The Midwife of Auschwitz

“Because this is war, Ester; The moment I heard it, the moment I thought of soldiers and guns and an enemy marching into our city, I could only think of one thing—that it might rob me of you. And then I thought how ridiculous it was that I’d already wasted twenty-three and a half hours of every day of this summer not with you and I couldn’t bear to waste another half an hour more. So, Ester, will you?”

Although it was truly love at first sight for the two young people, Filip and Ester proceeded slowly in their relationship until this moment on September 1, 1939, when they learned that Germany invaded Poland. With the uncertainties of war as the new background of their world, the two divested themselves of all pretenses. Ester is unsure if this is the best or worst day of her life. Six years later, on September 1, 1945, as she lingers on the same cathedral steps, hoping that Filip will return to her, she asks herself the same question: Was agreeing to marry Filip the best or the worst decision of her life? In the next minute, Filip appears.

“Bartek crumpled against a pillar, his head in his hands, and now it was Ana’s turn to wrap an arm around his waist and guide him out with the rest.

‘What did I say?’ He moaned. ‘It was horrible, horrible!’

‘It was bold and brave and it saved the lives of all these people,’ Ana told him.”

Bartek, Ana’s husband and a Polish Christian, steps forward when SS soldiers interrupt a Jewish wedding taking place in a synagogue. He pretends to agree with the Nazis’ intent of destroying any Jewish holy place and suggests to the SS that they herd the attendees into the street to force them to watch their synagogue as the Germans destroy it. Afterward, Bartek feels wracked with guilt over his suggestion, though Ana points out that convincing the Nazis to drive the attendees into the street saved the lives of all those in the building.