unionist .
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew .
Then they came for meand there was
no one left to speak for me .
M ARTIN N IEMLLER
CONTENT
PREFACE
W hen one hears the word Holocaust , the first image that frequently comes to mind is Auschwitz concentration camp and the heinous murders that took place there between 1942 and 1945. While more than one million innocent Jews were brutally murdered at Auschwitz, the magnitude and scope of the Holocaust extend far beyond the gates of this massive killing facility. We must not close our eyes to any element of the Holocaust and assume that because it happened over seventy years ago it can not happen again.
Furthermore, an all-encompassing analysis of the Holocaust must include a study of each targeted individual from every religion and nationality affected by the Nazis inhumane actions. It was discoveredfar more than once thoughtthat over 45,000 camps and ghettos, including six death camps, were established throughout Eastern Europe. It is inconceivable how one individual, Adolf Hitler, could orchestrate and mastermind the systematic attempt to annihilate an entire group of people, successfully killing over six million Jews alone.
Germany was a highly advanced country with educated, professional citizens prior to World War II. In fact, many of the German Nazis held graduate degrees. It is a catastrophe that they didnt use all their advanced learning in a productive manner instead of using it to mastermind a mass murder. How did this happen?
Although numerous memoirs have been published on the Holocaust, it is crucial that we continue to focus on each individual account and not overlook anyones personal story. While each survivors story may vary slightly, depending on where and when he or she was a prisoner, each offers another piece of the complex puzzle and helps provide a comprehensive account of the Holocaustthe murder of six million Jews. The atrocities and horrors must constantly be revisited for all succeeding generations to follow, especially since the first generation of survivors is now disappearing.
