In the early months of 1945, in the ending stages of World War II, the Nazis began to predict that they would lose the war, and began to erase all signs of their crime... including the girls.
In the middle of winter the Nazis marched the girls into the woods of Czechoslovakia. A few months earlier, Gerda had coincidentally bumped into her father at camp, her father had told her to wear her ski boots no matter what had happened. Now, Gerda's ski boots had assisted her greatly in surviving the cold winter. Many girls died from frostbite because their shoes were nothing more than tatters of cloth. Had her father known that they would be marched in to the cruel, unforgiving, forests?
At some point during their march, the Nazis decided that they had use for some of the girls elsewhere. The girls were to be separated into two groups, one of which would continue marching, and the other of which would be given food and shelter, though they had to suffer hard labor. Gerda and her friends were not selected.
As the march continued on into the spring of 1945, it became increasingly unbearable, and the girls pondered attempting to escape hard grip of the Nazis. However on the day in which they tried to escape, Suze Kunze decided against it, and as the girls returned to the camp, they heard the agonizing screams of 17 other girls who had other ideas.
Finally as the war was coming to an end, the marching girls were abandoned in an old factory in Volary, Czechoslovakia. Liesel Steppe soon began to fall into extreme depression and insanity, and died soon afterwards. On a bright morning, Gerda was out collecting water when she saw a truck with a white star on it, a white star representing the U.S. army. Liberation! But as soon as she returned to tell her friends of their good will, she found out Suze Kunze had also gone out and died of severe dehydration.
Months later Gerda Weissmann married the soldier who had liberated her, Kurt Klein (who was also a Jew who had fled Europe during the holocaust and joined the United States army), living a happy marriage for 59 years, Kurt died in 2002.
However, we will forever remember the devastating effect of the Death March, killing over 2, 000 young girls, one of whom was Gerda.
In the middle of winter the Nazis marched the girls into the woods of Czechoslovakia. A few months earlier, Gerda had coincidentally bumped into her father at camp, her father had told her to wear her ski boots no matter what had happened. Now, Gerda's ski boots had assisted her greatly in surviving the cold winter. Many girls died from frostbite because their shoes were nothing more than tatters of cloth. Had her father known that they would be marched in to the cruel, unforgiving, forests?
At some point during their march, the Nazis decided that they had use for some of the girls elsewhere. The girls were to be separated into two groups, one of which would continue marching, and the other of which would be given food and shelter, though they had to suffer hard labor. Gerda and her friends were not selected.
As the march continued on into the spring of 1945, it became increasingly unbearable, and the girls pondered attempting to escape hard grip of the Nazis. However on the day in which they tried to escape, Suze Kunze decided against it, and as the girls returned to the camp, they heard the agonizing screams of 17 other girls who had other ideas.
Finally as the war was coming to an end, the marching girls were abandoned in an old factory in Volary, Czechoslovakia. Liesel Steppe soon began to fall into extreme depression and insanity, and died soon afterwards. On a bright morning, Gerda was out collecting water when she saw a truck with a white star on it, a white star representing the U.S. army. Liberation! But as soon as she returned to tell her friends of their good will, she found out Suze Kunze had also gone out and died of severe dehydration.
Months later Gerda Weissmann married the soldier who had liberated her, Kurt Klein (who was also a Jew who had fled Europe during the holocaust and joined the United States army), living a happy marriage for 59 years, Kurt died in 2002.
However, we will forever remember the devastating effect of the Death March, killing over 2, 000 young girls, one of whom was Gerda.