In memory of those who passed away in World War II. We will never forget you.

I felt something cold touch my face with the softest pressure. A stone-hard hand gently, but repetitively slapped my cheek. I desperately wanted to know who this person was; trying to wake me up in the midst of my blissful dream. I opened my eyes suddenly, and leaped out of my bed, to find out that it was Mutti. “Ally! Quick! Get dressed we must go into hiding immediately. The soldiers are coming soon. There are only two bikes, and three of us. You and Pappi are heading down to the annexe first. I will come later”. It was four o’clock in the morning. The sun was still fast sleeping, but the city was already awake. In the distance, I could hear the soldiers firing their guns, bombs exploding, and aeroplanes moaning up in the clouds. It was 1940, and peace still seemed far away.

I whispered my final farewells to the house and Rachelle, our cat; then shortly after, Pappi and I departed for the annexe. We paddled on our bikes as fast as we could, careful not to make any noise. The Nazi’s were cruel, vicious ‘predators’ whose mission was to hunt down the entire Jewish population. Every single one of us Jews, was their prey. Each solider was a ‘dog’, who had eyes at the back of their heads, and noses that were able to sense anything within a ten mile radius. I forced myself to think about positive things, to be as optimistic as I could. Unlike many other Jews, my family and I were incredibly fortunate to have an annexe to hide in. Others didn’t dream of having such a chance, and their only choice they could make was to give in, to the ‘predators’. Then, all of a sudden, a whistle was blown. Our bikes screeched and halted to a stop. I gave Pappi a worried and distressed look, and we both got off our bikes. The bright headlight of the cars dazzled my dark, doomed eyes, while we stumbled across the footpath to the seven officers - all with tidy and complete uniform and a murderous, monstrous look in all of their dignified eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off their distinct swastika armbands, that each solider wore with pride. The Star of David on my arm suddenly weighed a hundred tons heavier, pulling me to the ground as if I was about to collapse. I tried to hold myself together. “Good morning gentleman” Pappi greeted them, the fear was conspicuous in his voice. The head officer stepped out towards us, and grabbed my arm with great force. “Would you like to explain to me - you filthy Jews - what you are doing at four-thirty in the morning?” Pappi hesitated, and struggled for an explanation. Before he could reply, the officers cuffed our hands behind our backs. I screamed at the top of my lungs for help, but nothing happened. Abruptly, something hard hit my head, and I fell. That was the last time I saw my father.

I woke up, completely oblivious to what was happening. There were hundreds of women and children all around me, cuddling in their own groups. Confused, I turned around to see a girl my age alone, all by herself. It looked like she was trying to hold herself together from falling into pieces. “Excuse me, where are we? What is happening?” I asked the girl. She replied ”We are being deported to the Auschwitz camp.” I froze. Auschwitz. I heard Mutti and Pappi muttering about it, when I was eavesdropping on their conversation a while ago. According to Auntie Edith, it was some sort of ‘concentration camp’ where people were tortured, and forced to work for the Nazis. Not many survived.  I was completely shocked, and was at a lost for words. “What’s wrong?” asked the girl beside me. “Oh…erh… nothing” I replied anxiously. “Well, I’m Evaniella. I lost all my family. We were all separated in Bergen-Belsen” declared the girl. I was in disbelief, because I was in the same situation as her. “I’m so sorry.

 I-I-I don’t know where my f-f-family is too. I’m A-Ally.” I stuttered. I was frightened. Where could Mutti and Pappi be? Were they in danger too? Would I ever see them again? I found myself desperately attempting to find answers to all my questions and problems, but  I couldn’t find the solutions. After a while, the train stopped. There were officers outside shouting at us as the door rolled open. We were ordered out of the tram. Little kids were crying, and women were buzzing in their own private conversations. The officers shoved us into an open court, where all out precious locks were shaved off. Evaniella and I stuck together, completely confused and afraid. We took our clothes off and we were all crammed into a narrow room. The steel doors slammed shut. “What’s happening?” I asked a middle-aged woman. “We are all taking a shower” she replied with confidence. Evaniella and I thought it was strange. Why would you need to get all of your hair shaved off to take a shower? The lights went off, it was pitched black. All the women and children were screaming. I held Evaniella’s hand tightly in mine, hopeful, that something or someone would save us from this living hell. But that was the end of everything.

[‘You can’t ever really know the meaning of your life, and you don’t need to. Just know that your life has a meaning. Every life in the world has a meaning. Whether it lasts one hundred years, or one hundred seconds; every life, and every death, changes the world in its own way. Don’t postpone what you want. Make sure the people you care about know how you really feel, because just like that. It could end.’]