The following is an English translation of a Face Book post of
Mr. Haim Taib. It was written a few hours before he, along with his family,
partook in the “March of the Living” in Auschwitz' last week.
“In a few hours, I will have the privilege to participate in
the “March of the Living” in Auschwitz and light, for the first time, a memorial
torch in commemoration of the glorious Tunisian Jewish community which was
conquered by the Nazis and suffered anti-semitic persecution, forced labour and
hunger.
As a third generation to Tunisian Shoah survivors, I will
lead he march, while carrying in my heart my grandfather, Haim Taib, after whom
I am named, who was sent along with thousands of Jewish men, to forced labour
camps and came back skin and bones, beaten and bruised.
Tunisia was conquered by the Nazis in November 1942.
The German launched a policy aimed at destroying Jewish
life. Community institutions were closed, many Jews were fired from work, children
were kicked out of schools, heavy fines were applied, private properties were
confiscated and about 5000 men were forcefully enlisted to construction camps
and fortifications.
My father, who was merely five years old at that time, would
recall painfully how the German soldiers, dressed in ironed, grey uniforms,
burst into the house, crushed personal items with their boots and confiscated his
father’s radio and his mother’s sewing machine.
My grandfather, Haim and Zion, my grandmother’s brother,
were taken to forced labour camps.
The following months filled the family with fear and concern.
The German soldiers frequented Jewish homes in search of healthy and able men. Sirens were wailing, shells were fired, and
explosions heard daily. Roaming the streets ceased, windows were covered with
dark fabrics and blackness befell the city, in an effort to defend against
bombing of the allies which were directed at the anti-aircraft posts which the
Germans deliberately scattered in civil neighbourhoods.
Four months later, Haim and Zion suddenly appeared at home.
They were thin and bruised, their clothes torn, their faces unshaven and their
hair messy and lice ridden. My grandmother, Koka, burst into tears of joy. She
gave them food and boiled water so that they could shower and clean themselves.
My grandfather recounted that he was sent to a deserted field, not far away.
There the Germans ordered him to construct a forced labour camp. They were able
to escape since in the last weeks, the German security loosened and under the
blanket of one of the Allies bombings, he and his friends were able to escape
from the camp.
On Friday, May 7th, 1943, my father woke up to
the sounds of joy. “The war is over!” shouted my grandfather and everyone ran
out of the house still wearing their pajamas. The streets were buzzing with
people, music, and dancing. Seven months of siege, bombing and suffering had come
to an end.
Only two years later, when the family members were exposed
to the horror movies which the Nazis had filmed in Auschwitz, were thy exposed
to the horrible truth regarding the unfathomable size and cruelty of the Nazi plan
for the Jews of Tunisia, Algiers, Libya, Morocco, and Egypt
Almost eighty years have passed since that dark era in
history, and here we are, living in a Jewish and Democratic state that promises
all of its citizens and pledges that the horrors of the Shoah will never be repeated.
Today, I shall march in the “March of the Living” and will
light a memorial torch to commemorate the Jewish communities of Tunisia and
North Africa who had they not been freed when they were, would have suffered
the same fate as European Jewry.
I invite all of you to join me, here on my Face Book page to
the live stream of the “March of the Living” and the ceremony of torch lighting
starting at 14:00 on this link: https://fb.me/e/10M9dcDWd
My parents, Eliyahu and Janet Taib, of blessed memory, who
were children at that time, tell of their memories from the Nazi conquest of Tunisia.
Please watch the video
Here is the link to the Face Book post:
