On this date in 1939, WWII began with the invasion of Poland. - TopicsExpress



          

On this date in 1939, WWII began with the invasion of Poland. Throughout the invasion the Poles proved to be courageous fighters with one of the largest and most organized undergrounds of the war and Polish soldiers and pilots were key to the allies during the Battle of Britain, the African Campaign and several significant battles such as Operation Market Garden and Tobruk. What is Norcos connection? Harry and Hilda Eisen, the builders of the Norco Egg Ranch empire. During the early days of the war, Polish National Harry Eisen, who was of the Jewish faith, led a cavalry unit against a Panzer Tank group and was able to hold them off for seven days (if my memory serves.) He was subsequently captured and spent 1940 - 1941 at the Izbica - Kujawska ghetto (his home town), then to Inowroclaw where he performed slave labor before being sent to Aushwitz, then to Jaworzno in 1943 where he performed slave labor in the coal mines. In early 1945, Harry escaped just before the forced death march that evacuated the camp. Hilda Eisen also came Izbica-Kujawska and escaped to Lodz just before the ghetto was liquidated. She escaped from Lodz ghetto and spent 1942 - 1944 successfully fighting Nazis in the Parczew Forrest - a horrible place where heroism was common. Harry and Hilda participated in an effort that is largely forgotten and wiped out their families. The Poles fought with relatively little modern weaponry but would not bend. Unlike other countrys taken, the Nazis could not trust a puppet government of that countrys citizens and placed a government comprised of Germans to control the population. Notably, the Jewish underground defended their country despite the antisemitism that was so prevalent. I write this today, not only to honor two of Norcos own, but, because some time back, I judged a speech contest where a young boy spoke of the leadership abilities of Adolf Hitler. I was shocked. Then, I was stunned when other judges concurred that despite his short comings, Adolf was an effective leader. Well, I think the massacres, devastation and death that he left behind is where any lessons should be pointed and fear that maybe the Holocaust will be forgotten. I pray not.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:03:27 +0000

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