This post will briefly cover Kitty's changing story regarding two sisters she allegedly first met in Bitterfeld and how they interacted in Auschwitz. In her 1961 book Kitty tells us she never saw the younger sister, Janka, after she had been taken away to become a messenger. Janka's older sister who had become a block leader remembered Kitty and always threw her bread. Kitty described this as being a great privilege.
By the early eighties when
Return to Auschwitz was published Janka's older sister had gained a name - Cesia. Kitty now changes her story and demonises Janka by telling us she stood happily alongside the SS at the entrance to the women's camp. Cesia too is demonised as being self-serving and treacherous. A monster who threatened to beat the poor downtrodden Kitty, despite everything Kitty's mother had done for Janka in the past.
Mother and I had practically lost touch with most of our original friends from Bitterfeld. They were swallowed in the crowd of the one thousand in our block. Janka, the youngest of our group, somehow caused a sensation among the privi-leged class. Never before has such a small child been allowed into the camp. All children had been taken the "other way". Although Janka was twelve, she was so small that she could easily pass for an eight-year-old. Almost the day after our arrival she was taken away, to be given one of the best occu-pations. She was made a Läuferin, a messenger. There were about four to six of them, and they were the lines of com-munication between the SS authorities and the "high-ranking" prisoners. They were continuously walking about with messages, and when not sent out stood by the main gate. They were well dressed and usually lived in the élite blocks, which had only a few hundred occupants in each, with sufficient blankets on the bunks. They were not short of food for they had access to almost anything, anywhere. Mother had looked after Janka well during our stay in Bitterfeld and I hoped that perhaps she might help mother in return. But she probably lost us in the crowd, and I never saw her again. Through her, her sister became a Blockälteste. Occasionally I managed to catch a glimpse of her, and if she saw me she would always throw some bread out to me - a great privilege.
I Am Alive, Kitty Hart, Abelard-Schuman (1961), pp.59-60
I knew someone else who became a messenger girl very early on. It was little Janka. Children were not usually admitted into the camp, but this twelve-year-old, like the rest of us, was somewhat special, having a record as a politival criminal. Jewish or not, we had somehow been 'processed' in a different way by meticulous organizers. With-in ten days or so of our arrival Janka was picked out and, as she began to make a fuss about being taken away, her sister was taken along as well. At first the rest of our original group of thirteen were unable to guess what had happened to them, and already knew better than to ask.
Then we saw them again. Janka had been smartly dressed, she had been allowed to grow her hair again, and looked very pretty and well pleased with herself: they had made here a messenger girl. There she was standing happily at the gate beside an S.S. man as the work parties went out.
Janka had managed to get her sister Cesia a job as a block senior. Although Cesia could not have been no more than sixteen, she soon became adept at beating up her fellow prisoners. One day, worried about my mother's health and the inadequate rations she was getting, I approached Cesia as an old friend.
'Do you think you could help us?'
She backed away as if from some contagious disease. 'Don't you dare come near me,' she shouted.
'Cesia, surely you remember -'
'One step nearer, and I'll beat you up.'
I couldn't believe she had sold out so soon. 'Have you forgotten my mother? After all she did for you and Janka?' She hesitated, then threw me a hunk of bread. 'Now be off with you. And don't ever dare speak to me again'.
As a counter to such self-seeking treachery little 'families' formed within a block[...]
Return To Auschwitz, Kitty Hart, Atheneum (second printing 1985), p.69
I Am Alive, Kitty Hart, Abelard-Schuman (1961), pp.59-60
Return To Auschwitz, Kitty Hart, Atheneum (second printing 1985), p.69
