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The Commission
In the spring of 1 944 Theresienstadt undergoes a process of embellishment.
Representatives from the Red Cross and the Danish Civil Service -
- have been allowed to inspect the conditions for the prisoners.
The renovation is designed to display the camp as a place -
- where prisoners thrive.
The Red Cross was coming to inspect Theresienstadt -
Jytte 8 years old, 1944 - so an intense process of beautification was set in motion.
They even washed down the trees on the route taken by the commission.
A walking route was mapped out, so they could see how nice it was.
Birgit 6 years old, 1944 And that everything was neat and tidy.
And emaciated prisoners who looked sick and starved -
- were not allowed near the commission.
They polished and painted -
- washed tiles, painted houses and ...
As fate would have it, the commission would come to Rathausgasse -
- where I lived, as we had been moved from the temporary barracks -
- to make it look like we were thriving.
They were two-storey brick houses, so it all looked nice and pretty.
Salle 14 years old, 1 944 We suddenly got curtains, plants and what have you. And furniture.
It was brought to where I lived with my mother and siblings.
The huge latrine in the square was taken down -
Poul 7 years old, 1944 - and the hole was filled with dirt.
A platform was erected -
- on which an orchestra would be playing.
Thousands of roses were planted in the town hall square.
They emptied the shops and put in tuxedos, ball gowns. You name it.
We got camp money and a passbook.
And they bought toys for us children. That was an amazing experience.
They erected an outdoor shower.
A sandbox, a playhouse -
- with wooden rocking horses and wooden toys.
It was all brand new, and it came from Germany -
- and the day after the Commission left it was locked away -
- and we never saw it again.
They built special barracks -
- with bunk beds and tables and benches ...
It all looked very nice.
And since they would visit Rathausgasse, Mrs. Lustig -
- who was our very good friend ...
Mrs. Lustig and I had to scrub the pavement they would be standing on -
- with nail brushes, and as soon as we were done -
- the German soldier on guard -
- would step into the muddy street and back onto the pavement -
- forcing us to start over. This amused him greatly.
As for the process of beautification -
Rachel 16 years old, 1 944 - I played no active part but stayed in the background.
And Walther also said: ''Don't get involved.''
I'd have nothing to do with it, and he agreed. He thought it was a sham.
Embellishing all of Theresienstadt like that. It was so obvious.
It had nothing to do with reality.
It had to look natural when they came, so they wanted us to get used to it.
Playing soccer and everything.
People walked around the square as if they were going to sit on a bench -
- or have a cup of coffee at a cafe. It was completely absurd!
June 1944
The Commission was allowed to stay in the camp for 8 hours.
Then the visitors came walking through the camp -
- down to the place where the Danes lived -
- and everybody was gone. There was no one there!
It was completely devoid of people. And we'd just been playing there.
And the kids I had been playing with were gone.
My father had told me: ''Don't be afraid. They won't hurt you.''
And Obersturmführer Rahm called me over.
He was head of the camp, and he asked me:
''Have you received packages?'' And I said: ''Yes!''
And then he said : ''And did you also get a sausage this big?''
And I said: ''No. This big.''
He almost started telling me off, but he didn't dare, so he laughed -
- and told them that I was just joking.
They walked away laughing, and all the people that were hiding -
- came back out and asked me: ''What did you say to them?''
And thatjust proved my father's point. There was no need to be afraid.
If you were afraid, bad things would happen to you.
Their tour around town was quick. I saw glimpses of them here and there.
Then they came back for lunch.
And on that day we had roast, and believe it or not, even pickles.
We discussed whether someone could tell them it was a big fraud.
But no one dared.
We were afraid to.
After the Commission had left it moved us deeply to learn -
- that prayers had been said for us in the Danish churches -
- and that the Danish King Christian X had sent a greeting to us.
Receiving a greeting from the King had us in tears.