By Garry Fabian
MELBOURNE, Australia, May 5 — This day every year has a special, and very personal, significance to me – on the 5th of May 1945, three Soviet tanks rolled into the Theresienstadt Ghetto, bringing a four year nightmare for those who survived to a close. While almost seven decades have passed since that day, the sight of those three tanks, is still one of the most vivid memories impressed on my mind.
The night before the German’s threw grenades into several buildings, and fired shots killing a number of inmates. As dawn broke, silence had descended over the Ghetto, and a few adventurous souls wandered into the street. All German guards had disappeared, and people stood around in small clumps, not sure what was happening. Suddenly the noise of large motors was heard approaching, and people started panicking, fearing that the Germans were returning to finish off what they had started the night before. As three Red` Army tanks rumbled around the corner, it finally dawned that it was over and liberation had arrived on that clear spring morning.
Every year this day marks a day that not only saved the remnant of those who had passed through the Ghetto from 1941 to 1945, but indeed was the start of a new life. Of the 1500 children under 15 who passed trough the Ghetto over those four years, only around 100 were still alive in May 1945. Those of us among that number, who are still alive, and many have passed on with the passage of time, regard that day as a special birthday.
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Fabian is Australia bureau chief for San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at garry.fabian@sdjewishworld.com