Holocaust survivor Nat Rocker shares his story with Costa students, staff

By Raci Levine

Executive Features Editor

Holocaust survivor Nat Rocker shared his story  with Costa staff and students during their English classes on April 24 and May 8. 

Rocker was born and grew up in Zbarah, Poland, and lived a comfortable life until the onset of World War II. In 1939, when Rocker was seven years old, he had his first encounter with a Nazi. According to Rocker, he was playing by his home when a Nazi approached him yelling. When Rocker’s dog barked at the Nazi, he shot the dog. 

“I remember [the Nazis] came down our street, and the head truck was parked right in front of our house,” said Rocker. “I had that mirror in my hand, and he grabbed the mirror. By that time my dog came out and barked at him a couple of times. He took out his gun and shot my dog right next to me. I can still to this day see this poor animal dying next to me. I thought I was next.” 

During the Holocaust, Jewish people would be identified by a Star of David patch, which they were forced to wear. The patches that the Jewish population was forced to wear would often lead to discrimination and prejudice against Jewish communities.

“At once I had to start wearing this star, the Star of David,” said Rocker. “I used to get beat up and my Dad would tell me not to fight back because if you fight back, they would come and burn our house down.”

Later, Rocker was moved into a ghetto, where they would execute 2,000 people every week to depopulate the Jewish community. He and his family lived in a room with three other families about the size of a walk-in closet. Rocker’s father, Leon, built a false wall to hide so they could avoid being caught in the next elimination period.

“One night, my dad grabs us and the other two families to go and hide,” said Rocker “[When the elimination period] was over and we were ready to climb out of there, my sister pulls on my garment and says look back there and the mother had to suffocate her baby to save our lives.”

Rocker was sent by his mother to tell his father, Leon, to run because the Nazis were after him. He came too late, and the Nazis sent his dad on a train to one of the camps.  His father managed to escape and attempted to rescue his family. On their journey into hiding, Rocker and his sister had to hide in manure for a day during their parents’ pursuit for safety. For nine months, the family hid above an oven in a house provided by Marina, a family friend who helped to raise Leon.

“The ghetto was so bad we were stepping over bodies and young kids were walking around begging for food,” said Rocker. “The Germans would come to the ghetto and use kids as target practice. I don’t remember what I had for lunch or breakfast, but I cannot get rid of these memories. I just can’t.”

Rocker’s speech was primarily aimed at sophomores, as it correlated with their English curriculum about the Holocaust. According to sophomore Ellie Morris, Rocker’s story was moving and educational, as it opened up her eyes to how horrific the Holocaust truly was. 

“I loved listening to [Rocker] speak. It was tragic things he was sharing; it was very powerful to hear first-hand from somebody who experienced this time in history,” said sophomore English teacher Maddison Hutchinson.