Abraham Sternberg
Jewish European Refugee
Responses to Fate Cards
Fate 1
1938
The American State Department blocks your parents application for a visa. Soon after they
flee Poland for France, but the likelihood that they will gain entry into the United
States is becoming increasingly remote. What do you and your sister do in response to this
scenario? What steps are left for you to take in an effort to rescue your family?
Response
Yesterday, I received a letter from my parents. They informed us that their Christian
friends, the Kubales, in Poland, had gotten them out of Poland. Our parents were smuggled
out by a train; they were hidden in a freight car. I am very happy that they are alive and
that they got out of Poland, but I am still extremely sad that their visa was denied by
the American State Department. When we left Poland, they promised us that they would soon
follow after, but now the chances are slim. To make matters worse, they are not exactly
safe. At work today, I asked Jacob what I should do about getting my parents over here. He
told me that the only thing I can do is pray. I feel so alone, there is no one for me to
talk to. I wrote to my parents and told them that I was doing okay. That was a big lie
though, I’m not okay. I don’t know what I would do if I never got to see them
again. Eden keeps telling me that, “It’s all part of God’s plan,” but
why would God want me and more importantly, my family, to suffer? - Abe
Fate 2
At your job you overhear discussions about the opening of the concentration camps in
Europe and the "deportation of the Jews to points west." What actions are the
Jewish community in the United States planning and taking? What is your role in this
process?
Response
At my job, I heard some people talking about how concentration camps are being opened in
Europe and that Jews are being sent there. I am very worried about the fate of my family
and friends. How could they escape it? I expressed my concerns wit the member of the
American Jewish Congress. They told me that there is not much they can do. They have begun
to write letters to the president, but they’re not sure how much that will do. I
decided to write a letter to Henry Morgenthau, the secretary of treasury to Roosevelt. I
chose to write to him over Roosevelt because he is Jewish and I think I have a better
chance of getting through to him and having him do something about it. Breckenridge Long,
the assistant secretary of state, is very anti-Semitic and wants to ban all of the Jewish
immigration. I would like Morgenthau to talk to FDR and tell him what the people in his
cabinet have been doing. Hopefully, my letter will have some impact on someone, and maybe
something can be done. Only time can tell what is going to end up happening. Until then, I
will remain very worried but will continue to pray that I got through to someone in the
White House. -Abe
Fate 3
On your way home form work you stop at your mailbox and find an official letter from the
US Government. You open and it reads..."Greetings from the US Government. You have
been called to do your patriotic duty. Please report to your nearest draft board within
the next five days. God bless America." What is your immediate reaction? What and how
do you tell your sister? What do you do to get ready?
Response
Today I got word from the government that I have been drafted into the army. I was so
shocked when I read the news, but it passed quickly because I knew this would happen
sooner or later. Every day when I see these propaganda posters, telling people to fight
for their countries, I always wondered when I would be the one fighting for my country.
The only good side of being drafted is that I can finally feel like I am actually taking
actions that will help my family. I will be able to fight for their freedom and their
lives, so we can all be united together again. I am, however, very upset that I have to
leave Eden and the city I have made my home. I will not be able to work at the American
Jewish Congress anymore, so Eden will have to work ever harder then she had been before. I
hope that God sees the unjustness in this entire war and it will end quickly. -Abe
Fate 4
Information about the Holocaust filtered down to you while you were working for the
American Jewish Congress. The horrifying news only compounded your fears for your parents'
well-being. To make matters worse, your unit participated in the liberation of Auschwitz
and other death camps. What did you see when you first entered the camp? How did you
react? What will you do when you get home?
Response
January 28, 1945 Dear Journal, Today, our unit liberated a concentration camp
– Auschwitz. It was a really horrible experience; everyone is very somber and
won’t talk. When we arrived there, it was bitter cold. There were piles of bodies,
shoes, glasses, and other un-distinguishable things. It was incredibly dirty. There were
some people hiding that we found. They didn’t look like people – more like
ghosts. Their eyes were sunken in, they had tired, mal-nourished faces. I was speechless.
All that I had heard about the death camps and everything from work was nowhere neat the
real truth. I saw Auschwitz. I felt like I had experienced it. I felt my parents’
pain. I felt everyone who had suffered there’s pain. I don’t understand how God
could allow this butchering to go on. I don’t know if I believe in God any longer, I
am on the verge of losing my faith. Now I’m going to go to sleep. This has been an
unforgettable day. One that I wish I could forget. -Abe
Fate 4A
Soon after returning home you receive two pieces of mail from the U.S. government. The
first is from the State Department offering its congratulations that your parents have
been granted visas allowing them to immigrate to the United States. The second, which
arrives a few days later, is a letter of sympathy informing you that your parents were
deported to Auschwitz earlier in the war and they are among the Holocaust victims. How do
you respond to these two pieces of information? What is your opinion of America?
Response
Today, Eden and I received two letters. The first letter was from the State Department and
it said that out parents are finally allowed to immigrate to the United States. When we
read this, Eden and I were thrilled!! We finally felt that we’d be a complete family
again. We felt a reassurance that we’d be able to start a new life with lots of great
opportunities in America. The next letter ended all of our joy. It said that out parents
had been deported to Auschwitz. I cannot believe how awful this is; Eden and I are
devastated. I witnessed the horrible things that go on in the camp, and I now know that
there is no chance of our family ever reuniting again. I do not know what to do and I
don’t know what to say to help comfort Eden. She hasn’t stopped crying since we
opened the letter, I feel horrible. This is the worst thing that has happened. At least
before we had some hope of our family being together again, now all hope has been lost. -
Abe
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THIS INSN'T WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!