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Report
on Scouts Day
Young
Maccabi Union of Scouts
Troop
Emuna [Faith]
Berlin,
March 1942
To
our Members in the Countries of the Diaspora and in the Land
of Israel,
Even
though we do not know whether, in fact, this letter will ever
reach you, we will write it in the hope that at least one of
us will remain alive and hand it over to you when the day
comes.
It
is already a few weeks since our troop discussed the
approaching Scouts Day. Shall we be able to celebrate it in
the accustomed manner this year, too? For we are living in
very difficult times. Many of our members are no longer with
us. They have already been taken to Poland, a place where an
unknown fate awaits them. But the Jewish Scout is told never
to despair, and we are therefore determined that, despite
everything, we shall meet this year, to honor this special
day. We therefore met on that Wednesday afternoon in one of
the classrooms of the school in Wilsnacker Street. Despite the
danger involved almost all came in their white shirts (under
jackets), and there was an atmosphere of high spirits and joy
in the room. We had gathered together all the Jewish scouts
who still remained in Berlin, boys and girls, about 50
altogether, from all circles. As guests of honor we had
Herbert Growald and Fanny Bergas, from the Hakhshara
[training] Kibbutz at Neuendorf, and also Alfred Selbiger, a
member of the Movements leadership. We sat in a big circle,
and the room echoed to the sound of our singing "Be
Prepared..." and all the other songs. The candles
flickered gaily and the members looked into the flames.
After
that one of our members, Mary Simon, read us a story about
trees and plants in our Jewish Homeland which made us forget
the dangers and the sorrows. After that we sang again, and
several poems were read... We stood to attention to sing the
anthem of the Movement. When we unfolded the flag after that
which we had kept with us despite all the danger we gave the
Scouts salute and sang the song of the flag: "Carry it to
Zion, the Banner and the Flag"...then one of our members,
Erwin Tichauer, stepped forward at first we had no idea what
he was about to do and read to his group the names of all
those who had been taken from us during the past months, since
the deportations had begun, and as he read each name the
members replied as one: "Here," that is to say, that
even those who were missing were with us on this occasion, for
we are always with them in our thoughts, just as they are
surely with us in their thoughts....
At
this difficult time we send our good wishes to all of you,
outside. Do not forget us, just as we will not forget you
those already living in the Land of Israel and building our
future, and those who are living a free life in other
countries. We will all be united in spirit until the day comes
when we can once more all be together. We send our good wishes
and send you Shalom! Be of good courage!
Y.
Schwersenz, Mahteret Halutzim be-Germanya Hanazit ("Pioneer
Underground in Nazi Germany"), Tel Aviv, 1969, pp. 55-57.
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