SURVIVOR STORY

         Beginning in March 1942, Hitler came to power and during the next 11 months 4,500,000 men, women, and children were murdered. By the end of world war two the death toll reached 6,000,000. All because they weren't considered the "superior" race. When Germany and other countries across Europe were finally liberated, people that survived the concentration camps were set free and many people came out of hiding. For this assignment i'm going to tell you one of those survivor stories.

Jeannie age 7

       Jeannie Burk, she was born in Brussels, Belgium on September 15, 1939 I decided to write her story cause she was just a child when her life changed. During World War two Belgium was supposed to be neutral, but Hitler payed no attention to treaties and invaded anyway. Jeannie Burk was only three years old at the time she lived with two older siblings, a sister, brother, her mother, and father. Her sister was twelve years older than her and had bone cancer (Osteomyelitis). Her brother was eight years older.
       When Hitler instructed the Nazi's to invade Belgium that fall at five o'clock in the morning the Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizie, secret police) went through a neighbors house and broke down the door to her mother and fathers' room. Jeannie's father was thrown in a truck. Her mother and sister were to be taken, but her mother refused to go because of her sister's illness, they instructed that they would be back later. Jeannie's brother was sent to a Catholic home for boys, and her sister was sent by ambulance to a Catholic hospital. She was placed in a isolation room because Germany had taken control over the hospitals, and they would rather take the risk of her sister catching a disease then to be exposed hiding a "Jew". Jeannie's mother had moved to a pre-planned location and because her mother did not fit the typical "Jew" look (dark hair, crooked nose, and dark eyes), her mother had blond hair and blue eyes. She went unnoticed working in another city as a practical nurse.

Nazi Parade Buckenburg,Germany 1934

        Jeannie had already been taken in a streetcar by her father, to a undisclosed location (she would later find out this would be the last time she sees her father). To a woman's house, Jeannie was three and still doesn't know this woman's name. Jeannie hid in this womans' house from ages three to five. Growing up in hiding was not the best life but at least she was alive. She had no toys and made up imaginary friends, having no other children to play with. She seldom got fresh air only when she was allowed to go outside to the backyard, during the Nazi parades when everyone had to open their doors to "Heil Hitler". At this time she would sit outside in the backyard in the outhouse and watch the parades. She lived with this woman for two years, never knew her name, but the woman NEVER mistreated her, but she did not remembered being hugged or kissed.
        Two years later in the fall of 1944 her mother came and got her (she would never see that woman again). They went to get her sister from the isolation ward she had layed in for two years, she had to learn how to walk all over again. Her brother had already found his way back to the house where they had lived. When the concentration camps were liberated and people were sent home, marching down the streets all over Belgium. They watched and waited for their father to return home. They later found out that her father perished in the gas chamber in Auschwitz, if it wasn't for him sending Jeannie to the woman's she would have met her fate in the gas chambers with her father. That's where they often sent the children upon arrival.
      After the war as you can imagine they were very poor and their mother struggled to provide for them. Then when Jeannie was ten years old her mother contracted Breast Cancer, she underwent surgery, but it was too late the cancer spread all over her body. A few months later  in February 1945, her mother lost her fight with cancer at the age of forty five. Jeannie was just ten, she was sent to live with her older sister. In March 1950 the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, was having their 50th anniversary her sister went to the United States, this later resulted in their adoption to the Salvages in America. She was twelve only weighed 62lbs, had never been on a plane, and didn't speak any English. So you could only imagine the thoughts going through her head on that eight-teen hour flight. Soon she arrived and started her new life with the Salvages' in America.

Jeannie Burk present day

         Jeannie married when she was young and had two children both boys, later she was divorced and was alone for a long time. Then in 1970 she remarried and brought together to families, she now has six children and nine grandchildren. She now works as a secertary in America and takes care of her family. She barley talks about their life in Belgium and for the first time saw her father's name in the concentration camp records in Philadelphia.
        Anyone can be a survivor, practically everyone is a survivor in one way or another if its surviving death, or just surviving another day at work. But Jeannie is a different kind of survivor she has went through more things than any of us can even fathom, what it means to be a survivor, in the dictionary its a person who survives, but in heart it is a person who continues to function, or prosper in spite of set backs and hardship. What it means to me to be a survivor is to keep going live life cause everyday is a struggle to survive if its putting food on the table, finding a job, or attending school. If you make ii to tomorrow pat yourself on the back because your an inspiration and a hero. So keep living and surviving. While you do it don't forget to keep reading my blog.
       If you want to read more about Jeannie's story or many others just follow my link. HTTP://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/