As dwarf growth helped the family of Jewish musicians Ovitz to survive the experiments in Auschwitz

The history of the artistic family of Jewish musicians midgets from Romania who managed to survive Auschwitz and the horrific experiments of Dr. Mengele.

Among the many prisoners of Auschwitz, which on January 27, 1945, greeted the Soviet soldiers, there was also a Jewish family Ovitz. Seven brothers and sisters originally from the Romanian town of Razvela lived in a labor camp for almost a year. However, the main thing not it, but that it was a family of midgets and normal people growth and during the conclusion of Ovice researched Dr. Mengele.

The background

Ovitz family was originally from Romania. Father in the name of Samson was a dwarf, which, however, did not prevent him from twice being married to tall women. He was born ten children, seven of whom were midgets, and three — no.

Shimshon died in 1923, when the youngest daughter, Pearl, was not yet two years old. His second wife Batia were left to raise children alone. She knew that children, the dwarfs will have in life is not easy, and therefore decided in early childhood to teach them music so they could earn later in life.

Children Ovitz was very talented, and soon they have organized a family group, there was a guitar and violin, drums and cello and other instruments. The family concerts were attended not only by children-dwarfs, but all the numerous family.

Dying, not bequeathed to my children to always stick together and in any case not to leave. And all Ovicy were always together. Killed only one of the brothers, which, incidentally, left the others.

Family Ovitz successfully toured Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia in 1930-40-ies.

Avici sang in Yiddish, Hungarian, Romanian, Russian and German. Between engagements they lived with their spouses all in one house, following the orders of mother not to be separated: every time someone got married or got married, the husband began to live with them, helping the company. Married to liliputin doctors were forbidden to give birth, but one of the midgets daughter was born without abnormalities: genetic disease Shimshon she was not transferred. The family had a car, the first in the County.

When in September 1940, Northern Transylvania was ceded to Hungary (ally of Nazi Germany), in its territory entered into force the new racial laws: Jews were forbidden to speak to the Gentiles. However Avicam managed to obtain the documents, which were not mentioned their Jewish origin, and thus they continued to give concerts until 1944. However, they still kept the Sabbath, if necessary to further the sick, not to this day concerts.

Sisters pearl and Elizabeth Ovitz

Upon arrival at oświęcim (Auschwitz) Avici already on the platform attracted the attention of the staff at the camp, when Mickey Ovitz began to distribute advertising postcards of the troupe. Just arrived in camp 12 family members — from 15-month-old baby to a 58-year-old woman. Reporting Dr. Mengele, who placed Ovice separately from other prisoners and freed from work. Mengele in particular interested in the existence of the family as dwarfs and people with normal growth. Later their family joined Slomovic family (parents and six children) and called their relatives (and themselves Avici gave them no).

Following the precept of parents, Avici kept together. Only one of the brothers normal growth decided to take a chance and escaped

Josef Mengele with his colleague at the Institute of anthropology, human genetics and eugenics to them. The Kaiser Wilhelm. The end of 1930-ies

As a rule, the experiments of the Nazis on people resulting in death, disfigurement or permanent disability

The worst trials were subjected to an 18-month Shimshon Ovitz because his parents were normal size, but he was prematurely born; Mengele took his blood from the veins behind his ears and fingers. Avici also saw two newcomers dwarf was killed and cooked in order to put their bones in the Museum.

33-year-old Dr. Josef Mengele with the staff at Auschwitz

According to the memoirs themselves Ovice, Mengele tied to them. The stories of one of the sisters, Mengele called them by the names of the seven dwarfs from the disney cartoon. Ironically, one of the prisoners of Auschwitz the artist Dina Gottlieb, who including the documentary sketches of seven midgets after the war, she married the lead animator "Snow white" Art Babbitt.

Ovicy were the only family entirely survived Auschwitz

When Mengele was transferred from Auschwitz, began the mass extermination of people, and Avici resigned myself that they all gonna die, but everything turned out differently. In January 1945 the concentration camp was liberated, and that was absolutely amazing, the family Ovitz survived to this day in full force. It was kind of a record 12 members of one family, the youngest of whom was 15 months and the oldest was 58 years old, survived Auschwitz. They used some time in a Soviet refugee camp, and then released.7 months Avici traveled on foot to his native village. Find his house in Roselle looted, they first moved to the village of sighet, then they were able to obtain a Belgian visa, and they settled in Antwerp. Touring in post-war Europe was not possible, and in may 1949 they moved to Israel, settled in Haifa and again started concert activity, using the success and collecting large rooms. They changed the program: instead of songs in foreign languages played a one-act play from the life of the town. In 1955 they left the scene and bought two cinemas and a café.

Sarah, pearl and Elizabeth Ovitz in Haifa, Israel

All members of the family Ovitz lived a long life