September 2nd, 1939.
My name is Daniel. I'm in a train that's headed to a Jew prison camp. The Germans sent us here, thinking that we didn't matter. That we weren't the "Proper German." We'll show them one day. We'll show Hitler and the Germans that we do matter. Little that I know that that day, was today.
"Daniel," said my little sister, Judith. "do you think that we're going to die?" she asked. I thought about what to say, then said, "Yes Judith, I know that we're all going to die. But we'd be in a better place than were we are now; where Jews aren't welcome. Where we'll be going, Jews will be honored, I'm sure of it." I said. At first she looked scared, which I could understand, but then she went back to being curious.
"Dad, are we there yet?" I asked. My dad's name was Davis, and my mom's Mary. "I think we're close, son." he replied. I thought of what would happen once we got there. Most of the people said that they gassed you, but maybe they'll shoot or stab us, choke us, or drown us. I tried not to think about it.
I started looking through my bag. We sneaked in some stuff just in case we needed it. I brought some food, my favorite book, my old stuffed animal from when I was a baby, and, what's this? My old dagger! I didn't think about it! We could escape!
"Mom, Dad! I brought a dagger! We can escape!" I said. Mom said, "Daniel, there are lots of them, and they all have guns. They'll kill you before you've taken your fifth step." "Well, they're going to kill us anyway, why not try?" I asked. "Because, there are worse things than death." my dad said. I knew that, he's told me stories of when he was in the army, and they sometimes tortured enemy soldiers. I could not get captured, or killed. I needed to make up a plan.
I didn't have enough time, because about a minute later, the train stopped. The doors opened, and we hopped out. A German soldier walked up to us, and told us to go to the building about twenty feet away. That's where we'll all be killed. I could not let them win; it's bad enough that they treated us badly, but they will not get rid of us. I must survive.
I didn't know what compelled me to do so, but I suddenly turned around to the German walking behind us, and slit his throat. Judith and Mom both screamed. I grabbed the dead man's gun, and killed four Germans advancing towards us.
I then saw that there was two more Nazis running towards me. I shot one of them, then grabbed my dagger and threw it at the other. When he died, I ran to him, and grabbed my dagger.
Then I heard one of the soldiers yell out, "Angreifen!" He then turned to my mom, dad, and sister, and killed all of them. "No!" I yelled, aimed the Kar98k, and killed him. I ran up to my dead family. My mom and sister were both dead, and my dad was bleeding so much that blood was coming out of his mouth. "Daniel, do me a favor. Make sure, that all the Jewish people of Germany, no, the world, did not die in vain. Make sure that we'll be remembered. Will you do that for me?" he asked. With tears in my eyes, I nodded. He then closed his eyes, and died.
"Du!" one of the Nazis yelled. My eyes stung with tears, but I know I had no choice. I ran away. But I would never forget what the Nazis did to my family. Adolph Hitler, my target, will fall.
Definitions, German to English:
Angreifen! – Attack!
Du! – Hey!
