As the Allies liberated many of the concentration camps that fell within Nazi occupied territory,
they found the true horror of the Third Reich. At camps such as Bergen Belsen, thousands
had been left to fend for themselves with no food, little water and corpses and disease
surrounding them. The largest concentration camp was Auschwitz, and it’s estimated that
over a million died within the barbed wire fences. It was divided into three main camps,
Auschwitz I the main slave labour element, Auschwitz II Birkenau the extermination centre
and Auschwitz III Monowitz, the IG Farben factory.
Escaping from Auschwitz was virtually impossible, but there was one woman who managed to escape
the horrific camp, but was later recaptured and was executed in horrific fashion. Mala
Zimetbaum’s death was incredibly brutal, but some elements to it are still debated.
She was an incredible woman, who’s story deserves to be told. So join us today as we
look at, ‘The HORRIFIC Execution Of Mala Zimetbaum.’ Remember to support our channel,
please make sure to subscribe.
Mala Zimetbaum was born in Poland in 1918 into a large family, being the youngest child.
Her family moved to Belgium when she was ten, and it was noted she was rather intelligent
being skilled in maths and foreign languages. Her father lost his eyesight becoming blind,
and with the family needing money Mala left school and worked in a diamond factory to
support the family. However as the Second World War emerged in 1939 after the Nazi invasion
of Poland, it looked more than likely that Hitler would also turn his attention to Belgium.
Mala was of Polish Jewish decent, so when Hitler turned his attention to Belgium, life
was very dangerous for her.
The Nazis in Belgium took part in a number of Pogroms, especially in Antwerp deporting
Jews and rounding them up to be sent to concentration camps. Mala was caught up in these raids,
and was seized by the Nazis around the 11th September 1942, and was then sent to Mechelen
transit camp. Jews were forced to report here and those who did not were rounded up by the
police. Over 25,000 Jews would find themselves transported from Belgium after being sent
to Mechelen, ending up at camps such as Bergen-Belsen and in particular Auschwitz.
Following a short 3 day stay at Mechelen, she was placed onboard a train, transport
10 which took her to Auschwitz. Upon arriving at the camp, she was forced to undergo selection
and she was chosen to enter the camp, avoiding being sent straight to the gas chambers. She
was registered as prisoner number 19880. She was held inside of Birkenau for around 2 years,
and had an advantage for survival over other prisoners. She spoke many different languages
and worked as an interpreter, but she wished to help other inmates. She tried to arrange
some inmates to get easier work, and she also would warn patients in the camp’s hospital
about upcoming selections. This meant that many would rally from their beds and force
themselves out, meaning their life would be saved as the infirmary was often liquidated.
She also helped smuggle food and medication to those who needed it, and it was seen that
she was a ray of sunshine in the depths of hell that was Auschwitz. Many of the guards
even had respect for her.
Whilst at Auschwitz, she fell in love with a male inmate, Edward Galinski and together
they planned to escape the camp. They worked on a plan, which would also see one of Edward’s
friends escaping. The plan fell through when a pair of SS guard’s uniform trousers were
lost as a disguise. They planned to dress as SS guards and sneak out. However, Galinski
told his friend he and Zimetbaum would try to escape. Mala wished to get out of Auschwitz
as she wanted to tell the Allies the true horrors and mass murder that was occurring
at Auschwitz, and she believed they could help save prisoners lives. The escape for
the pair was planned for Saturday the 24th June 1944 as the guard force was significantly
reduced at the weekends. The plan stated how Galinski would dress up as an SS guard, and
then he would take Mala through the perimeter gate as if he was taking a prison to fix a
sink.
She would be carrying this, and the guards would not bat an eyelid. When they managed
to get clear, they would get rid of the basin and they would pretend to be an SS guard and
a girlfriend out on a stroll. The couple surprisingly managed to pull of the escape plan, and made
it to a town. They hid nearby, and tried to buy bread however at some point a passing
patrol of German soldiers became suspicious and they arrested Mala Zimetbaum. She knew
that she would face execution for the escape, and in an act of true love, Galinski turned
himself in too as he promised Mala that they would not be split up in any way. Together
the couple were taken to the horrific punishment cells at Auschwitz known as Block 11.
This was a very feared part of the camp, and they were separated in cells. Galinski etched
his and Mala’s names and prisoner numbers onto the wall of his cell, and a guard who
was friendly passed notes to each of them. They would communicate via whistling and allegedly
Galinski would sing classical songs near to Mala’s cell window when he was let outside
for exercise. Escaping from Auschwitz or attempting to do so was usually met with bloody reprisals.
If someone from a barrack was found to have escaped, often many of those inside of the
barrack were shot and killed indiscriminately to deter more escapes. Galinski and Mala Zimetbaum
knew that they were to be executed for their plan as it ultimately failed.
As they were caught together, they were executed at the same time. However things went very
different during their execution. They were brought in front of a crowd as executions
were performed publicly to put off the other prisoners. They were both to be hanged, and
were brought to the gallows. Galinski whilst the verdict of death was being read, dramatically
jumped into the noose, however the guards then pulled him back onto the platform. They
wanted him to hear his sentence before he was killed. He shouted to the prisoners from
the step, ‘Long Life Poland,’ and as he said his last word a guard kicked out the
stool from underneath him and he was hanged. The prisoners watching took off their caps
to pay their respect to Galinski, however the guards were furious at this. Whilst this
was happening, Zimetbaum who had been hiding a razor blade in her hair took it out, and
she slit the veins on the inside of her elbows attempting to take her own life rather than
have the Nazis do it for her, in one final act of defiance.
Bleeding heavily, she spoke to the crowd saying they would soon be freed. But there are different
accounts as to what transpired next. It was said by some that she shouted at and slapped
a guard saying she was dying a hero, but the Nazi guard would die a dog. Others said she
shouted at the prisoners to rise up, inciting a revolution and she said it was worth dying
to try and secure their freedom. It was then claimed when she slapped the guard, he then
caught her arm and broke it, and then the SS guards jumped her. She was beaten brutally
by a number of guards who pushed her to the ground, kicked and punched the bleeding Mala,
and then taped her mouth closed.
Maria Mandel, a senior female guard then stated that an order had come straight from Hitler
and the Nazi High Command that Mala Zimetbaum should be burned alive inside the camps crematorium.
She was placed onto a wheelbarrow after she had been beaten savagely, and some said that
she was dead when she was placed onto the barrow. She was taken from the gallows where
she was due to be hanged to the infirmary, and nurses bandaged her arms very slowly,
trying to make her die quickly. She was then taken from the infirmary to the crematorium,
and she told those allegedly that she knew she could have survived. It’s unclear how
she actually died.
Some stated how whilst on the cart she bled to death, and others said that a guard seeing
what had happened decided to put her out of her misery. She was taken in the crematorium
to be burned alive. Some claimed that a guard shot her before she was placed in the crematorium
alive, into the fire, or that she was poisoned. However the prisoners had been told to make
special preparations for Zimetbaum’s death, and with this we can assume that they expected
her to be burned alive. The staff in the crematorium cried as they burned her remains, and then
they told the prisoners what had happened.
The story of Mala Zimetbaum was incredibly sad, as was that of Galinski’s. They dreamed
of escaping the hell on earth that was Auschwitz, and ultimately they both met their end inside
of the camp that caused so much suffering. Mala Zimetbaum was a trusted woman inside
of the camp, and she helped others to survive inside of Auschwitz. She ultimately was savagely
executed at the hands of the evil guards who inflicted some of the worst war crimes the
world had ever seen.
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Once again thanks for watching.