Dust covered the sky on this day, causing my eyes to burn with such intensity I began to cry. We knew it was going to happen, but not so soon. Without warning gun fire erupted around us. I felt my father’s weight pull me to the ground with him. His hand kept its grip until the last amount of his life was taken. At that point my eyes had cleared and I had the horrific image of my father lifeless, branded into my mind. I stopped crying, I didn’t know how to react. Faintly at first, I heard a voice in the back ground. Just as I began to acknowledge the voice a hand forcefully grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to the side. The Nazi soldier started to shout at me without reason. Telling me I needed to go to the trucks instead of standing around useless. I nodded my head and made my way to the truck. I must have caught the eye of one of the others, because he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back halfheartedly and kept walking. Of course, as fate would have it, we ended up in the same truck and of course, he tried to strike up a conversation. I just nodded my head and looked at him. He asked me if I knew why we were labeled with the Star of David. I just looked at him for a moment to ponder on the question, but came up with no answer. He told me they were on our arms to signify that we are Jewish and in the eyes of the German’s we have no reason to be on this earth. All I could do is stare at him without a way to react.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you young man, but this is the truth and we must accept it to continue to survive.”

I did not reply. His voice replayed over and over in my mind telling that I have no reason to be here. What does God think of this monstrosity? I asked myself. I do not understand why such things are allowed to happen. We are his people right? Abruptly we came to a stop and the men rushed from the truck and began firing their weapons. I could not recognize the uniforms of the men shooting at the Nazis; until I looked at the flag on the hummer coming at us.

“It’s the Americans!!!!!” I heard over the deafening gun fire.

I remained were I was and watch the Nazi soldiers fall one by one. Then one of the Americans opened the back gate to the truck and told us to get into the hummer for safety. I quietly obliged and ran to the vehicle with a grin on my face.