Murray Ebner - Chosen for Reasons Unknown: A Holocaust Survivors Journey.

A Holocaust Survivors Journey

By Murray Ebner

Copyright 2009, Murray Ebner, Mark Ebner, Lucky Charm Publishing

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008936777

ISBN: 978-0-9821374-0-6 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-0-9821374-1-3 (hardcover)

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:
Ebner Properties
3455 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43213
www.chosenforreasonsunknown.com

This book is dedicated in loving memory to my wonderful parents, Hershel and Feigel Ebner, and to my dearest brothers Abraham, Zishe, and Nuta. May their memory be an inspiration to all who survived and their legacy be a beacon of strength for future generations. They should know that all that I have overcome and achieved in my life has been a tribute to their stewardship from the heavens and in my heart.

G ENE C HURCH It is with tremendous gratitude that we give special thanks to Gene Church. Gene was the impetus that started the writing of the book. He saw a story about me in the Columbus Dispatch and thought that the story would be most worthy of publishing a book. He called and introduced himself. He was very eloquent in making the argument to me as to why a book on my life was indeed so necessary. In spite of Genes urging, I continued to be reluctant to the idea until he mentioned to me that there is nothing more permanent than the written word; after considering those words, I realized that the time had come for me to pen my story for future generations. Gene flew several times from where he was living at the time in California to interview me, gather information for the book, and write the initial manuscript. His questions were deep, pointed, thoughtful, and creative. He asked them in a most interested and caring way. It was due to his easy manner that I was able to recall so many of my thoughts and senses that I thought had long slipped away. I am most thankful to my dear friend Gene Church.

Pat LoBrutto Pat has been the sculptor who has taken a fairly molded object and chiseled it in a most masterful way. His talent to find just the right proportion and clarity to every nuance can be seen throughout the book. His dedication to thoroughly articulate the picture he paints goes unmatched. It is with privilege that we had Pat as a part of our team.

There were so many people with a vested interest in this project their efforts and loyalty have been appreciated more than words can say. Just to name a few:

Kelley Evans It is with a heart full of affection that I give special thanks to Kelley Evans. Her expertise in good readership has added a critical flair that otherwise might have been overlooked. It was her goal to assure the readers clarity and visualization; she left no stone unturned. Flow and accuracy were paramount to her. Most of all, I cannot thank her enough for her nearly single-handedly administering all facets of editing through publishing and distribution. The care and concern she displayed were immeasurable. All her efforts were most appreciated.

Sam Nahem and his entire team For numerous interviews and film footage shot to create A Survivors Journey, which was a very important research tool for this book.

Lapiz Design For the graphic work used on the cover of the book.

Milton Kahn For his opinions and advice given to promote the book so that this very important story could be shared with as many people as possible.

To the entire Ebner family For their love and support from the very beginning.

To all of the friends, new and old, who have been there for the Ebner family through the years.

M ONIEK E BNER CAME BACK to the little Polish town where he lived for the first thirteen years of his life in 2000. He was Murray Ebner now. He had been away for sixty years; the happy place of his memories had become a catastrophe. The Nazis had seen to that.

He flew into Krakow with his wife, Sylvia, son, Mark, daughter-in-law, Nicole, and daughters, Cindy and Lisa. They left almost immediately for Nowy Wisnicz. Murray had been gone so long he could barely speak Polish any longer; they had to bring a translator. Murray had told his family about his town and home for a long time. Everyone wondered whether his memories were accurate, whether he would be disappointed because the house was gone, or because nothing was recognizable.

His son, Mark, asked him, Do you think you can find the house?

What are you talking about? Murray said. Of course I can find my own house. They were to find out that Murrays memory would be entirely accurate time after time, in the minutest details.

Why have I returned?, Murray thought. His family, his mother and father and brothers, were not there when he returned from the camps in 1945. They were not there now. He had not heard a word from them or about them in all these years. Still, he wondered. Often, he would say, That man looks just like my brother Abraham; That fellow over there looks like Nuta all grown up; or That woman looks like my mother.

Other survivors had miraculous reunions with loved ones lost during the war. Other families found each other after years of separation. Why not me? A part of his soul and heart always expected to find them maybe his brothers were alive in Argentina or Israel, maybe Mama and Tata will be waiting for me at the house. A part of his mind and heart knew, however, that he would never see them again. He swore he would never returnbut Murray always worried that he hadnt done enough to find them, that they were alive somewhere. So here he was, driving past the farms with his family, looking, as always, for his family. It was as if he had two families; the family that was lost, that existed in his mind alone because there was no one else to remember them; and then there was his American family, his wife and children, the loving family of the new life he had built from the ashes of the old.

He thought of all this as he sat in the car that drove up the street to the home where he grew up and took him back to the time when the world was his mother and father and brothers, and the little town of Nowy Wisnicz.

A N ENORMOUS CRASH of thunder shattered the stillness of the night sky. Ten-year-old Moniek Ebner snapped straight up in bed, wide awake, covered in cold sweat. The flash of lightning that followed illuminated the entire room. He trembled with a fear unlike any he had ever experienced.

Nuta, his younger brother, slept beside him in the double bed and didnt respond to the noise, or the light.

Another boom of thunder caused Moniek to shudder and sent chills down his spine. He reached forward. Nuta, he whispered, and shook his younger brothers leg. But the youngster didnt respond. A second flash of lightning showed him that Nutas eyes were wide open, staring into nothingness.

He jumped from the bed and stared down in shock. Nuta was dead.

Moniek slowly backed out of the room and into the hallway. What was happening? How could this be? The youngster trembled as he made his way to the bedroom next door where his older brothers Abraham and Zishe slept.