A Difficult Trade

Claire found someone to switch his name with her father’s so that they can be together. It was a risky thing to do as anyone caught with wrong numbers would be punished to death. She traded her less than a year old wedding ring to trade her father’s name on the train with the couple.

Convoy 20claire prowisor father daughter philippe szyper chaskel prowisor holocaust train belgium auschwitz jews

On April 19, 1943, all the Jews with XX on their cardboard piece were called and sent inside Convoy 20. Previously, these were trains taking the prisoners to the concentration camps but this time it was a series of awfully confined cattle cars. Claire, Philippe, and Chaskel were put in the congested wagon, with around fifty inmates.

The warning was given to all of them that if anyone tries to escape all the remaining people on the train will also be punished. The train headed north but the couple will never reach the destined place.

The Planauschwitz belgium holocaust mechelen claire philippe chaskel prowisor father train

The couple wasn’t sure where this train was heading but they were sure of one thing that will be the end of them. Philippe shared his idea with his beloved. He was planning to escape. And he was planning to do it right away because once the train crosses the Belgium border it will become impossible for them to survive.

Catch 22claire prowisor father chaskel holocaust jews jewish nazis train jump

Claire couldn’t leave her father in that situation and her father couldn’t jump either. He was unconscious and could barely move. His fever was high from past 2 days. Since they got on the train his condition continuously deteriorated. How could she just leave him like that? She loved him the most in this world. So far, she did all she could in her life to help him.

Not Alone

“I’m not going to do it, I’m not going to jump from the train,” Claire said to her husband. Philippe told her that if they don’t jump now they’ll eventually die once they reach to any of the concentration camps. The stress was too much to take and Claire falls unconscious next to her father.

Claire’s Choiceholocaust train claire prowisor father daughter chaskel philippe szyper jews belgium auschwitz

When she finally woke up, Claire saw her father and her husband. Her father was still lying hardly breathing. Her husband said it was now or never and she could see herself in the middle of nowhere stuck in the dilemma. Even though it was a choice she’ll be regretting for many years to come yet she gave up in front of her husband’s pleas




Sukriti
Writer

A firm believer of words, an admirer of creativity. An explorer in the woods, an evolving personality. Lost in thoughts, Found in sincerity. Traveler on the innocent road, that directs with morality! Spreading smiles, redefining humanity, with deeds of goodness and acts of kindness. :)