PDF Summary:When Time Stopped, by Ariana Neumann

Upon discovering a mysterious identification card among her father's belongings, Ariana Neumann embarks on a profoundly personal journey to uncover her family's story throughout the era of the Holocaust. As she gathers tattered letters, photographs, and memoirs of relatives, When Time Stopped takes shape. It vividly recreates the lives of author Ariana Neumann's ancestors in Czechoslovakia before and during the Nazi occupation, following their harrowing attempts to evade persecution, from her father Hans' daring life in disguise in Berlin, to the internment of her grandparents in the infamous Terezín camp—and the resilience and resistance that enabled their survival.

Through her travels in Europe, Neumann connects with the spirit of her lineage and, armed with newfound understanding, details how the trauma of her family's past shaped her father's life and identity. With humanity and insight, she explores the lasting impacts of war that transcend generations.

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The relatives encountered obstacles in obtaining the required authorizations for moving to the United States due to strict immigration quotas.

The author's forebears were eventually deported to the Terezín concentration camp, while her father and uncle found safety in hiding.

The relatives are frantically searching for an escape route. Otto's sibling Victor, who settled in the United States in 1919, motivated them to apply for the necessary documentation to relocate themselves. Victor provides assistance to his relatives and even goes back to Europe, making efforts to help them leave, although the chances for their evacuation slowly decrease. The archival documents from a safe in Libcice, discovered and shared by the family who bought the house, show that all the Neumanns had applied to migrate under what seemed like the best option, “Non-Quota Immigration.” As the summer of 1939 drew near, the Neumann family, along with numerous other Jewish families throughout Europe, confronted the severe reality that they were ensnared by the strict immigration quotas imposed by the United States, making their application numbers seem ever more inconsequential.

The last opportunities to escape were eliminated when Prague fell to Hitler's forces on March 15, 1939, resulting in the disintegration of Czechoslovakia. The onset of Nazi control ushered in a more oppressive era characterized by stricter constraints, imposed curfews, and the ever-present risk of secret police detention. Otto and Ella were compelled to move to Terezín, a site misleadingly presented as a model concentration camp in Czechoslovakia, as Hans and Lotar continued to reside in Prague. The siblings, unable to obtain the required permissions to exit the country, lived amidst the dread of compulsory displacement, separated from their kin, and assumed alternate personas to assimilate into the nearby populace.

Practical Tips

• You can explore your family's history by creating a detailed family tree that includes personal stories, historical events, and the impact they had on your ancestors. Start by interviewing older relatives and collecting documents like letters, photos, and official records. This will help you understand your heritage and the challenges your ancestors faced, much like the Neumann family's experiences before and during World War II.
• Create a digital storytelling project to share the experiences of your community's older generations, focusing on how historical events shaped their lives. Use video or audio recordings to capture their narratives, and then compile these into a website or social media page. This can serve as a living archive, similar to how the Neumann family's life was documented, and ensure that these personal histories are not forgotten.
• Volunteer with organizations that assist refugees and immigrants, helping them navigate the complexities of settling into a new country. Offer your time to mentor, provide language support, or assist with legal documentation. This action reflects the challenges the Neumann family faced with immigration quotas and the need for community support during times of displacement.

The relatives exerted every effort to evade the Nazis' pursuit and offered support to those who were compelled into concentration camps.

The author's father managed to avoid being deported by disguising his identity and staying hidden in Berlin.

Hans found work in a German industrial setting and engaged in risky endeavors that aided the military efforts of the Allies.

Her father, Hans Neumann, managed to evade deportation by finding a hiding spot within the very heart of the Nazi regime's stronghold. He assumes the identity of Jan Sebesta, a fictitious Czech chemist, and secures a position at Warnecke & Böhm through the assistance of his devoted friend Zdenek Tuma, a firm engaged in the manufacture of specialized aviation industry coatings for the German military. Hans faces the dangers of Nazi-controlled Berlin with determination, careful planning, and a display of courageous audacity that masks the ridiculousness of his situation. He takes advantage of the Nazi regime's strict compliance with rules and unquestioning trust in paperwork to create a credible fabricated identity.

Hans adopts a subtle approach to defiance while residing amidst the adversary. He utilizes his technical expertise to support the German military, simultaneously and clandestinely passing on crucial information from his defense-related tasks to a Dutch student engaged in the resistance movement. He joins the volunteer fire brigade and uses his expertise under the cover of darkness to direct Allied assaults toward military and industrial objectives. The man Ariana Neumann knew, who was once a carefree poet, became a survivor characterized by his resourcefulness, determination, and courage, a transformation that was initially puzzling because it was so different from the person she was acquainted with.

Lotar, a relative by marriage to the author, and his wife Zdenka, utilized their connections to ensure that the author's grandparents received food and updates during their time in Terezín.

Zdenka bravely ventured into Terezín to offer assistance to Ella, the author's grandmother.

Meanwhile, Lotar, Hans's older brother, and his wife, Zdenka, face unique challenges in the beleaguered capital of their nation. Lotar's marriage to Zdenka, who was not Jewish, initially served as protection against his deportation. Lotar and Zdenka, fueled by their deep affection and dedication, consistently fulfilled their vow to support Otto and Ella, who were by then detained in Terezín. They utilized their connections, financial resources, and knowledge of secret trading routes to send food, clothing, money, and messages to the internment camp. Zdenka and Lotar put their lives on the line by taking extraordinary measures to ensure that the Neumann family members stayed in touch while inside the camp.

Through her own memoirs and Neumann's investigative work, Zdenka is revealed as an especially remarkable individual. Fully cognizant of the pivotal role that information played, she devised a bold plan, even though discovery of her actions could lead to her instant execution. Twice, disguised in inmate clothing and armed with a yellow star, she enters Terezín as part of the work group who tend the fields outside the camp, to visit Otto and Ella, bringing them the support, love, and news that keep them alive.

Allies, including sympathetic police officers and a laundry worker, assisted in the covert transfer of messages and packages to the family within the confines of the concentration camp.

These clandestine efforts provided crucial support and a lifeline of communication for the author's imprisoned relatives

The relatives also rely on a network of helpful people. Their clandestine activities initially flourished, partly due to the wartime environment that encouraged collaboration, and issues such as avarice and trepidation were often mitigated by the provision of cash or tobacco. They secure the help of local police and a laundry worker, who courageously jeopardize their own well-being to secretly convey letters and packages undetected by the Nazi guards. The daring strategies enabled the secret introduction of messages, contraband, and funds into the detention facility.

The concealed letters that slipped past the vigilant scrutiny of the censors and were concealed within packages from Terezín offer a sincere portrayal of daily life in the camp and importantly, illuminate the unique personalities of Otto and Ella.

Context

• Warnecke & Böhm was a firm involved in the production of specialized aviation industry coatings for the German military during World War II. Their work was crucial for maintaining and enhancing the performance of military aircraft, contributing directly to the war efforts of the German armed forces. The coatings produced by the company played a significant role in protecting aircraft surfaces from environmental factors and combat damage, thereby increasing the durability and effectiveness of the planes. Hans Neumann's employment at Warnecke & Böhm allowed him to utilize his technical expertise to support the German military covertly while maintaining his fabricated identity.
• Terezín, also known as Theresienstadt, was a concentration camp established by the Nazis in Czechoslovakia. It served as a transit camp for many Jews before they were sent to extermination camps. The living conditions in Terezín were harsh, with overcrowding, poor sanitation, and inadequate food and medical care. Despite its facade as a "model ghetto" for propaganda purposes, Terezín was a place of suffering and death for thousands of inmates.
• The covert transfer of messages and packages within the concentration camp involved risky strategies like concealing letters within packages, slipping them past guards during delivery, and relying on sympathetic individuals like police officers and a laundry worker to facilitate the process. These helpers took significant personal risks to ensure the safe passage of contraband items, often using deception and stealth to avoid detection by the authorities. The messages and packages were crucial for maintaining communication and providing support to the imprisoned relatives, offering a lifeline of hope and connection in the harsh environment of the camp. Despite the dangers involved, these clandestine efforts were essential for preserving morale and conveying vital information between the detainees and their loved ones outside.

The enduring effects of the Holocaust on the author's father and his relatives.

The memories of war that Hans, the author's father, kept hidden from his family for many years, deeply affected him and left a lasting impression because of the intense experiences he endured throughout the hostilities.

Hans was haunted by distressing memories and carried a profound burden of responsibility for the fate of his parents and other family members.

Hans Neumann carried the lasting effects of the years of conflict, despite surviving that tumultuous period. He had faced and misled the Nazis by adopting a new identity and integrating flawlessly into the heart of their territory. He secretly assisted the Allied forces while simultaneously holding a position with them. Following Germany's surrender in 1945, Hans returned to Prague, married Míla, and sought to start afresh. Two years after leaving Czechoslovakia, Hans and his family began anew in Venezuela, where he thrived as a clever and prosperous business owner.

He bore the burden of his wartime experiences, which were marked by the fear of hiding, the sorrow of his parents' loss, and the awareness of the many relatives he had lost, even though he appeared successful and lived without apparent worries. He kept these traumatic experiences hidden, sharing them only in rare moments. He established a routine marked by unwavering discipline and tireless ambition, masking his past with a veneer of career accomplishments, but occasionally, specific objects or places would evoke memories of his previous existence, his true self, and his family, intruding upon his dreams and reminding him of the life he had left behind.

The author's uncle, Lotar, was also profoundly affected by the war and faced difficulties in his personal relationships

Lotar's union with Zdenka ultimately fell apart, in part due to his profound grief and sense of survivor's guilt.

The Nazi occupation had a profound and enduring effect on Hans's older sibling. He was also encumbered with the mandatory responsibilities as a member of the Prague Jewish Council, where he had to implement and supervise the harsh directives issued by the Nazis. Lotar discovered that after the war, reestablishing balance in his life was a challenging endeavor, especially as he grappled with the tough choices he had been forced to make and the survivor's guilt that burdened him. The ordeal and its subsequent impact on his faith led to the disintegration of his treasured relationship with Zdenka.

Lotar, alongside his second wife Vera, creates a harmonious existence in Switzerland, where they not only build a family but also persist in his lifelong love for art. He persistently struggled with sorrow stemming from previous losses, which led to recurrent episodes of depression. Neumann uncovers the concealed wounds carried by each family member as she pieces together their disjointed past. While some individuals adjust to and manage these conditions, others succumb to intense grief or remorse. The family bears lasting scars from the enduring traumas, which have manifested in various ways.

The author's exploration of her family history led to a deeper understanding of her father and the choices he made.

The author's descendants inherited certain characteristics, such as a fixation on timeliness, which may have originated from the difficult experiences their ancestor faced.

Ariana Neumann's investigations provided the foundation to understand her father, an individual shrouded in complexity and enigma. She traces his evolution from a cheerful young poet fond of playful antics to a resolute survivor who prevailed after the turmoil. As Neumann delves into the history of her father, she discovers his meticulous punctuality, steadfast dedication to his profession, and his penchant for order, recognizing that these traits were not just habitual actions but intrinsic strategies for creating order and deriving significance in a world that had previously treated him with severity.

Neumann's offspring display a timeliness that reflects a trait observed in their ancestor, despite being raised far removed from the trauma and dread of Nazi oppression. The subtleties of these narratives suggest that even unspoken family traumas can echo within us. Our identity and life's journey are inevitably shaped by the legacy left by our ancestors, despite our capacity for independent decision-making. In her journey of discovery, she grows to profoundly value the essence of her father's personality and the choices he made, understanding that even though he was reserved, he succeeded in passing down his struggles and abilities to his offspring.

Practical Tips

• You can create a personal history project to connect with your family's past by interviewing older relatives, collecting photographs, and documenting stories in a digital archive. This allows you to preserve memories and understand the lasting effects of historical events on your family, much like piecing together a puzzle that reveals a larger picture of resilience and adaptation.
• Start a reflective journaling practice to explore the impact of your family's history on your own life, noting traits you've inherited and how they manifest in your daily routines. This self-reflection can lead to a greater appreciation of your heritage and a deeper understanding of how past experiences shape your behaviors and values.
• Engage in a creative expression activity, such as writing a short story or creating a piece of art, that captures the emotional landscape of a family member who has gone through significant life challenges. This can be a therapeutic way to process complex emotions and honor the strength it takes to overcome adversity, fostering empathy and personal growth.