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Helga Weiss was born on November 10, 1929. She was 12 years old when she was sent to the Terezin ghetto. Before that she and her family used to live in Prague. Her father Otto Weiss worked as a bank clerk in Prague while her mother Irena Weiss worked as a dressmaker. When Helga was 10 years old all the Jewish kids were expelled from schools, some would take tutoring in apartment buildings but it didn't last for long because soon after they were sent to the camp. Some of the things she took to the camp were a diary, watercolors, crayons, and sketch pad.

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Helga Weiss first 3 years in the Terezin camp (Act of Resistance) 

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Helga Weiss first 3 years in the Terezin camp (Act of Resistance) 

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2 weeks after Helga's 12th birthday she and her family were sent to a camp when they arrived her father was separated from them as he was sent to the men barracks. After arriving she was also separated from her mother and went to a children's home where it was slightly better. She was able to make many friends all of them trying to ignore what was truly happening and just "stay human". In September 1944 5,000 men including her father were sent to build a new ghetto they said their goodbyes and never saw him again. In her 3 years of being in the Terezin camp she had drawn over 100 drawings of the things she would see on a daily. So, 3 days after that she gave her fathers poetry, her drawings, and diary to her uncle where he hid them in some bricked walls.

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Helga Weiss drew this as she saw people scavenging for Food in the Barracks Yard; July 11 1943

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Helga Weiss drew this as she saw people scavenging for Food in the Barracks Yard; July 11 1943

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Auschwitz and Freiberg (Act of Resistance)

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Auschwitz and Freiberg (Act of Resistance)

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As soon as Helga and her mother arrived in Auschwitz they saw how SS officers were separating people, the ones who would be too young or old would be sent to the left, and the healthier or who had more capability to work would be sent to the right. She and her mother had to lie about their age so they could pass selections. Helga says that 10 days in Auschwitz was worst then 3 years in the Terezin camp. She had to suffer from 12 hour shifts with very little food and water, many roll calls and abuse from the guards. After being in Auschwitz they were sent to Freiberg and worked as slave laborers for 5 months.

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“All of us- are crying silently but we don’t let our emotions show”- Helga Weiss

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Final camp Mauthausen (Act of resistance)

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Final camp Mauthausen (Act of resistance)

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To get to this camp they had to join the 16-day "Death march" to the camp of Mauthausen. The camps conditions were really bad , it was dirty, had food shortages, and was overcrowded that diseases would spread fast. For 4 days straight she says they only had 2 potatoes, half a cup of tea, and 2 spoons of sugar for them to eat. Her mother was in really bad conditions and they both were suffering with lice, frostbite, and raging thirst. During this time people were starting to hear that the war was about to end many women escaped, but Helga couldn't risk her mother getting worst or not even arriving so she decided to stay in the camp. When the camp had heard that Berlin was overcome they went on 5 days without food. Until finally on May 5th, 1945 the camp was released by allied forces.

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When they were finally released they returned back to Prague and were able to get their apartment back. They also began to look for Otto, sadly they couldn't find out anything about him. Irena did not want to believe that he was dead but after an year the certificates were sent out. Irena never remarried while Helga did marry a while after, they all lived together and Irena helped take care of her grandchildren. Irena Weiss died when she was 84 years old. Helga’s daughter said that she never saw Irena smile, “ I never thought about it but maybe she didn't. Maybe she had no reason.”

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Helga Weiss had always had a very big passion for art and literature. Her father was a musician he tired to influence her into it but it was clear that it wasn't for her. He always supported her especially after he had seen the first drawing she sent to him when they were in the Terezin camp. This drawing included kids playing in the snow building a snowman it was one of the very few happy drawings she had ever drawn. Otto Weiss had told Helga to "draw what you see" so she did. Her art allowed us to see what she wrote in her diary. Some of her drawings included lice, bed bugs, a girl with tuberculoses, people on stretchers, and many more bad things.

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When Helga arrived to the Terezin camp she was sent to a children's home. She stayed in a room with girls around the same age as her, she says it was slightly better and that they "tried to stay human beings and be young." They would try their best to have fun by celebrating birthdays, religious holidays, and danced. The group also managed to make potato gateau from food they saved. One of the happy drawings Helga drew was about the girls gathering around food.

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She also drew this to show how the people transported as they were leaving Terezin, 1943.

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She also drew this to show how the people transported as they were leaving Terezin, 1943.

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RAILWAYS OF THE HOLOCAUST - HELGA'S STORY