On Tuesday, October 13, Henry Greenbaum visited Annandale High School and shared his overwhelming story to english 10 honor classes.

Mr.Greenbaum was born April 1, 1928 in Starachowice Poland. He was the youngest of 9 children (6 boys and 3 girls). Before the Holocaust started, Henry recalls having a normal childhood.

Henry’s father passed away unexpectedly before the Germans invaded Poland in 1939. There were rumors going around town that the Germans preferred people who worked in factories,so before he died, Henry’s father gathered some of his children (including Henry) and arranged for them to work at one of their clients factory.

Once the Germans invaded Poland,  Henry’s mother, along with Henry, his older brother and his three sisters, went to their neighbor’s farm for three days to avoid bombings and shootings that were happening in their neighborhood. It was during this time that Henry’s brother David ran away with a Polish soldier.

A few days later, Henry’s family returned to their old neighborhood, only to find that things had changed. He wasn’t allowed to go to school, as well as other jewish kids. They had to display the star of David as a way to separate them from the non-jewish

Afterwards, their family was deported to the Starachowice ghetto. They stayed there for 2 years. Despite their lack of food, soap or hot water, Henry and the rest of his family remained  together.  

In 1942, extra soldiers and dogs came to the Ghetto and chased everyone out of the Ghetto to a field and separated Henry’s family. Henry’s  mother and his two sisters, along with their children, were put in one row, while Henry and his three sisters were put in another row. Henry and his sisters were sent to another labour camp while his mother, sisters, and their children were sent to Treblinka, and were later on killed. His older sister Dina immigrated to America in 1937.

The labour camps condition was even worse than the Ghetto. Three guys had to sleep on one bunk. Since there wasn’t any showers, many people were dirty and lice infested. Everyday, the Nazi soldiers would give everyone one bread and coffee. The Nazi soldiers also killed anyone who was too sick to make it to roll call.

In an attempt to escape, Henry’s sister and co-workers made a plan to get out. Being only 15 years of age, Henry relied on his sister Faige to help him escape but because of one of the people making noise while escaping, Henry was shot. A bullet had grazed his head so once he gained consciousness, he tried to look for his sister. Only to find out that she was gone.

In 1944, Henry was deported to Auschwitz. From the camp in Auschwitz, 50 people (including Henry) were sent to Buna-Monowitz, where a I.G. Farben Company(a chemical making company), imprisoned them until the Soviet army came. Before, the Soviet army could free them, Henry was sent to Flossenbürg, a concentration camp. A few months later, while the American army was about to invade the camp, Henry, along with other Jews, were sent on a death march for about 5 weeks, until the April 25, 1945 when the American Army from the 11th Armored Division liberated him. “I have goosebumps speaking about it,” said Henry as he recalled that day. “An angel set me free, I couldn’t believe it. I thanked God for saving us but I said ‘why did it take you so long?’”

After being liberated, Henry and his other brother who survived the holocaust, arrived to new york and they were met by David and his other sister who had immigrated. Henry now lives with his wife. They have four children, twelve grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

The biggest advice that Henry Greenbaum states is to speak out for anyone who is being bullied, to respect other people’s religion, and to think of Education as our number one priority.