Malka “Mala” Zimetbaum

Despite the odds, one woman refused to let the Nazis decide her fate.

Malka “Mala” Zimetbaum was born on Jan. 26, 1918 in Brzesko, Poland. Her family later moved to Antwerp, Belgium, arriving on Nov. 17, 1926.

By all accounts, Mala was a brilliant student, notably in languages and mathematics. She had to drop out of school because her father, who worked in a diamond factory became blind. Mala began working in the same factory to make money for the family.

She was 24 years old when she was arrested during the third Antwerp raid of Sept. 11–12, 1942. She was held in the Dossin Barracks in Mechelen, a city in the province of Antwerp. On Sept. 15, she was transferred to Belgian Transport 10. Its destination — Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. During the initial selection, she was sent to the women’s camp in Birkenau. She was no longer 24-year old Mala. She was #19880.

Life expectancy, if you survived initial selection and weren’t sent straight to the gas chambers was a few months. Mala, had an advantage. She was fluent in Flemish, French, German, Polish, and Italian. Some sources include Yiddish. She became an interpreter for the camp.

Mala could have lived her life in the camp in comfort. Her position provided her with better food and housing conditions. She received warm winter clothes and could take…