Borinski, Anneliese-Ora (1914 - 1997)	Erinnerungen 1940 - 1943. [Nördlingen, Wagner (and Kwuzat Maayan- Tzvi Kibbutz) 1970)] 70 p.	€15,00

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8°., original cardboard covers. Wear of the time. Bibliothek der Jüdischen emeinde zu Berlin rubber stamp from 1986, library cancellation stamp. Valuable memoirs by the young member of Makkabi-Hazair (Maccabi Hatzair) on Landwerk Neuendorf. 'After the Nazi rise to power in Germany, the Zionist movements increased their activity in order to hasten the immigration of Jewish youth to the land of Israel. In order to prepare them for life on Kibbutz in the land of Israel, agricultural training farms (Hachsharot) were set up. One of these training farms, belonging to the “Maccabi Hatzair” youth movement, was set up near the town of Ahrensdorf, not far from Berlin. In this farm were youths aged 15 – 17 and their leaders. Their training focused on farm work, lessons in Zionism and identification with the land of Israel. Until the late afternoon the youths worked in the fields and then lessons began, covering subjects such as Jewish History, Bible and Hebrew language. In the evenings there were discussions and cultural activities. Youths that reached 18 years of age, attempted to find ways to immigrate to the land of Israel. In spite of the Spartan conditions and the simple food, the youth were enthusiastic and like most of the youth movement members in those days in Europe, they identified fully with the Zionist ideals. Living a cooperative lifestyle created strong bonds between the youths and the separation from their families made their leaders into surrogate parents and strong role models. One of the youth leaders at Ahrensdorf was Anneliese Borinski. She was born in 1914 to a Jewish family that had little Jewish or Zionist affiliation, but the increasing expulsion of Jews from German educational institutions, forced her into a Jewish framework. After completing studies in education at the Jewish Seminary in Berlin, she came to Ahrensdorf as a Maccabi Hatzair youth leader at the age of 23. Though Anneliese was not previously inclined towards Zionism, she learned about the land of Israel together with her charges and came to identify fully with the Hachshara’s ideals. At the outbreak of war in 1939, the conditions in Ahrensdorf became increasingly difficult until finally the Gestapo actively took over the farm. In spite of this the youth continued for a time to live in a protective bubble, as all the internal activities continued to be managed as before. Anneliese Borinski remained there until 1941 when the training farm at Ahrensdorf was closed down. The leaders and the youth in their care were transferred to Neuendorf Camp, where assorted groups of Jews had been concentrated and forced to do hard labor under the supervision of the Gestapo. In spite of the situation, the Hachshara members continued to demand of themselves the discipline they had maintained in Ahrensdorf. The Maccabi Hatzair youth - boys and girls - were imprisoned in Auschwitz for nearly two years. Like all the prisoners, they worked at slave labor, in conditions of starvation, cold and humiliation. Anneliese Borinski left Auschwitz on the death march in January 1945 together with her Chanichim. They escaped from the convoy in the area of Leipzig and reached the areas liberated by American forces. Anneliese immigrated to Israel in 1945 to Kibbutz Maayan Tzvi, and since her marriage was named Ora Aloni. Until her death she worked as an educator.'- Adopted from Yad Vashem publication 'Bearing Witness' See: Yahil, Leni The Holocaust: the faith of European Jewry, 1932-1945. (Oxford University Press, 1991), p.296-303