The Ballade Of Etty Hillesum Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Lina Spies)

Like an animal I was put on a train,
my pretty dress is stained and brown,
suddenly they did just run into the living room,
with violence and rifles the SS did appear.

Chorus:
Where God does love his people
it does make no sense,
where I am going to Auschwitz
as a woman, a pretty Jewess

I speak Dutch, as it is my own language,
I feel lost on the goods wagon
but it's my transportation and that of my nation
and nobody and nothing can rescue me here,

out of my rucksack I take the Bible,
I pray that God must stop the Germans
read from Psalms God is my shelter, my stronghold,
outside the train reflects against a window

and this train is a very quick funeral procession,
in my heart I do greet my country and my people,
I cannot hold this hellish thing against every German,
on my face there is some of the black sooth of the locomotive

and I wonder about God and the coming death,
about the evil of humanity
and nearer comes Auschwitz-Birkenau,
I am astounded with the Germans, Hitler and the SS.

[Reference:"Etty Hillesum" by Lina Spies.Poet's note:

"He who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."Psalm 91: 1-2.

"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble."Psalm 9: 9.

In Etty Hillesum's diary is written:

"Ik bin al in duizend concentratiekampen,
duizend doden gestorven."

My free translation:

"In a thousand concentration-camps,
I have died a thousand deaths."

Etty Hillesum: Middelburg 15-01-1914 - Auschwitz-Birkenau 30-11-1943.]

© Gert Strydom