Narrative

The Risk Taken

World War II revealed the extreme cruelty of which humans are capable. For many, hope was lost and lives were robbed while faith in humanity vanished. Death lurked at all corners causing constant fear to all. Yet, although war is filled with atrocious things, human compassion and morality can prevail. During the Second World War, amidst all the evil, there were heroes who recognized the significant value of a human’s life and did everything in their power to help others. Among those people was Maria Milbrandt; she is a hero.

As an adolescent, Maria experienced a frightening period filled with terror and violence. As the first explosions erupted in Warsaw in 1939, she was only twelve years old. Following the siege of the city, education was banned and rules were established to persecute Jews and others who were said to be inferior. From then on her fate was determined. She wanted to help others; she decided to become a nurse. To accomplish that outcome, Maria would have to join the secret Girl Scout Organization to learn more about medicine. This put her in tremendous risk, but to her it was the right thing to do. After years of preparation for the Uprising in 1944, Maria eagerly joined the secret Armia Krajowa (AK), also known as the Polish home army, where she became a nurse in the underground hospital. When questioned as to why she joined the army, Maria smiled and boldly stated, “It was an honor. Since I was a little girl I dreamed of joining the army.” During her time of serving for the AK as a nurse, she best recalls her first patient, a priest. He was mortally wounded and there was nothing that she could do to save him. It was a frightening experience for her because for the very first time in her life, another person’s life was put into her hands. Unfortunately, he died. With his death, a feeling of guilt has remained with her ever since.

As the Uprising progressed, in 1944, not only did Maria work as a nurse, it was also her duty to transport goods for the soldiers in the Uprising. Once again, she put the interest of others before her own. As hopes arose in those eager for Poland’s liberation, so did the suspicions of the Nazis. From then on, the soldiers and other members of the army had to be more vigilant and face more challenging obstacles. Although participating in the Uprising put her in immense risk, motivated, Maria continued to work by the side of the AK. One day the Nazis decided to carry out an operation in which they would completely destroy Warsaw and transport all those who survived to different locations. Shortly after the Nazis demolished the first buildings, Maria and most of the AK fighters were captured. Along with other prisoners, she was sent to a prisoner of war camp in East Germany. There she stayed for three months until she could be “rented”. She was moved to a factory where she worked as a mechanic building planes. The conditions, although better than the concentration camps, were still poor. She stayed there in the factory until 1945, when the Russians liberated Warsaw. The Russians brought the prisoners food and then instructed them to move west towards the mountains. Along the way, Maria, along with other prisoners, saw Jewish survivors also freed from the camps. Her face mirrored utter disgust as she said, “They looked like people who went through hell.”

After the war, she was fortunate enough to be able to reunite with her parents, though her sister was not as lucky and perished in the war. Since Maria Milbrandt loved her sister very much and was visibly moved when she mentioned her, no questions were asked regarding how she died. Maria went back to Warsaw and resumed her studies, finishing university with a Degree in Psychology. She married a lovely man and together they had a daughter. He is no longer with us. Although her life has been marked with periods of despair, remarkably Maria has no harsh feelings toward the Germans. At the end of the interview she said, “We need to forgive, but not forget.”

World War II was an appalling time which brought out the worst in many, if not most of those affected. Yet, amongst all the cruelty, there were some individuals who were fearless

and refused to remain silent. Maria Milbrandt was one of the people who jeopardized her life in order to help others. This heroic act should never be forgotten.