The Last Goodbye: Holocaust paintings & poems by Edith Hofmann

Each of the six million men, women and children who died in the Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War was a human being with dreams of their own. The few who survived all had stories to tell of their desperate fight to survive, physically and mentally. Most can never forget the 'Last Goodbye' as they saw loved ones for the last time. In the summer of 1944, with the Russians advancing, the whole Ghetto population of Lodz including Edith Hofmann were herded into cattle trucks and sent to Auschwitz. She was aged only 17 and one of the lucky ones. For the majority it was their final journey. A small group of people were selected for work. So, with her hair shaved off and deprived of all her possessions, she travelled to Kristianstadt, a labour camp in Silesia to work in an underground munitions factory. In January 1945, with the Russians approaching again, she was sent off on a Death March across snow covered Germany to Bavaria. There cattle trucks were waiting for her. Spending a week in crowded conditions without food or water she arrived in Bergen Belsen on 15th March. A month later she was liberated. In 1946, after the liberation and destruction of the death camps, she came to England, studying and becoming a teacher in London. In the 1970s she went to art classes, which inspired her to interpret her memories in a more visual way. Her paintings are reproduced in her book The Last Goodbye, accompanied by some equally powerful and emotive poems. Edith now lives with her husband in Hereford. She has three children and six grandchildren

Table of Contents:
Edith Hofmann 2-3 Entry into the Ghetto 4-5 First Day in the Ghetto 6-7 Waste Disposal, Lodz Ghetto 8 Ghetto Man 9 Ghetto Woman 9 Don't Take My Child! 10-11 They Took My Child 12-13 The Sick Mother 14-15 The Deportation of Children 16-17 Praying for the Dead 18 Save Us O' Lord! 19 Where are you God? 19 The Final Journey - To Auschwitz 20-21 Selection 22-23 Where Have All The Children Gone? 24-25 The Camp of Twins 26-27 Be A Good Boy 28-29 The Last Supper 30-31 Born Equal 32-33 He Was My Friend 34-35 Another Release 36-37 The Last Goodbye 38-39 Why? 40-41 Dresden Burning 42-43 Roll Call 44-45 Where is the World? 46-47 The Dead Stranger - in Belsen 48-49 Liberation Day 50-51 Arbeit Macht Frei - Work Sets You Free 52-53 Homecoming 1 54-55 Homecoming 2 56-57

About the Author :
Edith Hofmann is a survivor of the Holocaust, born in Prague in 1927 as Edith Birkin. In 1941, along with her parents, she was deported to the GBPodA Ghetto, where within a year both her parents had died. At 15 she was left to fend for herself. The GBPodA Ghetto was the second-largest ghetto to Warsaw, and was established for Jews and Gypsies in German-occupied Poland. Situated in the town of GBPodA in Poland and originally intended as a temporary gathering point for Jews, the ghetto was transformed into a major industrial centre, providing much needed supplies for Nazi Germany and especially for the German Army. Because of its remarkable productivity, the ghetto managed to survive until August 1944, when the remaining population, including Edith, was transported to Auschwitz and CheAmno extermination camp in cattle trucks. It was the last ghetto in Poland to be liquidated due to the advancing Russian army. Edith was only 17, and one of the lucky ones. For the majority, it was their final journey. A small group of them were selected for work. With her hair shaved off and deprived of all her possessions, she travelled to Kristianstadt, a labour camp in Silesia, to work in an underground munitions factory. In January 1945, aged 18 and with the Russians approaching again, she was sent off on a death march across snow-covered Germany to Bavaria. There cattle trucks were waiting. After spending a week in crowded conditions without food or water she and her companions arrived in Bergen Belsen on 15th March 1945. A month later they were liberated. In 1946, after the liberation and destruction of the death camps, she came to England to study, eventually becoming a teacher in London. Edith has written 2 books about her experiences, Unshed Tears, a novel and The Last Goodbye, a book of poems and pictures. Edith now lives with her husband in Hereford. She has three children and six grandchildren.