The first woman who escaped Auschwitz, caught & burned alive in its crematoria - Mala Zimetbaum

Video Description

Mala Zimetbaum was one of Auschwitz’s greatest symbols of courage—a young Belgian-Polish Jewish woman whose brilliance, compassion, and defiance made her a legend among prisoners. Born on 26 January 1918 in Brzesko, Poland, and raised in Antwerp, she mastered six languages and supported her struggling family from a young age. When the Germans invaded Belgium in 1940, Jews were stripped of their rights, forced to register, wear the yellow star, and eventually deported. Mala refused an opportunity to escape to the United States because she would not abandon her parents. Arrested in 1942, she was sent first to Breendonk, then Mechelen, and finally deported to Auschwitz. Thanks to her language skills, Mala became a camp “runner,” permitted to move between barracks and offices. Unlike many privileged inmates, she used her position selflessly—smuggling messages, food, medicine, and photographs; saving children from transport lists; assigning weaker women to lighter labor; and warning prisoners in advance of selections. Survivors remembered her as fearless, compassionate, and unwaveringly dignified. In Auschwitz she met Edward “Edek” Galiński, a young Polish political prisoner. Their forbidden love inspired a daring plan: they would escape, reach Slovakia, and alert the Allies to the atrocities inside Birkenau. On 24 June 1944, disguised as an SS guard escorting a prisoner, Edek led Mala out of the camp. For two weeks they evaded capture—until Mala was arrested in a village shop and Edek surrendered to stay by her side. Returned to Auschwitz, both were tortured and sentenced to public execution. On 15 September 1944, Edek shouted “Long live Poland!” from the gallows. Mala slit her wrist, slapped a guard with her bloody hand, and cried out to the prisoners: “Be strong—freedom is near!” Dragged away, she was murdered soon after—whether shot, poisoned, or thrown alive into a crematorium remains uncertain. But her legacy did not die. Dozens of women testified that Mala saved their lives. Children were named after her. A monument stands in her honor. She resisted until her last breath. Join World History channel and get access to benefits: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKKy_pNKZBX4KcCct8505HA/join Disclaimer: All opinions and comments below are from members of the public and do not reflect the views of World History channel. We do not accept promoting violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on attributes such as: race, nationality, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation. World History has right to review the comments and delete them if they are deemed inappropriate. ► CLICK the SUBSCRIBE button for more interesting clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKKy_pNKZBX4KcCct8505HA/?sub_confirmation=1 #MalaZimetbaum #worldhistory #worldwar2videos #ww2 #worldwar2videos #holocaust #poland #polish #prague #auschwitzbirkenau #auschwitz #history #documentary #wwii #historydocumentary #birkenau #concentrationcamps #belgium #belgian #brussels #antwerp Mala Zimetbaum biography, Mala Zimetbaum and Edward Galinski, Mala Zimetbaum and Edward Lubusch, Mala Zimetbaum and Primo Levi, Auschwitz inside, Auschwitz prison camp, Auschwitz Birkenau, Auschwitz story, What happened in Auschwitz, Nazi Germany,Auschwitz gas chambers, Holocaust in Belgium, Nazi occupation of Belgium, German invasion of Belgium, German occupation of Belgium, Belgium World War 2, Belgium history, Nazi war crimes, WW2 war crimes, Belgian resistance, WW2 resistance, Occupation of Belgium, Belgium WW2, Germany invades Belgium, When did Germany invade Belgium, Belgium resistance WW2, German invasion of Poland, Nazi Germany, Poland during World War 2, Battle of Poland, Germany attacks Poland, When did Germany invade Poland, Poland WW2, German occupation of Poland, Russian occupation of Poland, Soviet Union Poland, Breendonk camp, Mechelen camp, Josef Mengele Auschwitz, Sonderkommando Auschwitz, Josef Kramer Auschwitz, Auschwitz escape, Escape from Auschwitz, Escapes from Auschwitz, Did anyone escape Auschwitz, Escape from concentration camp, The Auschwitz escape,