Beyond Rosie: Women in World War II - Kennesaw State University

Beyond Rosie: Women in World War II
Source Sheet 27:
HANNA COHEN
PAGE 54
Born: 1915
Birth Place: Lubin, Poland
The German army began invading Poland in September
of 1939. At the age of twenty-four, Hanna Cohen was
forced to leave her hometown of Lubin. While on a train to
the nearby town of Lwow, Cohen was arrested because of
her Jewish heritage and put into a local jail. After a few days
in jail Cohen was put into a train car to be sent to the nearby death camp of Belzec.
Before being loaded onto the train, the prisoners were asked to take off everything
they had on their bodies. However, the guard administering Cohen allowed her to keep
her shoes. Many of the Jewish prisoners knew their fate and so did Cohen. She would
rather die by being shot by the German guards than a slow agonizing death at Belzec.
The shoe, which the guards had let her keep, saved her life. She used the heel of the
shoe to beat out one of the bars in the window of the train, squeeze out of the window,
and jump from the train. The surrounding forest provided protection for her as the
guards fired their weapons. Cohen hid in the forest for days, eating blueberries, and
only moved positions at night. While attempting to travel back to the town of Lwow,
Cohen was captured again. During this time in her life, Cohen experienced several
other near-death encounters including six months in a labor camp. But after coming
back to her hometown with no family and no belongings, Cohenwas alive.
1. Was Cohen a victim? Why?
2. Why would Cohen rather be shot than sent to Belzec?
3. Would you have tried to escape from the train?
4. How do you think Cohen felt when she returned home?