In 1939 the Nazis invaded Poland which started the worst war in history
Prisoner B-3087 Timeline
Yanek did not know hold hard the next six years were going to be. Scroll down if you want to see what he had to go through.
Krakow, Poland 1939-1942
Nazis marching int Poland September, 1939
The Nazis started making Jewish ghettos in cities to round up all of the Jews. The ghettos held up to 30,000 people in a small area in some ghettos
Krakow ghetto for Jews
The Nazis charged into their apartment with them and three other families and took all of the valuables . Yanek's mother was so frightened they moved into a pigeon coop on top of the building to hide from the Nazis
In 1941 Yanek turned Thirteen and had to sneak out of his living quarters and have his Bar Mitzvah under his Uncles bread shop because they were not allowed to practice their religion or they will get shot
Bar Mitzvah
Yanek's parents are captured and sent to a concentration camps
The same year Yanek gets captured and sent to Plaszow concentration camp
Plaszow Concentration Camp, Poland 1942-1943
Yanek got to Plaszow concentration camp which was near Krakow. He saw his Uncle Moshe and shouted but almost died because of that.
Plaszow Concentration Camp
Uncle Moshe tells Yanek that they are the only ones left in their family. He also tells Yanek to become nobody and not stand out in the crowd so he could live
Yanek also heard of Amon Goeth which killed lots of Jews just for the fun of it.
Amon Goeth
Amon Goeth killed Uncle Moshe because he was not breaking enough rocks while working. Yanek was sad but had to shake it off or he will die too.
Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland 1943-1944
Yanek and a bunch of other Jews were transported to the Salt Mines without notice.
Two Jews beat up a former Jewish officer in Krakow which didn't bother the Officers because they want all of them to die.