A Child in Auschwitz - The Story of Palo (Yaakov) Shelah

Palo (Yaakov) Shelah was born in Czechoslovakia in 1938, to Arthur and Jolan Schlezinger. With the beginning of deportations of Slovak Jews in 1942, his family moved to the city of Nitra, where his father worked in a brick factory which served as a labor camp. Later his parents were caught and taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Palo, then six years old, and brother Shmulik, aged ten, hid in the factory for a time. They then marched tens of miles until reaching a farm owned by their relatives. After remaining there on their own for a month, they were caught, sent to Sereď concentration camp and from there to Auschwitz-Birkenau in early November 1944. They were released in January 1945. Palo immigrated to Israel in 1949, settled in the Gan Shmuel kibbutz, married Nira, and started a family.

[@janepopplewell5647]

Lovely, lovely man. How lucky his family is to have such an exceptional man as head of the family. Blessings to all.

[@tessaadie659]

Wow and wow, what a story and told without a trace of bitterness. At times throughout his story you can see the hand of an angel. My birthday is also Sepember 3rd but a few years later, 1953 and throughout my life, despite not being Jewish, I have had a constant fascination with people who escaped the camps, or survived them. I had never discussed it with my adoptive daughter but at age 10 I found her watching all she could on tv. He is an amazing man and I hope his family are enjoying his legacy of non bitterness and hatred.

[@Adnaan98-ONIIL]

😂 wow and my birthday is 3rd September 1991 it most be the best day of the year to be born.

[@kindz]

@@Adnaan98-ONIIL Your birth makes the day special. 🙂 God bless & keep you safe, always.

[@kimberlygarrish205]

When I first started to read books about the Holocaust, I came across a saying from an unknown Holocaust survivor......"The best revenge, to survive". I have never forgotten that saying because it was so very true.

[@nicoles7872]

I think it was Kitty Hart-Moxon who said that!! She certainly believed that while in Auschwitz 👍

[@brera2434]

...and live a happy life, and have children and grandchildren.

[@terminallumbago6465]

Every day those survivors continue to live and have families, they win.

[@Historia0348]

@@nicoles7872 Does Kitty Hart accept fan mail?

[@Yerpompous]

Yes and the ones who did not have their tattoo number’s removed didn’t because they said it’s a badge of survival. ❤

[@pragyamajumder1364]

How elegantly narrated, Totally inspirational for all of us no matter where we are. Salute!

[@tryingndoing]

My heart breaks for the terrorized mothers who survived, barely, torn up psychologically, losing their minds over worrying about their babies... not to mention constant starvation and dehydration. Evil will always be around us, yes. But being silent and not doing anything about this evil is evil personified, too.

[@linda-louiseanthony1979]

Excellent story. The best revenge to survive and have a large family. With no bitterness in his heart. An exceptional human being. ❤️🇦🇺🥰

[@Hope-qi4bf]

What a beautiful story of survival. God has Blessed this Family.

[@moshechaim6493]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6LLo6apa9Nlfa8

[@nicoles7872]

Where was god for the other 5,000,000 + Jews?

[@Hope-qi4bf]

@@nicoles7872 God will avenge the murder of the Jews. Not man.

[@frosch-lf4uu]

@@nicoles7872 Gott ist keine Person, sondern ein Prinzip. Das Prinzip Liebe

[@courtneypattison4269]

@@nicoles7872 IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. JESUS CHRIST GIVES US ALL FREE WILL. IF EVIL HURTS PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT GODS FAULT. ALSO, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW HIM AND HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE WITH OUR GOD JESUS CHRIST. GOD BLESS YOU AND EVERYONE ALWAYS. ❤️🙌🙏

[@yonat-admoni]

תודה רבה חזק ואמץ!!, ותודה ליד ושם. איש מדהים, אמיץ, ונדיר. תודה רבה!!

[@wildmountainthyme4123]

Such an inspiring story! God bless this beautiful family!

[@LisaRichards_123]

What a story. How proud those brothers must have made their parents.

[@Asger21]

Thank you so much for sharing your story. It touched my heart deeply🙏.

[@happycook6737]

Thank you for sharing your story. We will never forget.

[@valeg8026]

The biggest revenge…a large family ♥️

[@kimberlygarrish205]

When I first started to read books about the Holocaust, I came across a saying from an unknown Holocaust survivor......"The best revenge, to survive". I have never forgotten that saying because it was so very true.

[@MrCrowebobby]

Well, that young soldier was one good German. This man is one year older than I am, so I could definitely have lived through the same experience.

[@gigieyre]

Amazing!! So thankful he survived and we can hear his story.

[@filiperiksson9208]

An amazing story and an amazing person. He is very good at telling what happened. He really makes it interesting to listen. Very touching.

[@lesleyhubble2976]

This was truly an amazing story of survival, so happy to see the generations here because of there parents and grandparents will to live. The story of the aunt leaving them behind disturbed me

[@zwijntje3010]

Who are we to judge??? 😭💜🇮🇱✡️🙏🏻

[@seemarajderkar3019]

A very touching story of untold hardships, courage, fight for survival and success!! Palo and his family were really lucky to survive the ruthless conditions of the war, they were reunited and later lived a peaceful life. Palo must be 87 now. Hats off, to this kind, softspoken , gentleman!!

[@Neilsowards]

Hearing stories like this is one of the reasons I have felt impelled to sponsor refugees (in the 1990s) and asylum seekers. I am the same age as Palo. I hope that by sponsoring, I can contribute to bettering the world. I highly recommend sponsoring asylum seekers. It is very rewarding to do that and many sponsors are needed.

[@beadbird]

What a miracle this story is. Mazel Tov!

[@helenh493]

I agree with "K". and also to move forward in life. Living your life to its fullest. They didn't just survive and stayed stuck in the past, in that never ending nightmare of Hell.. but they moved forward with purpose, and with love, and they rebuilt their family, as he did, his own family, years later. Bless these young boys, Palo and his brother for the hardships they had to endure at such young ages, ungodly hard work, little to no food, filth and disease, and their guards.. a terrible hardship to survive. But they made-it. and that was their revenge... Life, and living their lives.

[@thisis4real85]

Im addicted to these Yad Vashem vids. There is no action movie with as much drama packed into it as these harrowing stories of survival. While many showed fortitude and resilience alot of their fate really came down to luck. For example not being captured with their parents where the boys and their mother surely would have been sent to the gas chamber. So glad they lived to tell the tale and not only survived but thrived!!!

[@jacovawernett3077]

Very loving man. L'chaim. Even when I think of the Holocaust I get mad at God. He can it bear while I cry. German was my first language. Aus Hamburg. I was born March 11th in a Bethlehem. Schlama means peace. Malkuth means Heaven. Hubba means love. All to you.

[@conniehiggins3406]

Being mad at G-d Is not uncommon. It is better than having no relationship with Him at all. Do you tell Him that you are angry? May I suggest that you take it to Him? I believe that HaShem will understand. 🙏

[@zwijntje3010]

Shalom from the Netherlands!!! 😭💜🇮🇱✡️🙏🏻

[@jacovawernett3077]

@@zwijntje3010 Danke schone. Ich liebe dich. I now live in Hollywood. I mostly work for Gott aka God and film editing. Coincidentally I worked on the editing of the film Jacob's Ladder with Tim Robbins. A very existential film from the 90's. I laughed almost everyday at work since my Hebrew name Jacova is the female form of Jacob. God has a fantastic sense of humor. You have brought a smile and laughter to my heart.

[@zwijntje3010]

@@jacovawernett3077 Thank you so much, dear Jacova!!!! How very sweet off you to react. What an inspirational life you live! Did you know the real Yacov? What a fantastic man, what a beautiful family he has. I love you so much, dear Jacova, never forget this, I love Israël, and I love the Jewish people! A big hug for you, Shalom, your girlfriend Lin from the Netherlands 😘💜🇮🇱✡️🫶🏻💋🫶🏻💋🫶🏻💋🥀🙏🏻

[@hildapangos9579]

Touching story

[@moshechaim6493]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6LLo6apa9Nlfa8

[@honeybeebadger]

Bless you Palo

[@MadderMel]

God Bless all these so very brave people !!

[@donaldcoleman514]

What god are you talking about the God of the bible says revelation 2:9 I know your works tribulation and poverty but you are rich and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are jews and are not but are a synagogue of satan

[@MadderMel]

Your problem is NOT important !

[@DS-dy7ld]

Amazing story of survival. After seeing a lot of WW2 holocaust vieos. I felt where was God when such barbarism was happening to Jews and some other communities but after deep thought I feel today the jews are one of the most successful people in the world and God is taking care of them. Love ❤️ from India to you all and God be with all of us.

[@nicoles7872]

Good point!

[@marit4241]

God was always there, but men have freedom to do bad and good things. But if we see it closer, God was there when this german soldier took the boys out of the march, when their mother could see them and probably have the strengh to keep going, when they got to hide and arrive at the camp almost in the end of the war, when the jew police took them out of the mess. And there are many more stories when we can see that, if the devil was in SS hearts, God was in the hearts of every person who helped and kept their faith inside and out of a camp.

[@zwijntje3010]

​@@marit4241It was their destiny! If there was a God, why he didn't do nothing, that had to be a tiny thing to him? Why let God those horrible things happened???

[@marit4241]

@@zwijntje3010 As I have said before, God was in evey person who helped each other in the camp, every miracle, every person who sacrified for each other (you can look for Maximillian Kolbe and many others). Besides, God gives us the freedom to act, that means if terrible people want to do horrible things with others, they will do, because they don't see this as a sin. Although it does not means this person will not be punished by God later. We are not puppets in this world. God listens to us, if we talk to Him. Each testimony of Holocaust is a proof that He was there , that there were miracles, people surviving in horrible circunstances and surviving because a friend, a person of the family and even an unkown person helped and choose the good, not the evil or the indifference. If you read the book about the 999 women who were sent to the camp, you will see many examples of this also, even between people who were not religious.

[@ericahalmai8490]

amazing men, God bless & his family 🇦🇺🍀🙏💕

[@goutvols103]

Incredible survival story especially when he indicated that a guard kept him and his brother out of the death march.

[@magicmoments6899]

i just binge watching all this stories,and still couldnt get ,hoow on earth can grown ass people,be so mean with childrens????

[@sarahcavazos-nb4ps]

Even in the worst conditions his mother was still able to provide something for her sons. As a mother I have so much admiration for all the parents who still parented while trying to survive. God bless you. Please place your faith in Jesus Christ 💛

[@EMPRESSMU]

Every story don't need a soundtrack. I would like to hear these stories without the suspenseful music, that ridiculous "music is in every single video

[@jackies56tbird]

Thank the Lord.

[@JULIA-e7k]

" BEST REVENGE IS TO SURVIVE " 😂😅❤🎉

[@haileeraestout5567]

Had Palo Arrived Earlier He Would've Not Survived

[@JULIA-e7k]

Frightening😢

[@delwilliams947]

Evil won’t always be with us. Psalms 37: 10,11.

[@QuangLe-nm7ck]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@charitytanel8107]

L'Chaim

[@titisarah09]

I find it kinda funny like odd how he survived partly because he was separated from his parents. 🧐

[@jacquelenbialozynski6671]

Bad times !

[@rufusbayne2230]

Nuns working in an extermination camp? Some one please explain that to me in a way I can understand and believe.

[@wuwkiwan3447]

Some Catholics were sent to concentration camps for hiding Jews

[@rufusbayne2230]

@@wuwkiwan3447 thank you

[@beadbird]

Friend, they were not working there. They were prisoners! Many were Jews who had converted and become Catholics and then Nuns, and were caught and killed. Others were killed because they were caught hiding Jews. There were also Priests who were murdered in concentration camps. A famous example was St. Maximilian Kolbe, who went up to a German officer and offered to exchange his life for the life of a Polish soldier who had just been condemned to death because someone else had escaped. St. Maximilian Kolbe had heroically been tending to all of the other prisoners he could while he was a prisoner before that. Yes, a true Saint! That Polish soldier gave witness to what Fr. Kolbe had done for him and was also present at the ceremony where St. Maximilian Kolbe was canonized!

[@erzonca558]

Many nuns all over Europe were hiding Jewish children. Some were caught... Fortunately many survived (nuns and children) to give us testimonies.

[@Cat-ik1wo]

Noticed it too. But, the Vatican pope was also in league with Hitler. I can yet can't get over that. That is evil personified. I don't think I want to be Catholic anymore, they have done too much evil thruout history. How does one make amends with that?! It is as if they too are fascist. Nazi in a different uniform.

[@quarto79]

Hazak

[@thomasbowden3746]

I have wondered if this was even possible, I am emotionally excited to learn of Palo and his life story!

[@richardmckelvey4343]

can anyone even know what they went through. This should be a movie.