The James Gee Library hosted a book signing and program supporting Holocaust survivors William and Rosalie Schiff’s recently released book last Tuesday.
The book, titled “William & Rosalie: A Holocaust Testimony,” was released last August and written by Craig Hanley, a Dallas freelance writer. The manuscript was the winner of the annual Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest.
Based on William and Rosalie’s real-life accounts, the book narrates the couple’s journey as two young, Polish Jews, enslaved in six various German prison and labor camps, including the famous Auschwitz and Plaszów concentration camps. Together at first, the couple was separated shortly thereafter.
“One of the days when I went to work and I came back, they took her and she disappeared from the concentration camp,” William said. “I got mad, I didn’t care for anybody.”
Though separated for the majority of the Holocaust, the couple was eventually reunited after the war ended.
“Somebody stopped me on the street and she asked me if I was Rosalie Schiff, William Schiff’s wife,” Rosalie said. “I said yes and she said your husband is alive. I fainted.”
Before being sent away to concentration camps, William and Rosalie experienced their share of eye-opening events including parting ways with their families, watching fellow Jews die and being saved by Oskar Schindler.
“We had to have authorized cards and when you didn’t have stamps on those cards, you were taken to exterminating camp,” Rosalie said. “I did not leave the house for a long time because my mother was so sick and without cards, you were sent to the camp. Cards were crucial; my mother, sister, brother and myself were not working. Work would have kept our lives from immediate jeopardy. I suddenly decided to take a hold of my own destiny. My destiny told me to run into the street. I was in the line for the Belzec exterminating camp. A young German named Oskar Schindler approached me and put a stamp on my card. I was saved by Oskar Schindler, may his name be blessed always.”
The Schiff’s, who are both from Krakow, Poland, have used their tales of hardships to educate young people about intolerance, hate and discrimination. For the past 22 years, William and Rosalie have been speaking at various places around Texas.
“Hatred leads to destruction as well, you know,” Rosalie said. “Did you ever think that we are all one race? We are all the human race.”
Dr. Keith McFarland, President of A&M-Commerce, said that the Schiff’s story is a fascinating one.
“It’s amazing because there are not very many survivors around,” McFarland said. “They have such a fascinating story to tell and its good that they are still telling it.”
William and Rosalie spoke for a little over an hour to a crowded room before signing books and answering questions from eager students and individuals from the community.
Larry Barksdale, a 26-year-old Greenville resident, read about the event in the Greenville Herald-Banner.
“I’ve never had a chance to experience the Holocaust up close and personal like this,” Barksdale said. “Its remarkable, just seeing someone whose experienced it first hand.”
The Schiff’s, who now reside in Dallas will continue to travel around Texas sharing their accounts of the Holocaust with others.
“I feel that I am at least being useful in life,” William said. “People have to know what’s happened, especially young kids. Each one of us is the same good human being, no matter what nationality, religion, color or cultural background. We’re all Gods chosen people. That is what we need to teach people.”