Bella Jacubowicz Tovey was born in Sosnowiec, Poland, in 1926. Bella is the eldest of four children. Her survival story begins, like most Jews residing in Poland, in the year 1939. Bella’s father owned a knitting factory, which was quickly taken over by Germans after their invasion of Poland. In Autumn of 1939, the family’s home was invaded by two SS men and a German woman. Bella recollects the German woman walking through their apartment, then approaching the SS men and saying to them, “I like it. All of it.” A day later, people returned with trucks. Again, they barged into the Jakubowicz’ home, but this time, they proceeded to take away all of their furniture. Bella goes on to tell us that later, the German woman sent her family, “an old table, some chairs, some old beds, and a wardrobe.” Bella remarks that she was a very nice lady because she sent them all her old furniture, when she could have left them with nothing. By 1941, her family was moved into the Sosnowiec ghetto. In late 1942, Bella was deported to the Bedzin ghetto, and in Spring 1943, she was put on a wagon and sent to …show more content…
She was 19 years old, and weighed a mere 70 pounds, but she survived. What do I think was critical to her survival? Well, I doubt it was anything supernatural, like so many survivors experienced. I believe Bella’s survival was mostly practicality, with a little bit of luck. For instance, the Jakubowicz family was probably considered very lucky to only have had their furniture taken from their home, and to even have some furniture replaced. Most families were left without any furniture, or even without a home. The fact that they were able to remain in their home for a little while longer could have had a very significant impact on Bella’s survival. If she had spent any more time than she already had in a ghetto or camp, it could have changed her fate all