Anastasia

Elly Berkovits Gross: Her True Story

Elly Berkovits Gross was born in Simleu Silvani Romania to a Jewish family. When she was little, she had always enjoyed playing in the river outside of her house. Often, Elly would visit her grandmother in another town.

Soon, Elly gained a brother named Adalbert. Elly was living a good life and did not realize what was going to happen to her later on in life. Quickly, Adolph Hitler began to rise in power. A million rules and curfews were put down for the Jews to follow. Some of these were that they had to wear a yellow star on their clothing. The Jews also had a set curfew time.

One day, Elly’s father was deported to a work camp and was placed in a trailer with a group of Jewish men. The Nazis poured gasoline over the trailer and set it on fire. Elly’s father was gone.

After his death, Elly, Adalbert, and their mom were also deported. Adalbert and Elly’s mom were murdered on arrival. Elly was not. When Elly arrived, she was placed in a barrack with a multitude of other people. The conditions were terrible and living was hard. Every morning, Elly and the others would have to report for role call. At this time, the SS men would pick the weakest and unhealthiest and send them to their deaths.

One role call, Elly fainted, but was saved by a Germen worker at the camp. In other words, this kind - hearted woman saved Elly’s life. Elly was deported from the present camp she was in to a factory where she was put to work. The paint fumes made her sick and gave her bleeding gums. However, Elly never lost hope.

Elly was liberated. She stayed with a few other liberated prisinors at a soldier's camp. All members of her family were dead and she wondered aimlessly through her old town. However, she soon met her future husband, Ernest Gross and they had two children. The family now lives in the United States of America.

Elly Berkovits Gross wrote a book about her time in the concentration camps and still continues to spread the word of what happened to her.

For more information on Elly, visit: [|http://www] @http://www.ellygross.com/[|.ellygross.com/] If you click on the picture below, that will also take you to Elly's cite