The Last Jew of Treblinka

March 14, 2011
Available in English for the first time, Rajchman's chilling, vivid, and concise account of his horrific experiences as a laborer who survived Treblinka during WWII is an important addition to the survivor narrative. Rajchman details the grisly work he and others were forced to perform in hopes of surviving, such as shearing off the hair of train transport victims en route to the gas chamber, or sorting the clothing of the dead to retrieve valuables like suits and watches for the German officers, and "fine dresses" for their wives. Posing as a dentist, Rajchman was sent to clean fillings, crowns, and bridges of the deceased after which they were sorted into piles according to value. Perhaps the most shocking and physically demanding job Rajchman held was carrying corpses from the gas chambers to burial pits all the while being whipped by his captors for moving too slowly. The only shred of hope that one can take from this astonishing account is the ability of one man to maintain strength and humanity during an unimaginable year. First published in 1945 in Yiddish, Rajchman's memoir is especially unique for being the only existing account of a Treblinka survivor in print.