Saved by Schindler: The Life of Celina Karp Biniaz

by William B. Friedricks

Celina Karp Biniaz was just eight years old when the Germans invaded her homeland of Poland in 1939. Over the next six years, the child from Krakow endured the Holocaust as the Nazis took away her schooling and civil rights, then herded her and her family into a ghetto. Life grew worse when the ghetto was liquidated, and the family was sent to Plaszów, a slave labor/concentration camp where they lived in constant fear, witnessing unspeakable horrors. Ultimately, Celina and her parents landed on Schindler's list, but before being sent to safety at Schindler's factory, Celina spent several terrifying weeks at Auschwitz where she faced down the infamous Dr. Josef Mengele. When the war ended, she and her family eventually made their way to the United States, where Celina got on with her life. With great strength and resilience, she moved forward and embraced the American dream. She finished her education, got married, had a family, and eventually enjoyed a career in teaching. But she kept her Holocaust experience a secret because the years were too terrible to describe, and she did not believe anyone would understand. That all changed with Steven Spielberg's film Schindler's List, which brought the Holocaust and the story of Oskar Schindler to millions around the world. The movie prompted Celina to confront her painful past and begin speaking publicly about it. As she often explains, “Oskar Schindler gave me my life, but Steven Spielberg gave me my voice.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Holocaust, History

272 pages, Paperback

Published October 8, 2022

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I thought I was reading just a review of all I've heard about the Holocaust and Schindler's List. OK - pg 1 of Intro "Celina was one of the youngest members of the list and... one of its last survivors." I was surprised to know that the List story was largely unknown until 1982! Pg. 2 "Up until 1990... hard to find textbook about Holocaust."

Pg. 5 Celina & parents arrived in Iowa in 1947! pg. 9. 1910 - Celina's uncle had come to America to avoid mandatory service in Russian military."

Schindler Pg. 27 "married Schindler was a womanizer, heavy driner and gambler. .. known for charm and eloquence... ability to ingratiate himself... when working with German military in 1936. ...hoped to profit from conflict/quckly involved in Krakow's black market. ...acquired confiscated Jewish company. Rekord, enamel & tinware factory (products for Polish military). Renamed German Enamelware Factory Oskar Schindler - soon referred to as Emalia. Pg. 28. ALSO Madritsch - Catholic who loathed Nazies -- avoided draft by producing shirts for German military." Pg. 35 "opened factory In the ghetto." "Emalia was a few blocks east of ghetto. Poles made enamelware; Jews made armaments." Pg. 35 "Madagascar Plan -- sending Jews to far away island of Madagascar , French colony in Indian Ocean off ew coast of Africa. Pg. 36 plan dated back to 1880s!

Pg. 40 "alter Celina's bda back 2 yrs to 1929 >> looked like she was 13, not 11. Issued a work stamp. Pg. 41 Celina recalled Madritsch was "very kind man: and Tisch was wonderful." both got extra food, meds, etc." Pg. 56 "M's became only private entrepreneur... 2000 workers, largest business in camp."
Pg. 65 Schindler known for keeping families together, ..adding spouses & children to list." Pg. 67 Oct. 15, 1944 - camp assembled -- to read names of 1000 Jews (700 men - 300 women) to Schindler's new factory. 4000 others went to camp. ... About 2000 women (incl Celna and mom + 300 other Schindlerjuden depart to Plaszow"

Pg. 72 Celina meets Mengele! Pg. 76 spotted Celina's father! PG. 77 Celina had liver damage from scarlet fever. "Emilie made porridge -- "Celina credited Emilie S's cooking and compassion for saving her life."

Pg. 108 Karps chose not to go to Israel. Went to Munich for documents and register for visas. Long line of DPs waiting. Stayed in Mindelheim for another year before spots became available under immigration quota system to US."

Pg. 123 Celina went to Grinnell College, then Smith College, then Necchi grad fellowship for DP to Teachers colege, Columbia U in NYC.

Pg. 132 Met Amir "Bini" Biniaz (born in Tehran, Persia (renamed Iran 1935). In 1946 visa to US; there a few weeks before drafted into US Army - one year of service as paratrooper trainer. 1955 able to buy home, GI Bill provided educ for path to higher paying jobs and more disposable income. NEARLY HALF OF 15M VETS USED GI BILL EDUC BENEFITS. >> = BROAD MIDDLE CLASS!.... 14M new homes built 1945-1960.

Pg. 146 Celina told kids she was Polish but no idea ...{Holocaust survivor.} Pg. 147 "Learning Lab and Jr. Great Books"

Pg. 156 Holocaust survivor Leopold "Paul" Page, formerly Poldek Pfefferberg, told Australian author Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler -- 2 file cabinets of material screenwriters had complied on Schindler. ... 1982 Celina saw review of Keneally's book Schindler's List" Pg. 159 - 168 pictures. Pg. 175 Film premiered Nov. 20, 1993 at DC Holocaust Memorial Museum. Pg. 178 Call about her mother's "Schindler's Cup" -- pg. 179 donated to Iowa Jewish Historical Society -- where she was more and more involved.

Pg, 181 "I was 13 when liberated. told Spielberg that Schindler saved my life, But this picture, Schindler's List, gave me a second life." Pg. 182 Celina, 72, filled auditoriums.. for her Holocaust story." Pg. 187 First formal speaking engagement at age 77 - "Second Chance: Memories of a Holocaust Survivor to 300 Grinnell students/community.

I'm really glad I picked up the book. I liked going back and looking at my "stickie notes" -- details saved here. I really enjoyed touring the Holocaust Museum in Dallas, TX, near Kennedy's plaza. The displays were moving; the videos I watched may have been a part of the Schindler's List survivor stories described in Celina's book.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I find most surprising about Celina Biniaz's story is not the horrors she experienced as a young girl in Nazi-controlled Poland or the concentration camps, but her refusal to share those experiences until forty years later. Those closest to her knew next to nothing about her war time life. Life many survivors, she determined to look forward, not back. In doing so, she poured herself into her family and the students she taught. I'm grateful she and others have also decided to tell their stories so we can learn from and do our best to avoid repeating it.
I would have like to read more of her story in Celina's voice rather than the author's, but still a worthwhile read.

[Rhiannon Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not to dissuade from her story; it truly was harrowing & wonderful to learn about her life - the book format itself is what I struggled with.
Way too reminiscent of bullet points. There’s a way to relay facts while still flowing through; rather than jumping from one point to another per paragraph. This made it a hard read for me.

[Loren Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was riveted by all of the history as well as the story! Wow.