Born: 1921 (Ciechanów, Poland)
Died: 6 January 1945
Biography:
Roza Robota (1921 – 6 January 1945), also known as Róa Robota in Polish, was a remarkable and courageous woman who played a significant role in the resistance against the Nazis during the Holocaust. Born in Ciechanów, Poland, Roza came from a middle-class family and had two siblings. She was a member of the Hashomer Hatzair Zionist-socialist youth movement, and when the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, she joined the movement’s underground.
In Ciechanów, Roza lived with her family at ydowska 4 Street, which was home to the Perec Library, a vibrant hub of Jewish cultural activities. The library organized discussions, theater performances, lectures, and dances that kept the community connected in the face of increasing persecution.
In 1942, Roza was transported to Auschwitz concentration camp during the liquidation of the Ciechanów Ghetto. Despite the inhumane conditions, she managed to survive the initial selection and was assigned to Auschwitz-II Birkenau labor commando for women. Roza’s resilience and determination led her to join the underground resistance movement within the camp.
Working in the clothing depot at the Birkenau Effektenlager, adjacent to Crematorium III, Roza had firsthand knowledge of the atrocities committed in the gas chambers. She became involved in the clandestine dissemination of news among the prisoners, an act of defiance against the Nazis. Roza’s bravery extended beyond her role as an information distributor. She was recruited by the underground resistance to smuggle gunpowder, collected by women at the Krupp Weichsel munitions factory, to the Sonderkommando, a special unit involved in the resistance.
Roza, with the assistance of Hadassa Zlotnicka and Godel Silber, both from Ciechanów, worked tirelessly to obtain and hide small amounts of schwartzpulver, a gunpowder compound, from the Nazis. To ensure their safety, Roza and her comrades were only able to transfer one to three teaspoons of gunpowder per day, and not every day. Their actions were critical in the preparations for the Sonderkommando’s plan to blow up Crematorium III on 6 October 1944.
However, the Gestapo eventually discovered Roza’s involvement in the smuggling operation. Along with three other courageous women – Ala Gertner, Ester Wajcblum, and Regina Safirsztajn – Roza was arrested and taken to the infamous Bloc 11, where she was brutally tortured. Despite the unimaginable suffering, Roza and her fellow prisoners remained steadfast in their determination to protect the identities of others involved in the resistance.
Tragically, Roza and her comrades paid the highest price for their bravery. On 6 January 1945, at the young age of 23, Roza Robota was hanged by the Nazis. Her sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the resistance serve as a testament to her strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable horrors.
Roza Robota’s actions during the Holocaust are a powerful reminder of the indomitable spirit within the human soul, even in the darkest of times. Her contribution to the resistance movement within Auschwitz-Birkenau continues to inspire and shed light on the strength and bravery of women during one of history’s most horrific events.