Seven Dwarfs

       More Letters From Paradise
             Seven Dwarfs

While looking at the books on the Sale table, I came upon a copy of "Giants," by Yehudi Koren and Eilat Negev, published in 2013. It's sub-title "The Dwarfs of Auschwitz." As a history major and teacher I was very interested, and it was only eight bucks.

I had read a great deal about the slaughter of European Jews, and once visited Dachau concentration camp, and I felt that I knew a great deal about the most famous death camp Auschwitz. But I never knew about the dwarfs of Auschwitz.

Ten children were born to the Ovitz family in the tiny village of Rozalaea, Hungary. Seven of the ten children were dwarfs. This Orthodox Jewish family became known as the "Lilliput Troupe." They were actors, singers, and dancers, and they performed all over Eastern Europe in the 1930's and 40's.

Touring came from an end in 1944, when they were shipped on a transport of 3,500 Jews to the death camp Auschwitz. Upon arrival selection began. Women, children and babies to the left, and men to the right. All of those on the left were soon killed in the gas chambers. Those men on the right were again selected, weak or old men were sent to their death. The remaining ones were tattooed, shaved of all body hair, showered with cold water, issued striped clothing, and became slave labor. Fewer than 400 men were left of the original 3,500 Jews.    

The railroad platform was empty, with only the dwarf family remaining.Dr. Joseph Mengele, the "Angel of Death," obsessed with eugenics, was sent for. He was delighted, here was a whole family he could use to test test his racial theories. The family members all underwent the painful process of being tattooed on their left forearm, and were housed in a special section of a barracks.

From that time until their liberation by the Russian Army, they were daily subjected to medical tests of the most horrible kind. So much blood was so often drawn, causing the person to pass-out. Measurements were taken, photographs, X rays, bone marrow samples, boiling water poured in ears and frozen water also. Liquids applied to eyes, and eye lashes plucked. Day after day, living in fear that they too would be sent to the gas chambers. But strange to say, Dr. Mengele was fond of the dwarfs, and encouraged them to dress in their finest costumes. He fondled them as if they were pet dolls. And all the while asking about their family history, and drawing up a family tree.

One vivid memory recalled by the surviving member of the the troupe, Perla Ovitz, was when Dr. Mengele ordered them to dress in their best, and were taken by truck to a large hall where they were told to stand across the stage and undress before the assembled crowd. Dr. Mengele then pointed and prodded each person, while showing a large geology sheet.

Meanwhile the war was winding down, and the Russian Army was closing in. Bodies that had not yet been cremated were thrown into a huge hole, crematoriums were blown up in an attempt to cover up their crimes.

When liberated the Ovitz family were alive. Their survival was due to "through thick and thin, never separate, stick together, guard each other, and live for another."

After much difficulty the family returned home only to find that neighbors had looted their property, and refused to return stolen goods. The family had hidden some valuables and these were dug up. Nothing was left for them. And the only country welcoming them was Belgium. They resumed touring, but growing old, they split up, some going to America, and others to the new state of Israel.

Mengele fled to Argentina using the false name Helmut Gregor. In 1959 a warrant for his arrest was issued. In April 1960 Israeli secret agents found both Adolph Eichmann and Mengele, but it was thought that Eichman was the most important Nazi of the two, and Mengele escaped. Eichmann was brought to Jerusalem for trial and hanged.

Mengele moved to Brazil, using false identities.  Mengele's son, Rolf, issued a statement that on 7 February 1979, his father had suffered a stroke while swimming and had drowned. Mengele had been on the run for thirty years.

I could have written about the many cruel experiments conducted by Mengele, but I chose instead to try and focus on the Ovitz family.

     Aloha
     Grant

Something Super

      More Letters From Paradise
          Something Super

Everyone who goes to a play or even a movie, realizes that the production relies on people around the stars called "extras." Their job is to make scenes realistic. In the production of an opera, those men who play a part on the stage are known as supernumeraries, or supers for short.  Sometimes they are jokingly called spear carriers.  They work with and around the major singers. They neither sing or have a speaking part. Dressed in the period of the opera, they play a vital role. But alas, they receive no recognition whatsoever.

Imagine my surprise to discover a man who works in our building named Karl Sofge,who was a Supernumerarie with the Metropolitan Opera in New York! The following is a conversation I had with him recently.

"Karl, how in the world did you become a super at the Met?"

"My sister sings in the chorus, she got me the job."

"How many seasons did you work at the Met?"

"Five and a half."

"In how many operas were you a super?"

"I guess at least sixteen, but there were many repeats."

"Old war horses, standard favorites I guess."

"Yeah, you're right."

"What opera do you  remember the best, and what did you do?"

"It was Puccini's "Turindot, the cruel Chinese princess.   I had to carry this big heavy thing that wanted to swing and sway. It was like a great big lollipop."

"Were you ever in my favorite, "La Boheme?"

"I was a guy who moved through the crowd during the end of act one, the Christmas scene, and made like I was picking people's pockets."

"I know that there are sometimes when things go very wrong.  Do you remember any?"

"Oh there were so many.   Like the super who was supposed to hold the scabbard for a sword which would be drawn by the singer, and when he did draw the sward he lost his grip and the sword went clattering across the stage."

"How about another one."

"Well, during the grand march across the stage in Aida, a super was wearing bright new white sneakers under his too short robe."

"Back stage a voice came over the intercom, "Bob call 244" "Bob was the guy who was the head of the supers.  And every super heard a call like that."

"You said something about  the super who was supposed to hold up something and his sleeve was too
short and showed a bright green watchband."

"Yeah that happened."

"How long was the Met season?"

"We began rehearsals in August and ended in late March."

"How were you paid?"

"I got only ten dollars an hour, because I was not a member of the union."

"The core supers who had been around for a long time were better paid and drew unemployment during the summer."

"That must have hurt."

"I think I made only $5,000. per season. But don't get me wrong, I loved the work."

"You said that there was some taunting by the stage hands."

"Yeah, some guy would say,"You look pretty in that costume, maybe you could take it home, things like that. They were all the time making cracks like that.  I came to call them the "Alien Race."

"Speaking of costumes. There are pictures of you in so many costumes. What was your favorite?"

"I was a devil in "Faust" and wore a custom-fit costume."

"You said that you lived in the Bronx, and received a phone call on 911 not to come in for work."

"It was pretty terrible. There was dust in the air and the smell. The subway shut down.  People where I lived placed candles on the doorsteps. One candle for each person who was killed. Sometimes there were many candles at the front of a building."

"But turning back to your life as a super, would you do it again?"

"I would do it again in a minute."

"How about another time you recall?"

"Well there were times when there was silence on the stage and someone farted.  It was difficult to keep from giggling. I have programs and more pictures I could show you"

"Thanks, Karl, I would like to see them."

     Aloha
     Grant