To Build an Empire

“My father always wanted us to remember what was happening to be able to tell the world so the world should know of the heinous crimes the Germans committed. He always told us ‘Remember what is happening.’ It was my father’s strong message to survive and tell the world”

I n March 1944 Estusia approached me. She told me that resistance was being organized and that we were in a position to help because we were the only ones with access to powder. Would I be willing to risk the danger?

“Of course I agreed as did two or three other women in the gunpowder room including the forelady. We were 99 percent certain that the Nazis would not let us survive so we wanted to do something.”

Estusia Wajcblum had chosen well.

With her sweet tooth and penchant for mischief Rose Grunapfel learned early on to carefully cover her tracks. Born in Zator southern Poland in 1919 Rose was the fourth of seven children. Her father Reb Shlomo Zalman a Radomsker chassid and member of the town council owned a general store in the center of town.