Mala Zimetbaum (1918-1944)

Do you know the story of Mala Zimetbaum? Mala, also known as Mala la Belge. A young woman born in Poland, raised in Antwerp, and a legend of resistance in Auschwitz.

 

In 1942, Mala was arrested during a roundup in Antwerp. She was sent to the Dossin Barracks and later deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. But there, she became more than just prisoner number 19880. Her knowledge of multiple languages earned her a 'privileged' position. But Mala didn’t use it for herself. She smuggled food, medicine, and messages. She warned sick prisoners to avoid Nazi selections. She saved lives, even in the depths of hell.

In 1944, Mala did the unthinkable: she escaped with her lover, Edward Galiński, who she had met at the camps. Disguised as an SS guard and prisoner, they made it to the Czech border. But their freedom was short-lived.

After being caught, they endured brutal interrogations. But they stayed silent, refusing to betray others. On September 15, 1944, Mala was excecuted. There are many different sources about her execution, that say it was heroic and her final words might have been a message of hope to her fellow prisoners. Other sources state that after the tortures, she must have been too weak for heroic acts. This shows that she was made into a myth after her death, because loads of different stories started to form, turning her in a symbol of hope and resistance. 

Mala’s story lives on in Antwerp. She stood against injustice, against the Nazis, becoming a symbol of resistance.

 

This was Mala Zimetbaum. Not just a victim, but a hero. A beacon of hope in humanitys darkest hour. Follow us for more stories of women we must never forget. 

 “Mala Zimetbaum; Transport X”, Kazerne Dossin, https://kazernedossin.memorial/biografie/mala-zimetbaum/.

Sources:

Pictures used:

    - “Mala Zimetbaum; Transport X”, Kazerne Dossin, https://kazernedossin.memorial/biografie/mala-zimetbaum/

    - “Mala Zimetbaum, Brezsko-born heroine of Auschwitz”, Brzesko Briegel, 2022, https://brzesko-briegel.pl/en/news/mala-zimetbaum-brzesko-born-heroine-of-auschwitz/. 

    - Smogorzewski, K. Maciej. "Russo-Polish War." Encyclopedia Britannica, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Polish-War-1919-1920.

Informative sources: 

    - "Mala Zimetbaum", MAS, https://mas.be/nl/mala-zimetbaum. 

    - "Hoe Mala Zimetbaum zich verzette tegen de nazi's", Antwerpen Herdenkt, https://www.antwerpenherdenkt.be/oorlogsgetuigen/hoe-mala-zimetbaum-zich-verzette-tegen-de-nazis. 

    - “Mala Zimetbaum; Transport X”, Kazerne Dossin, https://kazernedossin.memorial/biografie/mala-zimetbaum/

    - “Mala Zimetbaum, Brezsko-born heroine of Auschwitz”, Brzesko Briegel, 2022, https://brzesko-briegel.pl/en/news/mala-zimetbaum-brzesko-born-heroine-of-auschwitz/. 

    - Shik, Na'ama. "Mala Zimetbaum". The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/zimetbaum-mala 

More literature: 

    - Movie: "The last stage" (1948), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040674/.

            => Based on the life of Mala Zimetbaum. 

    - Engelmann, Reiner. Sie brachten uns Hoffnung: Die Geschichte von Edward Galinski und Mala Zimetbaum. 2024. (E-Book). 

    - Fox, Tamar. 1999. “THE DEATH OF MALA ZIMETBAUM: A Story of Resistance in Auschwitz.” Jewish Quarterly 46 (2): 35–37. doi:10.1080/0449010X.1999.10704304.