קאווע שטיבל

RECAP OF THE DRAMATIC AND MIRACULOUS RESCUE STORY OF THE SATMAR REBBE FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE NAZIS

In April 1944, the Jews of Satmar (a large town in the then Nazi occupied region of Transylvania Hungary) and its surrounding areas were rounded up into the 'Satmar Ghetto'. i

On the eve before the Jews were forced into the Ghetto, a daring prearranged operation was executed by the Rebbe's people. i

In the dark of the night, the Rebbe -who was a hunted man by the Nazis- was snuck out of Satmar in a truck disguised as a Red Cross ambulance driven by bribed Hungarian policemen. i

The vehicle raced straight towards the Romanian border to escape across the Romanian side. An approximate 3-4 hour ride. i

Unfortunately, the escape attempt failed. After an all-night drive, they were caught and arrested near the border, by Hungarian soldiers and later released into the nearby Klausenburg (k"b) Ghetto, slated for deportation to Auschwitz. i

While sitting in the k"b Ghetto, the Ghetto was emptying out, deporting the k"b Jews to Auschwitz, transport by transport. i

Meanwhile, the Rebbe's supporters in Budapest, who were, since the beginning of the war, involved in various rescue organizations and operations, managed to get the Rebbe on a special list called the 'Kastner Zondar Transport'.i

What is the 'Kastner Zondar Transport'? i

Rezho (Rudolph/Yisroel) Kasztner, a secular Zionist activist from k"b hijacked an elaborate deal the Orthodox Jews had with the Nazis (Eichmann and Wisliceny) to save a million Jews in exchange for money and goods, dubbed as the “Blood For Goods” deal.i

Kesztner and his henchmen injected themselves into the negotiations pushing out the Orthodox Jews and offered Eichmann a far sweeter deal. i

Instead of a million Jews, all he asked was to let go a couple 100 people which included his family and some of his Zionist buddies. In return, he offered Eichmann he'll help ensure the Jews of Hungary stay unaware of the Auschwitz horrors; they stay calm and don't resist deportation to Auschwitz i

In Eichmann's own words at his trial: "This was an offer hard to reject." (Paraphrasing). i

The Orthodox activists, however, managed to stay in the negotiations, because they were the only ones producing the ransom money. Kasztner could not.i

Why? i

Despite the fact that the Zionist organizations around the world had far more resources and means than the Orthodox, nonetheless, the Zionist did not have any desire or will to provide any financial help for any secret deals with the Nazis. i

As a matter of fact, it was the Zionist policy to sabotage all secret negotiations with Nazis done behind the backs of the allies, because doing so was considered espionage against the allies, and in their view, angering the allies would jeopardize their future Jewish State. i

Since 1941 the Zionist had many opportunities to save literally millions of Jews from certain death by providing ransom money, in all instances all pleas and cries fell on deaf ears, stating that nothing can stand in the way of the future Jewish State. i

i (After the war Kastner and the Zionists actions -or lack-thereof, and accusations of Nazi collaboration were put on full display in a dramatic court trial in Israel, known as the 'Kastner Trial'. An Israeli judge ruled that Kastner 'sold his soul to the devil'. i
Shortly after the trial, Kastner was assassinated by a gang outside his home in Tel Aviv. His death is a discussion of controversy to this date, some say it was an inside job by the Israeli government, others say it was simply the job of disgruntled Holocaust victims) i

So the Orthodox activists demanded to include a few hundred Orthodox Rabbi's in the transport, which included the Rebbe, his wife and an aide. i

The Rebbe was very uneasy and suspicious about the whole operation. He could not understand why the Zionists of all people would select him, their arch-nemesis, of so many others. Furthermore, he was very afraid it was just another Nazi trap. i

The idea of Nazis letting Jews go free was unheard of. The Nazis were known to be masters of deception. So initially the Rebbe refused to join the transport. i

Until the Rebbe was assured by his supporters, Rabbi Pinchus Freudiger and Rabbi Chaim Roth that they are fully behind the negotiations and it’s a very legitimate deal. (Relatively, in those days.) So, he reluctantly joined the transport. i

The journey should have taken a week or more to get to freedom in Spain. But that did not happen. All the fears of the Rebbe had, turned out to be true. i

They were not taken to Spain as planned; instead the Nazis kept on demanding more ransom. The train stalled and was diverted to various roundabouts, given all kinds of excuses. i

At some point, the train stopped at some remote location at an Hungarian-Austrian border and was held up for 2 days. Till it was ordered to be taken to Auschwitz! Straight to the gas chambers!i

Eichmann suggested letting the train go to Auschwitz for extermination and replacing it with a new transport. i

In panic, Rabbi Chaim Roth (an activist in Budapest and staunch supporter of the Rebbe) met with Eichmann in Budapest pleading and insisting that this particular group is important to him because the Satmar Rebbe is in it. Rabbi Roth paid again ransom money to Eichmann. i

Evidently, it was only due to the constant intervention of the Orthodox activists, never hesitating to produce as much money as needed, that the entire transport survived. i

So after Rabbi Roth's intervention, was the transport finally sent to freedom? No! The train was actually redirected all the way up north Germany to the notorious concentration camp Bergen-Belsen, very far from any free country in Europe. i

The group was held in a so-called "privileged" area in the camp, languishing for over five long and painful months. i

Until one cold December night, the group was suddenly ordered to pack their belongings and head to the train station. After standing and waiting a few hours in the bitter cold a train arrived and the group boarded. i

The train traveled all night south bound towards the Austria - Swiss border.i
When it reached a few kilometers near the border where they could smell freedom, the train abruptly stalled again! i

A message was sent from the Nazis higher-ups to turn back because the ransom obligations were not 100% fulfilled. Panic erupted! i

Till one passenger told the conductor he should just speed past the border quickly and tell his higher ups that he got the message to turn back after the fact. Astonishingly, the conductor agreed and quickly rushed past the Swiss border to final freedom! i

Just like in the story of the exodus from Egypt: i
In the wee hour of a Thursday morning.i
In a haste.i
The Righteous of our generation, who inexplicably was the one and only person out of literally millions of people whose beard remained untouched, marched through the Austria-Swiss border with raised arms! i

Smack in the faces of his 2 biggest arch nemeses, the Nazis and the Zionists! The culmination of a chain of epic miracles for the ages! i