According to a recent article by the Associated Press, the number of Treblinka survivors from the Holocaust are now only two in number. The Treblinka camp, along with camps in Belzec and Sobibor were specially designed as “execution camps” for the “final solution”–Hitler’s evil and twisted idea of ridding Europe of all the Jews.
According to Samuel Willenburg and Kalman Taigman (now both 87 years in age) life at the camp was like a living version of “hell on Earth”. One could only imagine the horrors that these two very proud and brave men must have endured there (i.e. starvation, disease, forced labor, etc..)!
Fortunately, on August 2, 1943, a small group of Jews stole some rifles and pistols from the Germans, caught the hellish camp on fire–then ran for the woods to hide and fight. Most were later caught, but a few survived in the forest and woods. It must have boggled the minds of the Nazis when they learned that the Jews had taken German weapons and escaped–leaving a nice little fire for the Germans to put out.
I would imagine that stealing guns from the Germans must have seemed like “having a prayer from God answered”. Long live Samuel and Kalman! Good work guys—may you live forever!