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Dita Kraus

Dita Kraus
Kraus in 1942
Born
Edith Polachová

(1929-07-12) 12 July 1929 (age 95)
Prague, Czechoslovakia
NationalityCzech
Occupation(s)Librarian, teacher, writer
Notable workDita Kraus: A Delayed Life
SpouseOtto B. Kraus
Children3 (2 deceased)
Parents
  • Hans Polach (father)
  • Elisabeth Polach (mother)
RelativesJohann Polach (grandfather)
Websitewww.ditakraus.com

Dita Kraus (Czech: Dita Krausová; born Edith Polachová; 12 July 1929) is a Czech-Israeli teacher, writer and Auschwitz survivor known for being The Auschwitz Librarian.

Early life

Dita Kraus (born Edith Polachová) was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) on 12 July 1929.[1][2] She was the only daughter of Hans Polach and Elisabeth Polach.[3] Her father was a lawyer and her mother was a housewife. She and her parents lived in a rental apartment in U Smaltovny street in Holešovice. Due to the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia the family were forced to move out of their apartment.[3]

The Holocaust years

In November 1942, Kraus and her parents were sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. While there she met her future husband, Otto Kraus.[1]

Dita and her parents were then transported to the East. Their final destination was to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in December 1943. From there, Dita and her parents were immediately separated.[4] Dita's father died at Auschwitz.[5] While in Auschwitz, she and her mother were sent to the women's barracks. Her father died six weeks after their arrival.[2] Upon arrival, her mother soon fell ill and had to be put into isolation. They were placed in the Theresienstadt family camp.[4] The camp contained a children's block which was run by a young sports instructor and Zionist called Fredy Hirsch.[2] Dita had met Hirsch while in Prague. She had also seen him in the Therezin Ghetto where he was running a section for young people and children at the Jewish ghetto management.[5] Dita was responsible for organizing the borrowing and hiding of books, the knowledge of the books was kept a secret.[4]

In 1944, Dita and her mother were sent to Hamburg where they were required to participate in a work camp. From there she was moved to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. Kraus's mother died soon after Bergen-Belsen was disbanded, so Dita was left to return to Prague without either of her parents.[5]

Post war life

After she was liberated from Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, she returned to Prague where she met up again with Otto and they were married.[1] They moved to Israel in 1949, where she taught English.[5] They lived in Beit Yitzhak-Sha'ar Hefer one year and then they moved to a kibbutz where Dita Kraus worked in shoe repair and in the kitchen. After seven years, they moved to Netanya. She still lives in Israel, but often visits the Czech Republic.[6]

Writing

In 2017, Antonio Iturbe published The Librarian of Auschwitz which was based on Kraus' time at Auschwitz.[7] Iturbe's book was based on interviews with Kraus.[8] In 2020 Kraus published her own book, A Delayed Life, which presents the account from her perspective.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Sokol, Sam (25 April 2014). "Six survivors to light torches at Yad Vashem ceremony on Sunday". Jerusalem Post; Jerusalem. p. 6 – via Proquest.
  2. ^ a b c Wojakovski, Nadine (2 May 2019). "Fearing for youth, three Auschwitz survivors say they won't ever stop testifying". www.timesofisrael.com.
  3. ^ a b "Dita Kraus | Holocaust survivor from Prague, Czechoslovakia". The World Holocaust Remembrance Center.
  4. ^ a b c "Dita Kraus". Humans of Tel Aviv. 25 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Wojakovski, Nadine (26 January 2018). "Dita Kraus:The librarian of Auschwitz". The Jewish Chronicle.
  6. ^ "Dita Krausová". Memory of Nations. Post Bellum. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  7. ^ Iturbe, Antonio; Thwaites, Lilit Žekulin (2017). The librarian of Auschwitz (First American ed.). New York: Goodwin Books/Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-62779-618-7.
  8. ^ "Children's Reviews". Publishers Weekly; New York. 264 (35). 28 August 2017 – via Proquest.
  9. ^ Reviews of A Delayed Life
    • Lytton, Charlotte (2020-02-15). "A harrowing tale". Calgary Herald. pp. F9. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
    • Margit, Maya (31 January 2020). "The girl who ran Auschwitz's secret library". Jerusalem Post; Jerusalem. p. 36 – via Proquest.

Further reading

  • Kraus, Dita (2020). A Delayed Life. London: Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 978-1-5291-0605-3.
Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dita_Kraus