Gender: girl
My Mother, Maria Ludwika Lewy, was born in 1922. She was a close friend of Estusia Abramowicz. They went to Gymnasium (school) together. They were moved into the Lodz, ghetto in 1941 and continued their studies (secretly). When the ghetto was cleared, my mother and Estusia were on the same transport train taking them to Auschwicz, and on to Bergen-Belsen. Eventually they both ended up in the Salzwedel Labor Camp in Germany.
I met Estusia and her husband in 1996 at The Reunion of Former Prisoners of the Salzwedel Labor Camp. My mother and I attended that week-long gathering in Germany. At that time, my mother told me the story of Estusia....when she was a young woman. She and her husband have both died in recent years. I am not sure if they had children. If there are any inconsistencies with the following story, I apologize. However, the main thrust of this writing is what makes this woman so interesting.
The story of Estusia Abramowicz. Estusia Abramowicz was a dear friend of my mother, Maryla Lewy Ruhé. They both grew up in Lodz, Poland and went to school together, lived near each other in the Lodz Ghetto, were transported to Auschwicz and Bergen-Belsen camps and to a labor camp in Germany. They continued to survive as close friends after the war in a Displaced Person’s camp in Hannover, Germany.
In the late 1940’s, after the war, Estusia continued to live in Hannover, Germany. She lived on an upper floor of an apartment building (4th or 5th level). She had a job and every day she had to go up and down the many flights of stairs to her apartment.
Estusia had many suitors. She was young and very beautiful. However, Estusia was not interested in marriage. One of the suitors was absolutely insane in love with her. She was kind to him, but she was not ready to commit to marriage. I do not know the man’s name, but I will refer to him as "Bolek."
One day a terrible accident happened. Estusia was running to catch the trolley. As it started to move from the stop, she slipped and the trolley ran over her leg. Her leg was damaged beyond repair and had to be amputated just above the knee. Estusia thought her life was over. Who would ever want a wife who was a cripple? She kept herself in seclusion for a long time until she was healed. Only her closest women friends were allowed to see her.
Except for Bolek. Bolek went to her house every day with flowers or candy. He sat with her and talked to her lovingly. After a few months, he convinced Estusia to be brave and go out of her apartment. She had been fitted with an artificial leg and Bolek urged her to become a part of society.
Estusia questioned Bolek about how she would get down to the lobby from her apartment. How could she go down and then up four flights of stairs?
Bolek had the answer. He would carry her down and up.
And, so, that is what happened. Bolek carried Estusia down and up the apartment stairs for months. Estusia regained her confidence and became a social creature, once again, despite her affliction.
This is not the end of the story. A year and a half went by and Bolek felt he had gained ground with Estusia. He was still madly in love with her. When he thought she was ready, he asked her to marry him.
Unfortunately, Estusia did not have the loving feelings for Bolek that he had for her. She said no.
As Bolek was leaving Estusia’s apartment, he decided not to go down the stairs. He leaped over the railing on the fifth floor and fell all the way down, breaking his neck and died.
Eventually Estusia met a man and married him. They lived in Israel. I believe they have both passed on.