Tuesday, January 27, 2015

70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz,"The Last 500," and a Tribute to all Mothers

70th Anniversary of Liberation of Auschwitz and "The Last 500" The 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz brings to mind a group of families, 500 slave laborers designated as metal workers from the Lodz Ghetto. that are believed by scholars to be the only group that survived the death camp in tact with young babies, as described in “Walk Forward," in Ebook and paperback on Amazon.com. However, women and children were taken from this group later in concentration camp Stutthof and at least two members of the group continue to be unaccounted for.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Going beyond what happened to Jews, German born Rosa Raskin (nee Chimowicz) describes the life of Christians in Germany during the Second World War and her lifelong search for her older sister in “Walk Forward,” a different Schindler's list. What Raskin has found since publishing "Walk Forward," is intriguing. Although she has not found new information on her sister, she found the grave of an Uncle Leo Chimowicz, her father's youngest brother, in the New Jewish Cemetery in Prague. His three young sons were with her sister and were sent back to Auschwitz for a final time on September 10, being murdered on September 11, 1944. Through a new contact in Germany, she found the son of a replacement of some taken at Stutthof. The son wrote a book about his mother and lives in Canada. Most important, Raskin found a lady in the USA who was on the journey and three years older than her 9 year old, blond-haired sister. The lady's granddaughter published an incredible book entitled "Through Eva'a Eyes." Raskin visited her new found friend and felt it was her once in a lifetime chance to get a glimpse of her sister's world from another child who was at the same place at the same time and also a member of "The Last 500."

Using letters sent to her from a newly found cousin in Israel, Raskin has detailed dates and exact facts as written by her Uncle Alfred Chimowicz, Head of Metals #1 in the Lodz Ghetto, who selected each member of "The Last 500.” Jewish family members are caught in a hellish spider's web. As pawns in the chess game between Hitler's assistants, the group designated as metal workers, survive the Lodz Ghetto, Auschwitz, and Stutthof, the last place where two young Chimowicz mothers and their four children were seen alive. the fate of one mother and her three sons is on the cover of a book from the Museum of Stutthof, while the fate of her sister and her sister's mother remains a true mystery. Those who survived concentration camp Stutthof, were sent to a converted cigarette factory in Dresden to make munitions. On the burning of Dresden, they continued on a horrific death march to concentration camp Theresienstadt from which they were released by the Russian Army

On September 10, 1944, many women and children were taken from Stutthof back to Auschwitz where the 500 had come from the week before on September 3, 1944. Raskin's sister is not documented on this return trip as are her three young male cousins of the same age. Her sister, Eugenia Chimowicz, is not documented to date in any verifiable format, but Raskin has filled out memory forms at Yad Vashem and posted her name on many lists.

Born in Germany after the Holocaust, Raskin describes her endless search and promise she made to her father.

“Walk Forward” is $2.99 in ebook format and $8.99 in paperback. It was written over a periood of twenty years and many chapters stand alone as the story is an ongoing mystery. It has been very difficult to get the book into Germany where the author believes more information might exist, but is popular in the U.S. and the U.K.

A silent tribute, “We walk forward, but will never forget,” is presented in the book's video trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp7uQap6p2M.

Press Release -- Tribute to Mothers in the Holocaust

http://www.prlog.org/12418756-70th-anniversary-of-the-liberation-of-auschwitz-and-the-last-500.html

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Kindle Countdown Deal on Amazon.com this FRIDAY, Dec 19, only!

In an attempt to find more information, I am able to run a Kindle Countdown Deal for one day,, this Friday, December 19, Kindle Countdown Deal for Walk Forward at 99 cents! It was my father's eternal hope that I find my sister or her fate as he always told my two younger sister and me "If someone comes to you one day and says she is your sister, you must believe her." He wanted us to welcome her into our family.

#Kindle Countdown Deal, Friday, Dec 19, father's eternal #hope, "find my #sister." Walk Forward at http://amzn.to/11ERBqK #IARTG #bynr #asmsg #mystery #love #life

A father's hope for his missing child spans beyond the generations and is eternal. Does she remember her last name, she was only 9 years and had gone through much terror in concentration camp Stutthof. When she was taken, her mother went with her child so that her child should not be afraid. My heart aches for this young mother, my father's first wife.

This 9 year old, blond-haired, blue-eyed child with olive skin, had survived the Lodz Ghetto, made it through Auschwitz as a member of the 500 hundred metal workers and their families chosen by my Uncle Alfred Chimowicz.

How I wish I could somehow take the pain away from my older (half) sister, but someone out there must know something. It does not matter to me if you were a Nazi or someone who saw it happen, what happened to her is the question. She is not listed on any transport and as part of a "different kind of Schindler's list" she was monitored everyday. She had to be replaced, but is not listed in the transport that sent her 3 young cousins back to Auschwitz.

A two year old survived the entire ordeal and we are in contact with him, but he is much to young to remember anything. He sent us a photo of our Uncle.

Is there a chance, time is running out because of our ages, if you have any ideas, please, please, forward to me at rosaraskin@gmail.com Please note, many secondary sources are quoting ME!

I have never said my sister died, I have no proof but several are quoting me as to the last place she was seen. Had she not had blond hair and blue eyes, and I recently learned that NOT everyone's hair was shaved off, is there a chance? Someone knows and I hope they have the courage to let me know.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Holidays

For the holidays, be thankful for your family. If you are interested in another time and place consider reading Walk Forward.

What did it feel like to lose everything and everyone? To lack the basic necessities, be herded like cattle, and to lose all but what one has saved in one's mind?

Yet there is always hope. Is there a chance a nine year old girl somehow tricked fate and survived?

My father suvived to tell the story and to one day be reunited with his firstborn or have his 3 younger daughters find out her fate, what happened to a beautiful, blond-haired, blue-eyed child.

Can you help in the search for my lost sister? Read the book he wanted to write, but never could.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

75th Anniversary of Kristallnacht



The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 08, 2013

Statement by the President on the 75th Anniversary of Kristallnacht

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/08/statement-president-75th-anniversary-kristallnacht

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Germany

After trying for two years, I finally got Walk Forward on a list in Germany, in the city of my
birth, Karlsruhe.

Amazing how many in the U.K. read the book and email helpful advice or leads.

I have joined Allgenerations and will report any leads I might get from them once they
officially post the search for my sister, searching for the 500 metal workers or their
descendants, or the detailed information which I published in Walk Forward.

I hope this first contact with Germany will have a long tail of information.