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Anita Lobel

by Melissa from Grand Rapids

Anita Lobel (Answers. com)
Anita Lobel (Answers. com)

“I was barely five years old when the war began,” wrote Anita. “Only when I was much older did the horrors and terrible losses of fully conscious people during all those years dawn on me. I mourn for all those who were grown, thinking people and who were truly capable of knowing and feeling that which was torn from them.”

Anita Lobel was born in Krakow, Poland. “In a wrong place at a wrong time.” Says Anita. She was born on June 3, 1934. She had a mother, father, and a brother two years younger than her. A nanny, whom they called Niania, cared for Anita and her brother. Anita’s grandmother, Babcia, Ciocia Lelia, Aunt Bella, Uncle Samuel, and Cousin Raisa, also lived in Poland during the war. Niania, her brother, and Anita stayed with her relatives during parts of the war

There were many events that happened during Anita’s life during the war. The Germans marched into Krakow when Anita was five. Her father left shortly after they came. The Nazis came to her home in 1939, taking their furs and silver. They had maids who were Polish and, sensing the danger of living with Jewish people, they left during the night. Next, Niania took Anita and her brother. Together, they fled to Lapanow, leaving Anita’s mother behind. Her mother had false papers, to show she was not Jewish, and got a job. Anita, Niania, and her brother lived with Babcia and Ciocia Lelia for a while.

However, the Nazis came to Lapanow in search of Jews. They left quickly. Niania decided that Anita’s brother would be safer disguised as a girl. The three of them then took a train to Niania’s village. When they arrived, Niania’s mother was dead. They stayed in Niania’s village for some time.

Anita’s mother came for her and her brother. She took them with her to the ghetto. Anita lived with her mother, brother, Aunt Bella, Uncle Samuel, and Cousin Raisa. When the ghetto was no longer safe, they found an exit. Anita and her brother left the ghetto, where Niania was waiting for them. By tying a cloth around Anita’s eye, Niania was able to fake that Anita was sick. They found shelter at the convent of Benedictine sisters; it was also like a hospital. The three of them happily lived there for a while.

One day, they were praying in the chapel and the Nazis burst in. Anita and her brother were taken from Niania and put into a cart. Anita, her brother, and the other captured Jews were imprisoned in a jail called the Momtelupi. This was on Christmas Day. Shortly after, around New Years, the Nazis released them from the jail. A train to a concentration camp transported the captured Jewish people, and watched by the Nazis. Anita, her brother, and the Jewish people have now survived five and a half years of war. At the concentration camp, Anita found her Aunt Bella, Uncle Samuel, and Cousin Raisa. They stayed there for a long time. Then they trekked through the snow for a very long time, they finally arrived at Auschwitz, another concentration camp. Anita and her brother stayed there this time, for a shorter period of time. Anita and her brother got on a train, and were taken to yet another camp. Finally, Red Cross rescued Anita, her brother, and the other surviving captured Jews. Anita and her brother escaped to Sweden. "I thought of the lineups, the marching, the transports in trucks, the boxcar, the shouts and commands in the dreaded language. We had been scurrying vermin, and now we were walking away in broad daylight right under their Nazi noses." Anita Lobel.

Anita Lobel suffered many hardships, but managed to overcome them. Anita overcame seven years of war. She lived in concentration camps. Anita was separated from her mother, father, and her Niania. She had some major accomplishments, too. She took care of her brother. She protected him, so he would survive, and he did. That was a major accomplishment. Anita’s goal was to keep him alive with her. Anita and her brother escaped from the Nazis. They were taken to Sweden.

Anita Lobel (Googleimages.com)
Anita Lobel (Googleimages.com)

I admire Anita Lobel. I admire that Anita found the strength and courage within herself to tell of her experiences, to write about her experiences. I admire some of Anita’s characteristics and personality traits. I admire her courage. She was very brave, especially when Anita and her brother left the ghetto. They snuck out, across a bridge. Anita knew there were Nazis everywhere, and at any given moment, they could be spotted. There were even Nazis under the bridge they were crossing. However, Anita was brave and quiet as she led her brother and herself to safety. I admire that she was caring. Anita took great care of her brother while they were separated from their Niania. Anita had a calm disposition. She did what she was told. She was quiet. Most of all, Anita had faith. She had faith that she would see her parents again. She had faith that her brother and her would live.

Book the Anita wrote. No Pretty Pictures (Google. com)
Book the Anita wrote. No Pretty Pictures (Google. com)

In conclusion, Anita is a hero. At the moment, Anita Lobel is an author, she writes children’s books. Anita is living in New York. She is a grandmother now. A lesson I learned from Anita is to have faith. Even when the people and places around you don’t look promising, you can still have faith that things can get better. Have faith in yourself.

"In the end, what is there to say? I was born far, far away, on a bloody continent at a terrible time. I lived there for a while. I live here now. My love for this country grows with my years. My life has been good. I want more. Mine is only another story." Anita Lobel.

Page created on 2/15/2009 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 2/15/2009 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

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Anita Lobel - answers.com