Were Just People By Bill Tammeus And Jacques Cukierkorn: An Analysis

During the Holocaust, European citizens did not have many options when it came to life itself. They were to abide by the rules implemented by the Nazi’s or be sentenced to death. One of the biggest laws during the Holocaust was not to provide aid and shelter to Jews. Those who did so, their entire family would be killed. Despite this law, very few took on the risk of aiding Jewish people as they believed the Jewish population posed no threat to their community. These were the same Jews who had been neighbors for years. One of the stories found in the novel They Were Just People: Stories of Rescue in Poland During the Holocaust, written by Bill Tammeus and Jacques Cukierkorn, published by the University of Missouri Press in 2009; you read about the numerous choices Zygie Allweiss had to make in order to escape death from the Holocaust.

The two quickly decide to take cover in a neighbors farm (Dudzik’s Farm) and hid inside bales of hay. The two would take any measures needed to escape. “The soldiers hauled out bale after bale, getting closer and closer to the boys who had found refuge with non-Jewish family friends in Czajkowa.” “We most likely would have finished off the German because we had the drop on him (pg 9).” Zygie and Sol; his brother; was ready to shoot the German if their hiding spot was compromised. Later on, the boys find themselves with nowhere to go and decides to locate the concentration camp (Biesiadka) their family was being held and turn themselves in. Shortly after the boys found themselves in the face of death. “A huge hole was dug and this was sure to be the gravesite for the sick. Sol knew that because Zygie had been on the sick list he would be put on the next truckload.” Sol planned for them to run away, but Zygie was too sick to try and escape. Sol made it out