The Midwife of Auschwitz

After a journey of 250 kilometers, the carts arrive at Łơdź. Along the way, the travelers enjoyed greetings, food, and companionship with ordinary citizens, many of whom wanted to hear about their experiences in Birkenau. Łơdź is intact, not having suffered bombardment. Ester meets a group of Hassidim, who tell her where to go to get help from the Central Committee of Polish Jews in finding her surviving family members. Ester tells Ana she will remain with her as she searches for her family. Ester says, “You are not a Jew, this was not your fight, and yet you made it yours. You gave us help in the ghetto and hope in the camp. I will never forget that, and I want to see you safely back to your family in return” (299). Ana feels afraid to knock on her door, so Ester knocks. Her eldest son, Bron, answers it. Quickly, her other sons, Zander and Jakub, join them on the steps. They tell Ana that Bartek died as a leader of the Warsaw uprising.

For two weeks, Ester, who lives with Ana’s family, goes to the Jewish center to search for information about her family. Like many others, she posts a note to Filip with her location.