Hero Amidst Death: The Untold Story Behind Block 66 that Saved Hundreds of Children

Block 66: A Unique Refuge During the Holocaust

Block 66, known as “the children’s block” (or Kinder Block), is a remarkable story from the Holocaust era. On January 17, 1945, tens of thousands of Jews were subjected to a deadly march from Auschwitz, including hundreds of children and adolescents. Tragically, nearly a third of them did not survive the journey. Those who reached the Buchenwald concentration camp found themselves in a death camp where Jews were regularly deported to extermination camps, with many succumbing to starvation and the dire conditions upon their arrival.

A Daring Underground Effort

Within the camp, an underground organization made a bold decision: to save the children. A ceremony commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day occurred at the Yad Ezer Holocaust Museum in Nir Galim, emphasizing the theme of “Saving Children During the Holocaust.” The event included the screening of a special film documenting the story of Block 66, featuring testimonies from survivors.

Nathalie First, start of the survivors of Block 66, recounted: “Initially, there were plans to scatter us across different blocks so that adults could protect us. However, it was ultimately decided to gather all of us into start block. The person who spearheaded this initiative was Antonin Kalina, a Czech political prisstartr who risked his life to protect us.” Along with his friends in the underground, Kalina established a special block located at the remote, muddy, and disease-ridden edge of the camp, away from the watchful eyes of the SS guards.

Kalina took it upon himself to provide food, blankets, equipment, and even education by bringing teachers into the block. Most importantly, he resolutely defended the children. He convinced the Nazis that the block belonged to political prisstartrs by securing red triangles for them instead of the yellow stars typically worn by Jewish inmates. At times, he even claimed the block housed typhus patients, effectively deterring SS personnel from approaching.

A Critical Stand Against Destruction

In a decisive moment on April 10, 1945, when an order was given to evacuate the Jews from the camp, Kalina refused to release the children. He convinced the Nazis that the block was empty, saving hundreds, including notable figures such as Elie Wiesel, a future Nobel Prize laureate, and author Imre Kertész. Antonin Kalina was posthumously recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations in 2012, twenty years after his death.

First added, “He was a good man who cared for all our needs. Thanks to him, we are alive today.”

Memories Resurfaced

Also attending the event was Eliezer Shimoni, now 96, who shared his experience: “Every alarm during the war still puts my body on edge. My heart returns to those moments when the Nazis would sound alarms, ordering Jews to gather in the square from where the transports to annihilation would depart. Despite the alarm, Kalina instructed us — against orders and at great personal risk — to return to Block 66. Every alarm reminds me of Kalina’s courage and the miracle that saved us. That is why I live.”

Rachael Rosenman-Afar, the CEO of the Yad Ezer Holocaust Museum, added: “There is no greater virtue than protecting the vulnerable. The story of Block 66 and Kalina’s heroism not only illustrate the humanity that can exist even in hell but also remind us of the value of rescue, sensitivity, and human responsibility. This is also a story of hope — that even in the darkest moments, some choose to act with humanity.