1. Religion & Spirituality
Escape from Sobribor
Chat with Holocaust Survivor Toivi Blatt

toiviblatt.gif (33172 bytes)
Photo of Toivi Blatt
© 2000 Graphic by Lisa Katz

Thomas (Toivi) Blatt is a Holocaust Survivor, Sobibor Camp Escapee, and Author of Sobibor: The Forgotten Revolt and From the Ashes of Sobibor (later made into a movie called "Escape from Sobibor").

Editorial Note: For clarity and ease of reading, the following chat transcript has been edited to remove technical or logistical issues. The editorial content of the chat itself has been left intact.

Host Lisa_Katz says:

Welcome everyone! Thank you all for coming! Great crowd tonight.

wingnuts says:

thanks for having us

Host Lisa_Katz says:

Thomas Toivi Blatt was 12 years old when the Germans invaded Poland. In his book, Escape from Sobibor: A Story of Survival, Toivi writes about the chilling events prior to his deportation to the Sobibor extermination camp. He tells of his life in Sobibor before he took part in the most successful uprising and mass breakout in any Nazi camp during World War II. Blatt continues by describing the five horrifying years spent eluding both the Nazis and later anti-Semitic Polish nationalists. In chat, Toivi will help us to understand why more Jews did not fight back harder against the Nazis. Welcome Toivi!

Host Lisa_Katz says:

Toivi, do you have some opening comments to make before we start to take questions?

Host Toivi says:

We need to clarify the titles of Toivi's books: Sobibor: The Forgotten Revolt, and From the Ashes of Sobibor

Host Lisa_Katz says:

Toivi, do you want to say anything else before Jeff asks the first question?

Host Toivi says:

I would rather wait for questions

Host Lisa_Katz says:

Jeff, please go ahead and ask your question

szykfan1 says:

I have seen the movie several times! How close to what really happened was the movie, and who was Alan Arkin playing in real life?

Host Toivi says:

As close as a movie can portray

Host Toivi says:

Alan Arkin was playing the head of the organization

COTTON says:

What do you feel helped you survive the horror?

Host Toivi says:

Simple luck and daring

ZHL says:

I would just like to say that my Grandmother was in the Underground during the Holocaust and she helped many escape and many uprisings like the Sobibor one

Minnie_Mouse says:

how old were you during the holocaust?

Susan says:

15 at the time, right?

Host Toivi says:

I was 12 years old when the Germans occupied Poland

COTTON says:

What did you most miss when you were in holocaust

Host Toivi says:

I missed most freedom and the dignity of living

COTTON says:

very true

COTTON says:

did you ever regain them fully - your dignity

Host Toivi says:

In the time of the revolt

Next page > Why didn't more Jews revolt? > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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~ Lisa Katz

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