Holocaust Testimony #2- Elana Carson

Interview with Malka Baran

Malka was a young Jewish girl when the holocaust first started. She was already fairly poor, this clearly showed by the fact that her family of 4 was living in a one bedroom apartment with a small kitchen and no living room. Malka was 15 and her Brother was 13 when their entire family was put on a train by the Nazi’s. When they arrived at a metal factory they split up her family. Her Father and Brother were sent one way and immediately shot in the back before even arriving at the factory or a camp. Malka was sent a different way, and her Mother was taken away as well. Malka was all alone and forced to stay in Metallula which was a metal factory where she would clean the ammunition shells. She was then taken to Hosick which was another labor factory and this time she sorted damaged shells. She was passive and didn’t cause any trouble; this helped to keep her alive throughout her entire journey. Another way she survived was that Malka was wearing a coat when they had gotten captured, that coat kept her warm throughout her journey. In the labor camp Malka met a soldier who happened to be Jewish; he would bring her and her best friend food daily. The soldier wanted to take Malka back and marry her, but quickly got re-allocated. So, he sent a lieutenant with a note telling the girls to follow him. They took a leap of faith and followed the lieutenant safely out of the factory. He then drove them in a truck for days, fed them and took fantastic care of them, making sure that they would arrive safely for the soldier. The soldier rescued her and she was set free in the city. After that she got a job in a photo booth and then went to seminary school while working for an elderly Russian woman. She is a strong woman and one of the few that survived the tragedy, called the holocaust.

“I saw babies thrown against the wall. The Germans would then pick up the crushed babies and throw them on machines”- Malka Baran

“The first time I cried is when I found myself free and realized I had no family”- Malka Baran