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A Gathering of Foes
Amanda Sefton stands face-to-face with the Dread Dormammu, and looks straight into his fiery eyes. Forcibly Amanda tells Dormammu that he is the last creature she would expect to be knocking on the gates of Limbo and demands he reveal what business he has in her realm. Dormammu snarls back that he would not have come to her willingly unless it was a matter of most vital urgency. He announces he has a tale that he is sure she will want to hear, though one that is best told by a witness. The powerful demon turns to a lesser-demon that accompanies him and orders it to identify itself to Magik and reveal what it saw.
The purple demon’s green eyes glow as it identifies itself as Gleeg, a captain in the Silurian Guard who watches over the gates of Nightmare’s fortress. Gleeg gets to his story, revealing that darkness had fallen and he and his warriors were settling in for the night watch. Suddenly, one of his soldiers saw something in the sky and cried out, alerting the others. Gleeg reveals it was a storm, splintering the night and sending shards of blackness down towards them. The splinters were like blades and Gleeg reveals that they ripped much of his guard to shreds, for they could not fight back.
In a matter of minutes after the shards fell, Nightmare’s fortress was overrun. Kurt Wagner, also known as the X-Man Nightcrawler and Amanda’s foster brother was transported to Limbo with her sometime earlier and he is shocked to learn this of Nightmare, moreso when Magik proclaims Nightmare as one of the most powerful beings in the Splinter Realms. She urges the guard-captain to go on with his story, and the demon announces he died. Gleeg turns to Dormammu and asks him that now he has done as he wished he has to keep his part of the bargain and release him from the agony of living death.
The Dread Dormammu holds Gleeg up by the neck with one hand and because he has no further use for it, kills it. Dormammu turns to Amanda and reveals that he kept Gleeg alive long enough for her to hear its tale, before stating that a potent force capable of overwhelming a magical lord like Nightmare threatens the Splinter Realms, and adds that from the battle Limbo’s walls have just withstood he believes Amanda has concluded the same. He shocks Kurt and Amanda when he next announces that he believes they should both work together, for if they don’t, then they will be destroyed. Amanda glares at Dormammu from under her cowl and tells him she will need time to consider his unusual proposal, and that while she does, her people will escort him to an audience hall.
Later, Amanda stands with her arms folded, surrounded by her council. She tells them all that they may speak openly, asking for their opinions. She asks Vitchen what he thinks and her loyal military commander states that a pact with the Dread one is madness and that they all should know Dormammu is to treacherous to make a pact with. Duke Bleys of the council says that he agrees with Vitchen, but cannot deny the clear and great danger at their threshold, before adding that the fact Dormammu even came to them for help shocks him enough to believe the Dread one.
Amanda admits she has thought the same and orders a scout troop to be assembled, adding that if they are going to trust Dormammu they will need proof and decides that they will agree to venture into the shadow realms with Dormammu, if he can substantiate his claims. Vitchen begins to protest and Amanda snaps back for him to just do as she says, for it is her duty and purpose – the very purpose of Limbo itself – to act as a buffer against the outer dark. She again tells her council to do as she bids them and they reply in unison ‘Yes mistress’ before walking away.
Not looking at her brother, Amanda tells him he hasn’t said anything. Kurt tells Amanda, for what it is worth, ‘If you play with a guy whose head is on fire, you’re likely to get burned’. Sarcastically, Amanda thanks Kurt before telling him it is time she sent him back to Earth. Nightcrawler tells her he is not going, but staying to watch her back. In happier times, Amanda took the codename „Daytripper„ to parody that of Nightcrawler. As if they were back when life was somewhat simpler and the siblings’ major worry was what their deluded and unstable mother was up to, they hug, and Amanda thanks Kurt, admitting she was hoping he would say that.
Kurt is glad Amanda appreciates him staying, aside from the fact she is only relatively new to the job of Limbo’s ruler, it is a job she never wanted, but had it forced upon her, but perhaps even Amanda Sefton believes in destiny now. Kurt never would have believed Amanda would become ruler of Limbo, even though their mother Margali revealed it was her destiny, but Kurt cares for Amanda too much, despite the romance in their lives being rather frozen, and besides, the X-Men look after their own.
Magik, Nightcrawler, Dormammu, Vitchen and an army of what appears to be thousands ride out from the gates of Limbo at what passes for dawn in Hell. Dormammu, riding at Amanda’s side, tells her that he appreciates her spirit of cooperation. Bluntly, Amanda tells the Dread one that very little exists between them in the way of cooperation. Dormammu tells Amanda that they will see, before alerting her to the upcoming Splinter Realm, the Realm of Surtur.
Amanda stares in shock, announcing that nothing is left of the Land of Fire, that it is simply reduced to a burnt-out cinder. Dormammu draws Amanda to the blackened husks of bone, suggesting Surtur’s demon guard has been annihilated. Nightcrawler examines one of the bodies and reminds his companions that Surtur is a Norse deity, asking also what could have possibly done this. Amanda alerts the others to Surtur’s blade, lodged into the ground, it’s eternal flame extinguished. Kurt feels a chill in the air and everyone looks up as a tempest breaks the sky.
The storm is exactly as Gleeg of Nightmare’s guard had described it and a force begins to rip and boil around them. Blades of what can only be described as living darkness drop from the sky, cutting the air as they spin towards Kurt, Magik, Vitchen and Dormammu. The warriors of Limbo begin to scream as the blades cut their flesh, but they continue to fight back against this foe they barely understand and cannot match. Kurt and Vitchen hold the left flank of the group along with some of Dormammu’s mindless servants who make no sound as they die, but just die the same, cut apart by the slices of the night.
Dormammu howls out to Magik that they will be destroyed if they remain. Amanda responds, agreeing with the Dread one, before telling him that their only hope is to link their combined power, which will provide a Stepping Disk large enough for all of their army to travel through. As Dormammu and Amanda Sefton link hands, the Dread one smirks that they shall cooperate after all. Suddenly, a whirl of darkness mixed with a sweet taste of witchcraft fills the air, before they are all transported elsewhere.
The enormous fortress of Limbo looms over the realm it sits, and the entire contingent appears in the yard. The strain of such a huge teleportation was great however, and Bleys rushes to Magik’s side as she keels over. She announces that she will be fine, but needs to speak to Nugent. Vitchen quietly comments to Kurt about how close their last battle was, and Kurt agrees, watching as even Dormammu feels the pain too, but no one goes to his aide, his mindless servants just look on blankly.
In a large chamber, Amanda stands in its center looking into a large crystal ball, where she speaks to Nugent, her ally on Earth, who tells her the work is going fine, that his machine is almost finished, now being three-quarters full with data of the worlds arcane. Amanda asks Nugent to keep at it as she fears she will need the database soon. Nugent proclaims that he has tabulated the information she provided and that after analyzing the patterns, the machine suggests the next target will be Hades itself. Off to the side of the room, Kurt is almost scared at the thought of Hades, as Amanda smiles and thanks Nugent.
Amanda enters a room where Vitchen is relaxing with Kurt and she tells her field commander that they need to prepare a expedition to Hades, to warn Mephisto. Vitchen tells Amanda as she wishes, before the guardian of Limbo announces she is weary and leaves the room. Vitchen turns to Kurt and asks him if he is no stranger to Limbo. Kurt replies that the X-Men have fought Belasco here more than once. Thinking back, Vitchen comments on how much of a tyrant Belasco was, and after him there was S’ym, who tried to rule Limbo through a technological virus. Vitchen adds that it is never less than a war in Limbo. Changing the subject, Vitchen tells Kurt that his appearance seems, in his opinion, to be at odds with the priestly outfit he was wearing when he arrived. Kurt tells Vitchen that he gets that comment a lot, though in Limbo, it is getting hard to rationalize it.
Later, in Hades, Mephisto, the Lord of Lies, sits upon his throne as two demon servants report that a battle has begun at the main gates and intruders are trying to break in. Mephisto looks up, and eyes glaring, he says, in his chilling voice, that no one comes to Hades without his permission. As he orders the servants to double the guard, a shining white light brightens up the gloomy red chamber, Amanda enters from a Stepping Disk, telling Mephisto she has come to talk not battle his gate guards.
Mephisto raises his voice and orders a group of ferocious demons to destroy Magik for her insolence. Magik fights off the demons as she tells him she came here to warn him, and raising her voice, asks for the demons to be called off. Mephisto’s form more than triples in size and holding a fireball in his hand he tells Amanda that he doesn’t think so, before shooting her with the fireball, suggesting to Magik that she never come here. Amanda dodges the flame, admitting she is tempted to agree, telling Mephisto that his welcome leaves a lot to be desired, and calling forth a Stepping Disk and her Soulsword, Amanda disappears…
… only to re-appear above Mephisto. She suggests they start over, and jumping onto Mephisto’s increased body, she leans her blade against his neck as she tells Mephisto she wants him to listen, and that if he refuses, she has no problem with giving him a compunction he will remember for a long time. Mephisto curses Amanda before asking what she wants to say. Amanda tells him just to listen, and he begins to hear a thundering sound. He asks Magik what it is and Amanda reveals that it was what she came here to warn him about, announcing that a force of great and terrible power has been unleashed upon the Splinter Realms, and that his precious kingdom is next!


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[Assistant]
The Fall of Hades
Mephisto, the Lord of Lies, howls as his citadel crumbles around him. Furious, he asks Magik, who recently teleported to Mephisto to warn him of the imminent danger, what is going on. Bluntly, Amanda tells Mephisto that if he had listened to her instead of fighting her, then he would have learned by now. And as the terrible storm brews outside Mephisto’s castle, the black shards begins to slice their way downwards, Amanda announces that an unknown force of destruction is laying waste to the Splinter Realms one by one, and that already the realms of Dormammu, Nightmare and Surtur have fallen.
Amanda tells Mephisto that she came here from Limbo, the realm she rules over, to warn him that his kingdom is next, but is too late, for the enemy is already upon them. Mephisto’s servants who guard his high walls are fighting, but begin to die as their savagery and brute strength is no match for the sharp storm-forms that spear everything in their path, part of the enemy tempest. Magik reports that flesh, steel and granite walls will be overrun, and that even magic and light will be choked.
Mephisto shouts out that no force, natural or supernatural would be so bold to defy him. Soulsword in hand, Amanda begins to fend off the darkness around her and tells Mephisto that it is now his chance to make his point. Mephisto unleashes a powerful surge of energy and manages to keep the deadly darkness at bay. Magik proclaims that they cannot kill what does not live, and that with her Soulsword and magical powers, along with Mephisto’s god-like power they cannot destroy the enemy, for it has no form, adding that it just simply defies them.
Mephisto stops in his fight, and turning to the Champion of Limbo, he tells Amanda that she is correct, and asks her what they should do. As blood trickles from the mouth of the former Excalibur member, Amanda tells Mephisto they can retreat and plan a defense. Proclaiming that he should forget about honor for a while and return later to face the nothingness on their terms. Amanda Sefton takes charge and orders Mephisto to bind his power to his, staring him in the face as she demands. The powerful Mephisto grits his teeth as he reluctantly does as Amanda wishes.
A shimmer marks Amanda’s stepping Disk as it swiftly removes her and Mephisto from the dying Hades, and behind them, the ageless citadel of power appears to shudder as the unnatural blackness splinters around it, and with its very stones screaming, Hades falls, literally, into the fiery rivers below.
Back in Limbo, the gateway to the Splinter Realms, Amanda’s ex-boyfriend and former teammate in Excalibur, Kurt Wagner, a.k.a. Nightcrawler of the X-Men sits and worries, worries for the young woman who is also his foster sister has been gone from her realm for such a long time. Commotion begins to stir and Kurt rushes to see what is happening. Kurt asks a creature what is happening, and the reply is that Magik is returning. Kurt teleports instantly to the courtyard, where Amanda’s advisor, Duke Bleys and one of the most powerful beings in all of the Splinter Realms, the Dread Dormammu wait.
The Stepping Disk opens, announcing Amanda’s return, and along with her, Mephisto. Amanda’s loyal military commander, Vitchen, points this out as he rushes over to her. Amanda and Kurt embrace as the X-Man admits they were worrying about her. Amanda thanks her friends as Mephisto and the Dread One acknowledge each other with a ‘Well met’. Amanda takes off her horned headpiece as she addresses all her company, announcing the fast approaching enemy before stating that if they are to have any chance of defeating it, it must be as one resisting force, and she calls an assembly.
Nightcrawler guesses from the gasps of those in the courtyard that a convocation is very extraordinary for the Splinter Realms. It is a parliament, attended by the myriad lords and rulers of the realms and in the last forty-seven-thousand years, has only been done twice before. And so the summons goes out, by rider, mystic messenger, augury and carrier beast.
At dawn the next day, Nightcrawler stands on a terrace of the fortress, watching the first arrivals. The first arrival being Lord militant Phemous, who rides a polyp steed that wheezes in the air. The rest arrive one by one through the morning, many different shapes, different creatures, some not even having a stable form, some Kurt knows of, others he doesn’t, but there are thousands of them, the monarchs of the Splinter Realms, all drawn together in one place.
The convocation begins at midnight, in the Great Vault of Limbo, a structure so large that it can house the millions assembled within. Kurt Wagner, in all his years and experiences as an X-Man can compare this to very little he has ever seen. Amanda begins the meeting, addressing those who rule the Splinter Realms and introducing herself to those whom may not know of her. She reminds the rulers that while they have waged war on each other for countless eons, bickering, squabbling, plotting, now is the time where that must all be set aside, or else they will all perish! There would have been a time where Amanda would not have been so straightforward in addressing those much more powerful than her, if she had the courage to address them at all.
Leaning over her small balcony, Magik clenches a fist as she proclaims an enemy is approaching that can best anyone present individually, no mater how vaunted one believes themselves to be. She states that the enemy has proved its power already, before turning to those assembled for answers. And the rulers begin to reply, from all corners of the chamber.
The demon D’Sparye, who once controlled Amanda’s mother proclaims that he knows nothing of any such foe Amanda speaks of, and Siffror of the Lifeless agrees with him, wondering if this is a ploy to undermine their feudal thrones. The King of Pain, Malevolence, calls them fools, for he has seen from his watchtowers, Hell itself fell. The sultry Umar, in her usual impatient tone of voice asks why they should care if rivals suffer, before announcing that she wants Hell to burn.
The Dreaded One turns to his sister, bitter rivals, he mocks her before harshly announcing he has seen the enemy first hand, adding that he agrees with Magik’s proposal, that they all need to stand united, or none of them will survive. Skarabrous the Stalker asks Magik directly what action they should take. Amanda suggests a pact, a formal pledge of alliance sworn in blood and sorcery. Adding that such a pact, an enchantment, will make the Splinter Realms One Realm, strong and complete against their enemy.
Molgotha suggests that such a pact must not be broken by anyone, and that if it is, the pain of death is the result for the pact-breaker, for else, how is there to be trust between old rivals. Vilven, the Seamstress Queen of the Tapestry Islands agrees with Molgotha, whom she has quarreled with for centuries, adding that she would never enter into a pact with Molgotha unless the penalties were severe. The chieftain of the Murder-Clans, Brutus Klor, agrees with Vilven, but adds that from what he has thus far seen, they must enter the pact or face extinction.
Pluto, the God of the Underworld Hades speaks up, and remarks that extinction does have its place, but for the moment, he thinks that place should be left, before agreeing that pact is necessary, before asking the other rulers if any dissent. Pluto’s strident and venomous authority is challenged by none, the vault going deathly quiet. Nightcrawler shivers as Amanda Sefton crosses her arms, almost proud of what she has accomplished by bringing the rulers of the Splinter Realms together, and she calls out that the pact shall be made.
Powerful sorcery cuts the air, arcane symbols so potent that it hurts for Kurt Wagner to look at them as they shimmer in the ether. Amanda begins a chant that shakes the enormous vault, and as quickly as it began, it is finished, in a shower of energy that mingles of oath and demon blood, the pact of union is made.
Kurt watches as Amanda’s advisor, Duke Bleys, suddenly slips quietly away from the vault, and the X-Man begins to follow him, intrigued, but keeping distance, though Kurt can still see Bleys hiss urgently and secretly into a device of some sorts, but that is enough for Kurt, so he teleports in front of the two-headed advisor. Bleys is surprised to Nightcrawler, and grabs him, asking him if he was spying on him. Kurt looks at Bleys’s larger head and asks him what he is doing and who he is working for. Bleys spits at Kurt and replies that it is nothing Kurt will live to speak of before knocking him out.
Bleys begins to drag Kurt away, but stops and throws him onto the ground. Looming over Kurt, Bleys asks him if he wants the truth, and from the smaller head of Bleys, a purple form begins to take shape, telling Kurt to see him for who he is truly is. The purple form gets larger, and Duke Bleys reveals himself as S’ym!  Nightcrawler is surprised to see Belasco’s former lackey. S’ym tells Kurt to mind his tongue, or else he will rip it from his mouth. Kurt tells S’ym that he thought his threat was long gone, and as Magik walks into the room, she tells S’ym that she thought that also.
Amanda asks S’ym what treachery he brings with him this time. The demon tells his „mistress" that it is she who wrought it, but as Duke Bleys he merely encouraged it. S’ym tells Amanda that by her unification of the Splinter Realms, she thought they could stand firm against the foe, but in fact, they are now all one easy target for his master! Amanda asks S’ym what master he is talking about, as Kurt points suddenly to the sky. Horrified, Amanda looks up, and sees the skies above Limbo rip open, burning and decaying. The powerful foe laughs triumphantly, announcing his presence, and visible for the first time, he is mighty and deadly, while Amanda and Kurt just look on helplessly.


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Bound for Destruction
Amanda Sefton, powerful sorceress, longtime ally to the Uncanny X-Men and member of two of the splinter X-teams, is now known as "Magik" and is the ruler of Limbo, gateway to the Splinter Realms of Hell. She stands near her foster brother, Kurt "Nightcrawler" Wagner, of the X-Men as the two former lovers just learn the Amanda’s ally Duke Bleys is actually their longtime foe, S’ym, and that his master is the mysterious foe currently wrecking destruction throughout the Splinter Realms.
Nightcrawler tries to make sense of the revelation as S’ym laughs and tells Amanda that she played right into his master’s hand by unifying the Splinter Realms so intending to destroy him, when in fact they are now all one target. Amanda gasps, after realizing what she has inadvertently done, and now the evil force that has been laying waste to the realms has reached the gates of Limbo, where they can see the demonic foe for the first time.
Magik turns to S’ym as the demon slips away via teleportation and asks him why he betrayed them adding that the enemy will consume him along with everyone else. S’ym smiles as he announces to Amanda that his new master promised to make him ruler of Limbo. Kurt asks S’ym if he really thinks something like that is going to honor a pact. S’ym mutters as he fades from sight, Amanda warning him that she will be back for him.
Amanda teleports herself through a Stepping Disk and up to the top of her citadel and Nightcrawler follows with a bamf. As the two stand atop the roof, Amanda points up towards the enormous horn, the Horn of Harrowing, which is intended to be used only in times of great need, Amanda believes that time is now. Amanda looks stern as she reveals that if the creature succeeds in conquering the Splinter Realms it will become a being of absolute power, the very reason why the Realms were splintered to begin with.
Kurt and Amanda share one last passionate embrace, they know what is at stake, before Amanda takes the Horn and sends out the signal, announcing the last stand. Kurt Wagner asks God, ‘…or someone…’ for mercy on their souls as the ground shakes with the forces of the Splinter Realms gathering. They are from all corners of the Splinter Realms, many bitter rivals forever, drawn together in this disparate time of need, though they may be the salvation of all creation, or its ultimate downfall.
Over one billion take to the battle, led by four of the most powerful beings in the Splinter Realms, and possibly all existence – the Lord of Lies; Mephisto, the enormous Satanish, the deceitful Pluto and the sultry Umar. Everyone else follows after them. Amanda Sefton stands on the balcony of her citadel still and calls out to her subjects and those of other realms, ordering them to strike in the name of all creation!
The adversary rises above the allied forces and its lethal storm ripple in the fiery winds, as if stayed by the sight of the formidable resistance. The embodiment of evil begins its onslaught, its malicious skull head leers down on the forces, its eyes glowing blood-red, and its power that destroyed all of Hades and extinguished Muspelheim, sears into Limbo. Two hundred thousand die in the first second.
The creature moves on, destroying the walls of Limbo underfoot, for it is evil and nameless, the sum of all fears and malice, it is ageless, and evil beyond understanding. Those who would normally be called villains fight it for their freedom and lives, they fight to deny it. Kurt Wagner finds a space on the main gatehouse and tests his swords against the storm-forms while the air begins to mists with blood vapor.
The Dread Dormammu stands upon a large rock, and beneath him his mindless followers fight as hard as he does along the Eastern flank, where a cyclone of magic energy ten miles wide spins around them. Mephisto commands the western side as Kurt wonders if even the Lord of Lies is accustomed to so many screams of torture and anguish around him.
Magik’s most loyal warrior and military commander, Vitchen, vanquishes one thousand storm forms before a brutal wound causes him to drop to the ground. Higher than everyone else, Amanda Sefton stands on a spire the brightest glow in all of Limbo, she shines like a star on the darkest night ever, directing all of her power into the heart of the great and terrible beast, she calls out to it; ‘What are you, creature? What evil spawned you? What are you?!’ The creatures’ eyes glow stronger…
Amanda calls out to her allies, telling them they need to bind their powers again. Nightcrawler is surprised and tells her they have enough trouble using their powers against the creature as it is. Mephisto proclaims that Magik is right, adding that they can only hope to defeat the entity if they understand its nature. Dormammu states that it will be the last time, but he and Mephisto will join their powers into one weapon. Badly wounded, Vitchen tells Amanda that whatever power he can muster belongs to her. Magik manages a small smile and thanks them all, before ordering them to focus their energies as one, focus them through her.
Blood begins to drip from Amanda’s eyes, mouth and nose as energies from the other rulers suddenly flow into her, as she acts as a conduit for the power, before casting a spell of divination and letting it emerge from her body. Amanda probes directly into the heart of the beast, and finally learns what it truly is. She collapses to the ground, exhausted, Kurt bamfs up to her as he grabs her, Amanda tells him that there is no more time, and blood trickles from her eyes, as she reveals it is all her fault.
Exhausted, Amanda manages to open a Stepping Disk for her brother and in a heartbeat, Nightcrawler is back in New York, the apartment home of Amanda’s ally, Nugent. The short man is surprised to see Nightcrawler, who offers no greeting, other than a motion towards the machine, where Kurt grabs his sword and buries it inside the machine, praying that it is enough. Kurt recalls how Amanda had Nugent build the machine as a repository device for all magical knowledge, choosing Earth as its base because it was free of ambient magical background energies.
Amanda never realized however, that the arcane "Pandora’s Box" might evolve, drawing together all of the elements of the vast eldritch data within and become something else. The archenemy of the Splinter Realms, is the offspring of a machine, an absolute force of magical evil, returning from the far future to conquer and safeguard the time of its birth. Kurt watches as it splits open along the gouges his sword made cuts in, and watches as a maelstrom of energy spills out of it.
Back in Limbo, the deadly enemy begins to falter as if it has been weakened. It drops, and before it can renew its assault, Amanda Sefton, armed with her Soulsword, are there, and she strikes the creature down, powerfully with a strong blow, and then all Hell breaks loose – literally, as the creature screams, shaking the Splinter Realms, blood spreading everywhere, adding a tainted glow to the low shimmer in Limbo.
Kurt is told that Limbo will probably burn for weeks after wards, the same amount of time it may take to bury the dead. One by one, the strange and unlikely allies begin to leave. The Dread Dormammu tells Amanda that this has all been an "education", as the mistress of Limbo thanks him, adding that it is not an experience she would choose to repeat. Mephisto fares Amanda well, adding he has a Realm to remake, but not leaving before warning Amanda to have a care about where her ambitions take her next time.
Amanda Sefton frowns as she tells Kurt that Mephisto is right, that she had the machine built because she thought it would aide her in her task, but in trying to do her job, she almost destroyed all of creation. Nightcrawler tries to comfort her by telling her that recognizing ones mistakes and putting them right is the greatest talent a leader can have. He adds that as far as everything else goes – the courage, tenacity and authority – Amanda has nothing to prove.
Amanda Sefton and Kurt Wagner stare down at what is left of Limbo, and the X-Man tells his sister that for what it is all worth, the Crossroads of Limbo and the realms it guards could not be in safer hands. Then Amanda Sefton, or Magik, or Jimaine Szardos, or Daytripper, whatever name one wants to call she who has taken in her stride a destiny she never wanted, turns to Kurt and says ‘Know what, Fuzzy Elf? You know exactly what to say to make a girl smile’. And all goes quiet in the realm of Limbo, at least, for now.


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Magneto: Testament – Part 1 of 5
In his modest home, Jakob Eisenhardt is trying to assemble a necklace of many small, hand-crafted metal pieces. He cries out “Ach!” in frustration as he fumbles the pieces and they scatter across the floor. He comments to his younger brother, Erich that he is dropping more links than he is fixing these days. Erich suggests teasingly that his brother has gotten fat during his time in the civil service and that his fat fingers can’t handle “an honest man’s tools”. Jakob replies that his fingers are fine; it’s his eyes that are the problem. Jakob gets down on the floor to retrieve the loose pieces.
 His son arrives and tells him not to worry, he’s got them. In a miraculously quick time, Jakob’s son Max has gathered the metal trinkets and hands them to his father. His uncle smiles at the raven-haired lad and jokingly asks him if he’s going to keep his poppa out of the poorhouse. Jakob tells Max that his uncle is only joking but that he should see the piece that Max has been working on. Max holds up a necklace made entirely of metal with ornately shaped pieces that dangle beautifully. Erich asks what this is and Jakob tells him that Max has made this entirely from scraps he found on the workshop floor. Jakob praises his son’s craftsmanship and points out the delicate craftsmanship. He adds that it’s even more impressive given that Max is only nine years old!
Erich smiles and compliments Max’s work. He tells his brother “You know what this means… he’s got a girl.” Max’s mother asks “Who’s got a girl?” Max quickly hides the necklace and says “Nobody.” To which his mother replies “Exactly!” Max’s uncle Erich just laughs but Max’ mother does not find it amusing. She asks Erich if he wants to run around acting like he does, especially in times like these. Erich smiles and tells her “All the more reason to have some fun.” Uncle Erich tells Max “Life is short” and proceeds to teach him Lesson One: he should smile if a pretty girl gives him “that certain look.”
 Max’s mother asks his father if he’s just going to sit there while his own brother teaches their boy such nonsense. Jakob places his hand on his wife’s shoulder affectionately and smiles at her. He then asks Max if he thinks the look she’s giving him may be “that certain look.” Mrs. Eisenhardt blushes and gets momentarily flustered by her husband’s flirty comment. She smiles softly, calls him a “man” in a slightly annoyed tone laced with amusement and affection and orders him to come into the kitchen and help her with the food. Jakob wraps his arm around his wife and leads her to the kitchen. Max seems bewildered by this but his uncle ruffles his hair and continues his lessons on dealing with girls. “Lesson Two: If a pretty girl invites you into the kitchen… always say yes.”
The next day finds young Max at school, preparing to compete in a series of physical challenges. The group of schoolboys stands stiffly at attention as their headmaster addresses them. He tells them that they are everything, sons of the nation upon whom the hopes of their fathers and forefathers rest. He espouses the school’s goals of training their minds, hearts and bodies but warns that teachings will only take them so far and that they must find the strength and will to seize the glory that is their birthright.
 As he says all this, Max Eisenhardt is distracted by a pretty young girl named Magda. Magda’s mother is a cleaning woman at the school. Max tries to get Magda’s attention and when she finally looks up at him, he smiles broadly. The blond-haired boy next to Max sneers and says with derision “Trash loves trash.” Max glares at the boy who smiles with smug superiority.
The boys engage in a variety of trials: foot races, long jump, and wrestling. The blond boy easily pins Max down as they wrestle and taunts him by pointing out that Max has been “Dead last in everything.” Max looks over at Magda as the boy says nastily “I’m sure the little scrub’s very impressed.” Max tries to rebuff the boy but the group is then called back to attention by the headmaster. He calls to the boys to look at Max. He begins with “He’s really the perfect example isn’t he? Small. Weak. But vicious.” He accuses Max of being a nasty loser who “snaps at the victors like a little dog.” Max sinks under the scrutiny of his headmaster, staring at the ground. The headmaster points this out as a further sign of weakness, which he sees as a sign of cowardice. He tells the other boys that this sickens him and the stupid look on Max’s face “truly turns my stomach.” Max’s teacher, Herr Kalb interrupts this harsh dissection and tries to point out that Max is near the top of his class in almost every subject. The headmaster says that this is merely a sign of his “degenerate cunning” and “vastly different from real intelligence.” Herr Kalb reluctantly agrees with his superior. Max seethes with anger as the other boys smile smugly.
The headmaster calls the boys to participate in their final event: the javelin throw. Max is still a bit dejected from the racist criticism of the headmaster as he picks up the javelin. He catches a glance from Magda and this brings a smile to his face. He gazes at the field before him, littered with the javelins thrown by his classmates. He leans back and throws the metal javelin with all his might. To everyone’s surprise (including Max himself) it soars boldly through the air, landing several feet beyond the furthest javelin. The headmaster grimaces at this achievement and eyes Max suspiciously. Herr Kalb tries his best to suppress a satisfied grin.
Max is awarded a gold medal for his javelin throw and stands atop a platform next to the boys with the second and third farthest throw. The silver medal has gone to the blond boy who taunted Max earlier in the day. Naturally, he is visibly bitter that Max has beaten him. After school, Max bounds happily out of the school with his gold medal dangling about his neck. He is stopped by Herr Kalb. Kalb tells Max that he is gifted and special but that he needs to be careful. He shares a Japanese proverb: “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.” He asks Max if he understands what he is saying. Max apologizes and says that he has to go or he will be late.
Max rushes off, trying to catch up with Magda and her mother as they leave the school. He follows them into a crowded town square. He calls out to Magda and she turns and reaches out for him. Her mother tries to pull her away. Max holds out a small box and tells her it is for her. Magda smiles brightly as she takes the box and says simply “Bye, Max!” The words lift Max’s spirits and he smiles broadly with elation. His sentiment is echoed by the crowd who is cheering wildly and raising their hands in salute. The square is filled with Nazi flags and banners as the townspeople cheer for the assembled Nazi troops. A man looks down at Max and tells him to “Hail our heroes!” Max looks around and realizes for the first time what has drawn the crowd. On the platform in front of him is his uncle, Erich. He has been badly beaten by the Nazi soldiers. Around his neck is a sign painted in red. The German phrase translates to “I have shamed a German woman.” The Nazi soldiers continue to beat Uncle Erich as the crowd cheers them on.
September 15, 1935 – The Nazi party introduce the Nuremberg Laws. These new laws declare that Jews cannot be citizens of the Reich. Marriages between Jews and German nationals and their kin are forbidden. Sexual relations between Jews and Germans are forbidden. In addition, Jews are forbidden from hoisting the Reich and national flags or bearing the colors of the Reich. As the people cheer these pronouncements, Erich Eisenhardt is beaten publicly to demonstrate the enforcement of the Nazi edicts. Max pushes through the crowd towards his uncle, who falls to the ground. Blood fills one of his eyes. The other is swollen nearly shut. Blood gushes from his nose.
That evening, Max shows the medal he was awarded to his father and the rest of the family. Uncle Erich is recuperating from the beating he received on the couch nearby. Jakob looks at the medal and tells his son that they gave him medals too. He takes down a medal he received for his service in World War I. He tells his son that he was even called a “hero.” It was his service record that allowed him to keep his job with the government for so long. He quotes President Hindenburg who said that the Jews who bled for Germany in the Great War were German enough for him. From the sofa, Erich tells his older brother “no more, Jakob. No More.” Jakob asks what he means by this. As Erich cradles his bandaged hand and speaks through a badly swollen lip, he says simply “They’re never going to stop.” Jakob asks what they should do then, “…run away?” Erich replies “Exactly.”
Jakob tries to brush off this idea but his daughter Ruth chimes in. She tells him that her uncle may be right. At the flower shop where she works the people call her “Greta” and assume she is German and a Christian. Her father corrects her and tells her that she is German. Ruth says that she lets them assume this because it is easier that way. Jakob slumps against the table and asks his wife what she thinks. “No more room for us in the land of Goethe and Schiller and Beethoven and Mendelssohn?” She pulls him to the kitchen and asks for his help with dinner. He smiles and looks down at Max “At least you showed them, huh?” he says proudly. He hands Max his medal which is emblazoned with the eagle and swastika symbol of the Reich. He tells his son, “They can’t take that away.”
The next day at school, the headmaster orders Max to stand before the other students. He announces that it has come to his attention that the javelin that Max threw the day before was defective. He tells them “This Jew has won nothing.” He demands that Max return the medal the next day as it belongs to a German boy… unless Max is able to duplicate his feat with a regulation javelin.
 Soon Max stands on the practice field once more. The other boys are watching as are the headmaster, Herr Kalb, Magda and her mother. Max looks worried. The javelin in his hand is considerably heavier than the one from the previous day. He tells this to Herr Kalb who replies that it is regulation weight. Max tells him that it is heavier than that. Herr Kalb is clearly sympathetic and tells Max to just throw it. Max glares at the headmaster with anger and throws the javelin with all of his might. It soars far, all the way to the back wall of the school. Herr Kalb looks shocked and the headmaster seethes with anger. Max looks towards Magda who smiles and brings her hand to her neck. She is wearing the necklace that Max made for her. This brings a smile to his face.
Later that day, Max is summoned to the headmaster’s office. The headmaster tells him that the Reich has no place for “cheating, Jewish scum” and tells Max that he is expelled. Max glares angrily as the headmaster tells him that he has three minutes to get out of his sight. As Max walks down the corridor, he hears shouting coming from another room. He hears a cracking sound and the door opens. A pair of Nazi soldiers is beating Herr Kalb who begs them to look at his papers. As they drag Herr Kalb away, Max looks down at the floor. A splatter of blood stains the marble.
 Max looks up as someone calls out “Hey, Eisenhardt!” Standing behind him is the blond German boy and several of his friends. The boy cracks his knuckles and Max runs. The boys chase him out onto the schoolyard where several other boys are waiting. Max stops running and punches one of the boys. But he is quickly overwhelmed by the gang of boys. They force him to the ground and begin beating him up with the golden Reich medals they have been given. The medals are soon streaked with Max’s blood. The words of Herr Kalb ring in his ears, “Max…you’re special. Gifted. You have immense promise. But you need to be careful… the nail that sticks up… gets hammered down.”


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Magneto: Testament – Part 2 of 5
Germany – summer 1936:
Max Eisenhardt and his father, Jakob sit aboard a locomotive that is winding through the German countryside towards Berlin. Jakob shows his son an old photo from his days in the German army. He is standing with another soldier in a tavern; both are smiling and raising their beer steins. Jakob tells Max “Your mother says I’m a fool.”  But he explains that Major Scharf was a good and honest man and that he saved Scharf’s life during their time together in the military. Scharf now works in the government and Jakob is hopeful that Major Scharf will help him get his civil service job back.
Max is enthralled by the story. Jakob shows him a medal he received along with the photo. He adds that it may have been even better had Scharf been the one who saved his life. His theory is that people who have helped you once love to do so again as a way of confirming their own good judgment.
He then changes the subject by snatching away Max’s journal and asking him to share a bit about his secrets! Max calls out “Hey!” but does not get the journal back in time to prevent his father from finding the photograph of Magda that he has hidden inside. His father chuckles and says “It’s always about a girl, isn’t it?” Max sinks into his seat and avoids looking at his father as he replies “I don’t know.” Jakob points out that the girl in the photo is wearing the necklace that Max made. Jakob assures Max that he won’t tell his mother about her but he does have one important question “Is she Jewish?” Before Max has a chance to answer, the conductor comes by and asks for their papers. He opens Jakob’s travel documents which have been marked inside with a large letter J to indicate that he is a Jew.
The two arrive safely in Berlin and Jakob triumphantly says that they have nothing to worry about. He sees the workers removing signs that say “Jews Not Welcome Here” and believes that this is a sign of change for Jews. He tells Max that with the Olympics here and the eyes of the world on Berlin, they will have no trouble.
 They make their way to a small restaurant where footage from the Games is being shown on a large screen. Jakob instructs max to stay here and watch while he takes care of his business with Major Scharf. He tells Max that if he “plays his cards right” Major Scharf might even buy him his first beer! A blond-haired soldier watching the Games is outraged as Jesse Owens, a black American athlete is awarded a gold medal. He exclaims angrily “First that Jew fencer –- and now this?”
A good while later, Max makes his way to the governmental offices where his father has been seeking out Major Scharf. Jakob greets his son and apologizes for not coming for him sooner. He makes an excuse about being afraid that if he left they might not let him back in. He adds that he did not see Major Scharf and that he must have been “very, very busy.” He gazes at the medal he received for his heroic military service. As they stand on the steps of the building, the blond soldier and his companions walk by. He is still angrily complaining about the results and says “Ridiculous! Four gold medals for a negro?” in angered disbelief.
At that moment, Major Scharf emerges from the building and descends the stairs. Jakob calls out genially to him, calling him by his first name. He corrects himself and addresses him as “Major Scharf” with a friendly chuckle. He tells the major that he was waiting to see him and they must have sent him to the wrong office.
 He begins to ask if he has a minute to talk when a guard approaches and interrupts. Major Scharf asks what it is that he needs and the guard replies that he wanted to speak with the “person who was making such trouble in your office today.” Scharf says that there was no trouble really and that this man was just leaving. Jakob agrees, places his hand on Max’s shoulder and says that there was just a mistake and he’ll be on his way. The guard calls out to the blond soldier who is watching the scene and orders him to “Stop that Jew!” The blond soldier narrows his eyes hatefully at Jakob and says coldly “He’s not going anywhere.”
 He knocks Jakob to the ground and grabs him by his lapels. Jakob cries, “No, wait…” and the guard calls out “He’s resisting arrest!” Jakob tries to explain that he was a soldier and is a veteran but the soldier doesn’t care. He punches Jakob in the face. Max sees this and tries to run to his father’s aid but is held back by Major Scharf who throws him back. Max lands hard against the ground and bruises his face badly. The guard looks to Major Scharf and asks “Who is that?” Scharf simply answers “Nobody.”
The guards drag Jakob to the top of the steps leading to the government building and then shove him down them. He lands near Max who races over to help his father. Major Scharf looks down at them with contempt in his eyes. He says “They could have killed him. We’re even now.” and walks back into the building. Jakob looks up at Max, blood pours from his busted lip. He begins to ask Max “Did you…?” with pleading eyes. Max seems to know exactly what his father is referring to and hands him his medal which had fallen during the soldier’s attack. Jakob clutches his son and says “Good boy.”
The next day, father and son board a train for home. Form the window of the passenger car, they can see as the signs stating that Jews are not welcome in Berlin are restored to their former place of prominence. Once again, the conductor reviews their travel papers which brand them as Jews. Jakob wears his military medal proudly on his lapel but the expression on his bruised and battered face is one of weariness and despair. He looks down at young Max and forces a smile. He tells his son “Now he’s done me the favor, you see?” referring to his earlier statement that a man who has helped another is more likely to do so again. He tells Max that they will return in a month or two and that everything will be all right. “It can’t get worse than this,” he adds optimistically.
Meanwhile, young Magda and her mother are among the gypsies who have been forced from their homes and relocated to the Marzhan Detention Camp. She watches from behind a barbed wire fence as the train passes her by. A Nazi soldier who is patrolling the grounds tells the “dirty gypsies” that there’s nothing to get excited about and that this is just another train that they won’t be getting on. Magda’s mother is cooking over a small open fire. She asks her mother when they can go home. Her mother tells her to be patient. Magda looks down sadly at the necklace that Max made for her.
Nuremberg – 1938:
Max is now twelve or thirteen years old. Times have become much harsher and Max is scouring the streets for money. He finds a gold coin and lifts it triumphantly. A smile lights his gaunt, dirtied face. A trio of boys recognizes Max. They‘re the same boys who beat up Max when he was unfairly expelled from school. The ringleader says to Max “Typical Jew, just like the headmaster used to say. You’d pick through anything for a little money, huh?” The boy pulls out another gold coin and taunts Max with it, saying he could probably feed his family for a week with it. He throws it into a pile of filth. Max looks at it longingly and the boy laughs that Max is even considering going after it.
  Max clenches his fist and then grabs the boy by his lapels. He drives the boy head first into the muck and then retrieves the coin. Max smiles and says “Thanks” before running away. The boy looks up, stunned. His pals help him to his feet but Max is already out of sight. As he gets to his feet, he demands to know where Max is.
 An older man passes by and snickers. The gang of boys grabs the man and demands to know where Max is. Max is hiding behind a corner listening. He looks and sees that they have begun to beat the man. One of the boys has found a brick and smashes the man across the face with it. Max refuses to stand by while the man takes a beating and boldly calls out to the boys.
A short while later, Max sits at the kitchen table as his mother tends to a vicious looking black eye. Resting on the table in front of him are the two gold coins. He tells his mother he was reaching for a coin and tripped but she clearly doesn’t believe him.
 His uncle, Erich enters and says “It’s going to get worse” and shares the news that the German attaché in Paris has been assassinated by a Jew. He tells his brother, Jakob that it is time to go. Jakob is surprised and ask where they could go. Erich suggests that they could go to Poland where they could be hidden by the family of someone named Cecelia. Jakob points out that the Nazis have already begun to ship the Polish Jews back to Poland and Poland won’t even take them. He asks his brother why he thinks they’d take them. He argues that they should stay in Germany. “Better the devil you know…” he adds, saying that they will figure out the rules and get through this together. Erich asks what “rules” he is referring to and notes that in Austria they are taking people’s property and kicking them out of the country!
Jakob turns to Max and says that he can tell them about the rules. Max is surprised that the focus of their argument has been turned on him and asks what his father means. His father reviews his story of how he blacked his eye: he was finding coins where no one else could see a thing when someone picked a fight. Max replies yes. His father then suggests that he walked away from this fight and Max reluctantly replies that he did not. Jakob is not surprised as he repeats that his son stayed and fought back. Erich chimes in and says “Well, good for him!” Jakob replies firmly “Rule number one. Fight back, and they’ll stomp in your head.” Erich rises in anger and asks “That’s what you want to teach your son?” Jakob slams his hands on his table and yells passionately “I want my son to live!” He then sinks back into his chair and says in a calmer tone “I want all of us to live.”
Later that night, Jakob and his wife are in bed talking more about the changing climate in Germany. Mrs. Eisenhardt mentions that she heard from a friend that the camp in Dachau is being expanded. Jakob assures her that they will be all right and they’ll just stay off the streets. She asks for how long and he replies “However long it takes.” She begins to voice her concerns but he tries to quiet and soothe her fears away.
 In the next room, Max can hear his parents’ discussion. He rises from his bed and crosses to the window. With his sharp eyes, he sees a group of Nazi soldiers violently forcing their way into a Jewish home. His eyes grow wide as he realizes what is happening. He rushes to his parents’ room and leaps on their bed, startling his father. He says bluntly, “We have to go.” His mother echoes his father’s words “No, Max. We’re staying off the streets.” But Max is insistent, his eyes hardened and determined. He looks at his father and says “Now, Poppa.”
Moments later, the entire family is dressed and creeping through an alleyway. Ruth thinks that this is crazy and laments that they didn’t do anything. Max tells her to hush as he leads the family through a nearby graveyard. Ruth continues to complain, saying that she won’t hide in a graveyard. Her concerns are cut off by an explosion that lights up the night sky. Up the street, the neighborhood synagogue is consumed by flames. Chaos erupts in the streets as Nazi soldiers ransack Jewish homes and force families into the street. Jakob tells his wife to stay down no matter what.
Through the iron fence of the graveyard, the family watches in horror as a Nazi soldier violently beats a Jewish man with the butt of his rifle. The man’s wife pleads for the soldier to stop and he turns and strikes her across the face. Seeing the woman assaulted forces Jakob to his feet and he calls out “No!” as he moves to help her. Erich stops his brother and simply says “Jakob… the rules.” Jakob looks at his wife and children and then sinks to the ground, out of view of the soldiers and the violence that has consumed the neighborhood. He utters a horrified “O, God…” as the reality of their situation sets in.
Poland – 1939:
Months later, Max and his family have made their way into Poland. They travel into the countryside and seek refuge with the relative of a friend. They give her a bit of money and she agrees to let them hide in her barn. As they enter, Jakob says “Well. It can’t get any worse than this.” At that moment, their hostess cries out. Jakob turns and asks what’s going on and the woman looks horror-stricken. “The Germans… they must have finally invaded… but Poland’s brave sons are ready for them!” she says with confidence as a battalion of Polish soldiers on horseback with spears rides by. Max chases after them and climbs atop a short wall to get a better view. His father chases after him. Max’s keen eyes scan the distance. He can see that at the far end of the road, a small contingent of German tanks is rolling over the hillside towards them. His eyes widen as he tells his father “It’s worse.”


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Magneto: Testament – Part 3 of 5
Poland – September 1939:
A fleet of Nazi airplanes drop their bombs on a small village in Poland. Jakob Eisenhardt leads his family away from the attack. They find a low wall to hide behind. His wife Edie cannot believe that the entire village they just fled from has been destroyed.
Another small group of people is huddled near the Eisenhardts. They ask them where they are going and Jakob replies that they are heading for the city. The others tell them that the Germans have taken the city. Erich points out that they’ve taken the country as well. Max spots a contingent of soldiers in the adjacent field and alerts his father to them.  Max and his family move quickly, leaving the others behind. The soldiers open fire as they entire the open area. The other Jews declare that they are unarmed and beg the soldiers not to shoot. The Nazis order them onto their stomachs and then kill them.
Max hears the shots cry out as he and his family run away. His father urges him forward and whispers “Don’t look back, Max.” He tells his son that they need his sharp eyes up front and Max takes the lead. His father tells him once again “Good boy.” Ruth, his sister asks where they are going and Uncle Erich replies “Warsaw.” Ruthie protests that the man just told them that the Nazis had taken Warsaw. Erich assures his niece that her father knows what he’s doing. He explains that in Warsaw there are thousands of Jews and at least there, they will not be alone.
Historical Overview – <:br>
The German army invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Following the main German forces, Nazi Einsatzgruppen, or “operational groups” hunted down Jews and Polish intellectuals. In September and October of 1939, the Einsatzgruppen and other German forces killed over 16,000 Jewish and Polish civilians. Two years later, Einsatzgruppen followed the German army into the Ukraine and Russia, slaughtering Jews wherever they found them. By the end of the war, the Einsatzgruppen and their auxiliaries had killed 1.3 million Jews.
The Eisenhardts arrive in Warsaw in September, 1939. They find a small one-room flat but in October of 1940, they are forced to move into the area of the city that will become the infamous Warsaw Ghetto. A month later, the ghetto is enclosed by a ten-foot high wall. This is just the beginning of a harsher and more regimented existence for the Eisenhardts and the other Jewish families in the Warsaw ghetto.
Historical Overview –
In the wake of the Nazi invasion of Poland, a flood of refugees swells the Jewish population of Warsaw from 350, 000 to almost 500,000. In the Jewish sector of Warsaw, entire families live in single rooms. Radios are confiscated. Coal becomes scarce enough to be called “black pearls.” In October 1940, the Germans officially establish the Warsaw ghetto, forcing all Jews to live within an area less than two miles long. Overnight, the Germans complete the construction of ten-foot walls around the ghetto, topped in places with barbed wire and broken glass.
Over the next few months, the Germans drastically reduce food allotments to Jews. By 1941, the official ration falls as low as 699 calories per day for Poles and 184 for Jews. By June, 2,000 people a month are starving to death in the ghetto.
Warsaw Ghetto - December, 1941:
A young Jewish boy walks quietly along the inner wall of the ghetto. He wears an armband bearing the Star of David to mark him as a Jew. He makes his way to the line where German soldiers are distributing the day’s meager rations. A soldier hands a Jewish woman a small loaf of bread after demanding to see her ration card. He warns the others to have theirs ready. Another soldier shoos away the children who have gathered around. The little boy grabs the bread from the woman and darts into and alleyway. The other children chase after him to try and get the bread from him. They tackle him, driving him into the snow. They tear at the bread like ravenous wolves, fighting each other for a mere scrap of it. One piece goes flying and lands at the feet of Max Eisenhardt. He picks the chunk of bread up and hands it to the boy who originally snatched it. “You dropped this,” Max says to the hungry boy whose nose is bloodied.
Max continues along the inner wall of the ghetto until he comes to a hole at the base that is large enough to crawl through. He removes his armband with the Star of David and crouches down to peer through the hole. He sees two soldiers in the distance and waits until they are not looking to crawl out. The hungry boy with the bloody nose watches Max disappear into the free area of Warsaw. Unbeknownst to Max, the boy follows him through the hole. He is immediately spotted by a soldier who aims his rifle at him. He yells at the boy “Hold it right there!” Max has made it safely to a darkened alleyway across the street from the ghetto. He hears the soldier call out and turns to see what is happening. The boy is still on his knees as he tries to explain himself. The Nazi soldier tells him it’s all right and tells him to hold still. He approaches the boy and shoots him. The chunk of bread falls to the ground. The hungry little Jewish boy drops next to it. The soldier chuckles.
Max’s eyes narrow as he takes out a sharp, thin knife. He starts to approach the Nazi from behind but a figure emerges from the alley to stop him. The man claps his hand over Max’s mouth and pulls him back before either of them is spotted. The man speaks to max in hushed tones, urging him to be quiet and stop fighting him. He tells Max that “We Jews don’t need to kill each other” since there are plenty of others intent on doing so.
 Max recognizes the voice as his uncle, Erich. He asks what he is doing outside the ghetto and Erich replies that he’s smuggling things, just as Max is. Erich teases Max that he’s traded up to being a Nazi-killer. Max pulls away and tells his uncle he could have done it. “With a penknife?” his uncle replies. He then urges his nephew to consider what would have happened had he succeeded. A hundred Jews would have been killed in retaliation. He notes that just last year when a Polish police officer was killed, fifty-three innocents were shot in retaliation. He asks if Max would like that upon his conscience. Max protests and asks if they are just going to let them away with it. Erich tells his nephew that they cannot punish the Nazis for their deeds, but they can defeat them by surviving. He sends Max off, telling him to be careful.
Max wonders down the street, trying not to draw attention. He stops at an alleyway, inexplicitly compelled to peer into its dark corners. His sharp eyes see a glint of metal. He ventures into the alley and finds a gold coin, buried in the snow.
Max returns to the ghetto where he finds his father and the other Jews in line. They have been ordered to surrender their coats, furs and wraps. One man says to Jakob “So now we stand in line for the privilege of letting them steal from us?” and Jakob comments that it is that or have them kick in your doors. The other man cynically replies “You think they won’t do that anyway?” Max approaches his father and shows him the tomato he has purchased with the coin. His father is surprised by this and even more surprised when Max adds that he also has a half pound of beef. Jakob’s eyes are filled with concern and he promptly tells Max “Take it to your sister.” Max turns and makes his way home.
Not long after, Max is sitting next to Ruthie’s bed, holding her hand. She has grown pale and gaunt from hunger. Her hand rests limply in his. Max’s mother brings a soup she has made from the tomato and the beef and gingerly feeds some to her ailing daughter. As she sips the soup, she grips Max’s hand just a bit. Mac’s mother sees this and smiles at her son, kissing his forehead and saying to him “Good boy.”
Warsaw Ghetto – July 1942:
Max visits the umschlagplatz. This is the area between the Warsaw ghetto and the Polish district of the city and the site where many Jews are being shipped out of Warsaw via train. Huge throngs of Jews numbering in the thousands are climbing into freight cars. They are being offered bread and marmalade for their cooperation. One man’s whispers warn that those who board are being taken to their deaths. He claims that the bread and marmalade are bribes. The man he is addressing says that his cousin received a postcard from someone who had taken the train earlier that month and that all is as the Nazis claim. Families are being kept together and given food and shelter in exchange for hard work. The man issuing the warning asks the other if he is willing to stake his life on an alleged postcard from someone his cousin knows. The man replies “Why would they kill us? It doesn’t make any sense” to which the other man replies “Then why have they been killing us for the past three years?” As the men say this, Max listens intently. He peers into the freight car and notices traces of blood on the floorboards. He frowns and walks away.
He returns home and tells his father and uncle what he has seen. Jakob asks if he is sure what he saw. Max replies that no one else said anything and perhaps he was wrong. Jakob says that he has never known his son’s sharp eyes to be wrong about anything. Uncle Erich reports that they have received word from an escapee who says that the trains go to Treblinka where passengers are told they are going to be given baths. They are then gassed to death in the showers. He surmises that letting them starve to death and shooting them in cold blood was taking too long. Jakob says that they will just have to stay put then. Erich tells him that they are no longer being given the choice to leave. The Nazis have begun pulling the weakest among them from the streets and forcing them onto the trains.  He cautions his brother that if the Nazis were to find Ruthie or him on the streets, they would surely take them. Jakob asks Erich if he is saying that this is it for them all. Erich says that it is indeed, if they follow the Nazis rules. He tells Jakob to thank God that his son grew up to be a smuggler.
That very night, the Eisenhardts sneak out of the city through the small hole in the wall that Max has used to leave the ghetto. Uncle Erich instructs them to meet a woman named Cecelia at the banks of the Vistula. She has found a farmer who will hide them. Max realizes that Erich does not intend to join them and speaks up about it. Erich simply says grimly that he will catch up later. Max asks him if he’s staying to fight. Erich replies that there is nothing left to lose. Max insists on staying too. Erich says “No!” but Jakob steps in. He reminds Max of Major Scharf whose life he saved. He cannot recall all the details and believes that Max is too young to hear such things, but he does share one piece of wisdom he learned from this. “Sometimes in this life, you get a moment. A time when everything lines up. When anything is possible. When suddenly you can make things happen. God help us if we take that moment. And God forgive us if we don’t.” He holds his son’s face in his hands and calls him “My beautiful son.” His pride in Max doesn’t need to be spoken. Max watches as his father, mother and sister turn to leave. Uncle Erich peers through the hole in the wall and tells Max that it’s time. Max makes his choice. He catches up with his family and using his keen eyes, leads them safely to the Vistula.
Cecelia is waiting for them in a rowboat. The family boards and she rows them to a spot further up the river. As they approach clearing, Max spots something. A small squad of soldiers emerges and one of them smashes the butt of his rifle across Max’s forehead. Jakob raises his hands and says that they are unarmed. Cecelia apologizes for her betrayal and explains that they had her mother.
The soldiers march them all to a large open grave where other Jews have been gathered. Cecelia cries out “Oh God, no!” as she sees that she has led this family to their death. She places her arms around her mother who is there also and weeps. The soldiers order them all into a line. Jakob simply says “Ruthie” and Max’s mother holds her frail daughter tightly to her. His father places his arm around Max’s shoulder and says “Come to me, my son.” Max leans into his father’s embrace and stares directly into the faces of the soldiers who are about to fire upon them. He remembers his father’s words. “Sometimes you get a moment when everything lines up. When anything is possible. When suddenly… you can make things happen.” The soldiers fire and Max stares coldly at them and the bullets as they fly towards him. As the bullets speed forward, time seems to stand still for a single moment. The bullets appear to hang in mid-air. In this instant of opportunity, Jakob moves. He throws himself in front of the bullets that would have killed his son. The four shells hit Jakob square in the chest. He and Max fall backwards into the mass grave along with the others.
For a long time, there is simply darkness. Max awakens in the mass grave and pulls himself out. He is clearly in shock as he makes his way into the night. He survives on his own for a short time before being captured by the Nazis. He is forced onto a train headed for the camps. As it travels the countryside, he watches fearfully through the cracks. Outside he sees a farmer tending his field. The man sees the train pass. He raises his thumb to his neck and draws it across it grimly, indicating that those aboard are heading to their deaths. The train arrives late that night at its final destination: Auschwitz.


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Magneto: Testament – Part 4 of 5
Auschwitz – September 1942:
Max arrives at Auschwitz on a train full of people of all ages. As they arrive, Nazi soldiers separate the men from the women and children. They tell their prisoners to leave their bags along the tracks. Prisoners in striped uniforms from the camps are there to help move the newcomers through the intake process. Max walks with his head down, lost in his thoughts. He is pulled back to reality as one of the uniformed prisoners calls out his name. “My God. It really is you” the man says. Max looks up and immediately recognizes his old teacher Herr Kalb. He tells Max that they are no longer in school and that he can call him “Fritz”.
 Fritz asks Max where his family is and Max simply looks away. Herr Kalb says that he is sorry. Nearby, A Nazi soldier shouts that the men need to move to one side. One of the newcomers protests as he is separated from his wife. The guard tells him that they’ll be reunited on the other side. Herr Kalb leans down to Max and speaks to him in a hushed and hurried voice. He tells Max to give him anything small and valuable that he may have on him. Max begins to question him but Herr Kalb smiles softly and says simply “Trust me, Max.” Max hands him a few things and then Kalb tells him to stand up straight and tell them that he is eighteen and willing to work.
One of the Nazi guards urges Max along. Kalb moves to a nearby woman and tells her to give her small child to the elderly woman standing with her. The woman asks why and Kalb simply says “Please.” A soldier demands that everyone fall into line. Max turns to another boy and tells him “Tell them you’re eighteen.” The fair-haired boy replies “What?”
Moments later, Max stands before a doctor from the camps. He tells them he is eighteen and the man asks if he can work. Max replies “Yes, sir.” An officer behind the doctor seems to question this for a moment before telling Max to move to the right. Just behind Max, the woman who Herr Kalb told to give her baby to her elderly mother begins to protests. She is being separated from her child. She cries out and Max turns to look. A soldier points him towards the camp and yells at him, “Keep moving! Eyes forward!” Max joins the stream of men being herded through the crooked gates of the camp.
Once inside, the men are ordered to take their clothes off. The fair-haired boy has also lied about his age and is there next to Max. He begins to object to stripping down and a soldier strikes him across the brow with the butt of his gun. He then repeats his order for them all to strip down. Max and the other men comply. Once they are all naked, uniformed prisoners from the camp come in and shave their heads. The men are then taken to another room where prisoner numbers are tattooed on their forearms. After this, they are forced into a large shower before being issued striped uniforms. Max’s uniform bears a roughly formed yellow Star of David that marks him as a Jew. He and the other newcomers are finally taken to the barracks that are shared by the Jewish men in the camp.
Not long after, a Nazi officer arrives in the barrack. He asks if any of the boys are under sixteen. He tells them not to be scared, that there’s been a mistake and they shouldn’t be there but in school. He urges them to step forward, telling them that their teacher is waiting for them. Max tells the other boys in his bunk “Don’t.” The fair-haired boy tells him to let go of him and Max tries to tell him that he doesn’t understand. The boy is insistent and though Max tells the officer that he is eighteen, the boy insists he is only fourteen. The officer punches Max, bloodying his nose. The younger boy smiles at the officer as he is led outside with two other boys. He says to the soldiers “I just want to go to school.” Max sinks to the floor defeated. His eyes open wide as he hears the shots fired outside. He knows that the boys have been killed. He clenches his eyes tight.
The next day, Max is in the yard eating the meager food given to those interned at the camp. Herr Kalb approaches and tells him that he was worried when he heard that they took some of the new boys the night before. Kalb hands Max some cheese and tells him to hide it quickly. Max tells Kalb that he tried to stop one of the boys the night before. Kalb smiles gently and tells Max that he always was his most stubborn student. He adds that he was thinking about Max’s javelin throw. Max was supposed to let the Aryan boys win but was trying so hard to impress the cleaning woman’s daughter. Kalb hands Max the photo of Magda wearing the necklace he made for her. It was among the valuables that Max slipped to Kalb when he was brought into the camp. Kalb asks what her name is and Max replies ”Magda”. Kalb tells him that he was such a hero that day but warns him that there is no place for heroes in this place. He tells Max that he is part of the Kanada Kommando whose job it is to sort through the belongings of the new arrivals. He explains that it is the best job in the camp and he plans to have Max transferred over to work with him. He adds that it will take some time to get the proper bribes together and tells Max to “just stay alive”.
Max asks how he does that and Kalb tries his best to advise him. He tells Max that they’ll kill him if he breaks the rules but that he will starve in a month if he does everything that he is told. But Kalb has faith in Max “You always were my smartest student, after all.” Max does as Kalb tells him. He works hard and when a fellow prisoner collapses, Max nabs a silver spoon that falls from his dead body. He trades this for extra food. He manages to survive until a kapo comes to fetch him for his new work assignment. The kapo leads Max to Kalb who is waiting and pleased to see Max.
 An officer stops their meeting and tells the kapo that he is a bit “far afield”. The kapo explains that he was just heading back to the warehouse. The officer says that he lost a man yesterday and it seems that the kapo has an extra, indicating Max. The kapo says casually “He’s all yours” to the officer whom he addresses as Herr Unterscharfuhrer. Kalb quietly begins to protest as this was not the deal he struck with the kapo. The kapo grabs Max and shoves him towards the officer. The kapo hits Kalb and tells him to shut up or he’ll get them both killed. Max looks back and the officer tells him “Don’t look back, Jew. The really interesting sights are up ahead.”
The officer leads Max to a building where a group of women and children are gathered. He addresses the crowd and apologizes for the forthcoming indignities but explains that a single louse could lead to an outbreak of typhus. He adds that they have been selected because they will be good workers and after this disinfecting process they will receive soup and coffee. A woman kneels down to her very young son. He looks up at her and says excitedly “Soup?” and she replies with enthusiasm “Soup!” The women then strip down as instructed. The kapo tells them to remember where they have left their belongings and that they will need them later. They do as instructed and are lead into the building before them. The kapo slams the door shut behind them. The kapo then commands Max and the other Sonderkommando to begin loading the women’s belongings. Max hears the cries for help from the women and children inside the building. He says quietly “Oh God.” Another boy shushes him as they load a cart with the remnants of these people’s lives. Max is astonished and asks the young Sonderkommando if he knew they were about to do this and why he said nothing. The boy sarcastically encourages Max to go ahead and tell them himself next time so that they can panic. He adds that Max can then watch as the Nazi soldiers beat and shoot the children before they gas the women. Max looks up and watches as the Nazis carefully load the poisonous gas that will silence the cries for help. His steely eyes narrow as the boy says to him “Welcome to the Sonderkommando.”
Max finds himself in the Kanada Warehouse where the belongings of those led to slaughter are stored. He sees Herr Kalb there who hurriedly tells him that this is not how it was supposed to happen and assures him that he will get him out. He tells Max sincerely that he will never stop trying “As long as I breathe, Max. I’ll – I’ll – just don’t give up, do you hear me?” he pleads. But Max sees a sight that shakes even his youthful resolve. A single room piled high with eyeglasses. Thousands upon thousands crowd the space, the mountain of spectacles higher than the window sills, each representing a life that has been extinguished by the Nazis’ evil regime. Max looks at this room and understands the scope of the horror it represents fully.
Max’s letter –:
“My name is Max Eisenhardt. I’ve been a Sonderkommando at Auschwitz for almost two years. I watched thousands of men, women and children walk to their deaths, I pulled their bodies from the gas chambers. I dug out their teeth so the Germans could take their gold. And I carried them to the ovens, where I learned to combine a child’s body with an old man’s to make them burn better. I saw my fellow workers buried alive in an avalanche of rotting corpses. I was thousands of murdered people burning in giant outdoor pits. I have seen at least a quarter million dead human beings with my own eyes… and I couldn’t save a single one… any more than they could save me. To whoever finds this, I’m sorry. Because I’m dead and now it’s up to you. Tell everyone who will listen. Tell everyone who won’t. Please. Don’t let this ever happen again.”
After two years as a Sonderkommando, Max’s daily work is interrupted by and unexpected sight. As he loads the furnace he calls out “Wait.” There on the conveyor belt that carries the bodies of the dead into the furnace is Herr Kalb, his eyes still wide open even in death. Max looks at him for a long moment until another worker calls his name and tells him to keep moving. Later, Max completes his letter and shoves it into a canister which he places in a hole in the floorboards of the furnace room. He then curls up in a ball and covers his ears in a feeble attempt to shut out the horrors that surround him and the image of Herr Kalb entering the fiery maw of the furnace.
The next day, Max is morose. With Herr Kalb dead, he has lost all hope. As the Sonderkommando march out he breaks away from the group and heads towards the electrified fence. Another boy calls out and warns “They’ll shoot you!” If Max hears them, he pays the warning no heed. Another sonderkommando quiets the one who shouted the warning and says “He’s done.” Max’s eyes are stone cold and empty. As he approaches the fence, he sees a glimmer of light. His eyes focus in on it. A young girl in the neighboring camp is cradling something shiny in her hands. It’s a necklace made of fine metals. Max’s eyes grow wide with disbelief as he sees the girl. She looks up and says his name. “Max?” she says weakly. Max’s eyes soften as he recognizes her and says her name “Magda.” She brings her hand to her mouth and says his name again as their eyes meet and the recognition is made and becomes real. The moment is broken as the kapo calls out “EISENHARDT!” Max immediately falls back into line with the others. But he spares a glance back. There is a soft smile on his face as he says her name again… “Magda.” He has returned to the Sonderkommando with new purpose and most importantly… hope.


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Magneto: Testament – Part 5 of 5
May 31, 1944 – Auschwitz-Birkenau
The prisoners of Auschwitz watch with weary eyes as a plane passes directly overhead. One prisoner says to the kapo that “…it’s finally happening, isn’t it?” The kapo isn’t convinced. The prisoner says that Vrba and Wetzler, two recent escapees from the camp were both registrars and they had a Zyklon B label as evidence. The kapo points out that they only escaped a month earlier and may not have made it to the Allies yet. His fellow prisoner says that it’s only a matter of time before the Allies know everything and the bombs will drop and “this horror will end.” The kapo maintains his cynicism and says “If you say so. But Eisenhardt doesn’t look convinced.”
Max is crossing by the fence and points out that if they bomb the area, it might kill them as well. The other prisoner replies snidely “And the Nazis won’t?” adding that as Sonderkommando, they know too much to be left alive. Max continues to walk, not really engaging them fully. The man asks where he’s going and the kapo replies “Didn’t you hear? Yesterday he found himself something to live for.”
Max makes his way to the fence that separates his detention camp and the neighboring Gypsy camp where Magda is being held. He sees her and calls out to her in hushed tones. He tosses a piece of food to her through the fence. She protests and tells him that he needs it just as much. He tells her he knows about the many illnesses that are running rampant in her camp. She responds that she knows that his camp is where they send men for punishment. He tells her not to worry about him. He then instructs her to go to the infirmary and talk to a nurse named Shulman. He has arranged for Magda to have a job there that will get her more rations and medicine should she need it. She begins to ask how he managed this but he cuts her off and tells her it doesn’t matter. An SS guard arrives and their exchange is cut short. He tells Magda emphatically “Just stay alive.” As Max walks away, he casually hands something off to the SS guard. The man looks at the gold tooth in his hand and smiles. Max’s expression is grim. As the guard pockets the tooth Max says under his breath “No matter what.”
Historical Overview – May to June 1944 – Two months after German tanks roll into Budapest, trainloads of Hungarian Jews begin to arrive at Auschwitz-Birkenau. In just six weeks, 300,000 men, women and children are selected at the platform then killed in the gas chambers and burned in the crematoria or outdoor pits.
Max is tending to one of these outdoor pits, listening casually to a conversation between two SS guards. One asks how many more Jews there are and the other coldly replies that there are enough to keep them busy for a few more months. He explains that they are emptying out some labor camps and that Greeks and Czechs are on the way and then at the end of July they will clear out the gypsy camp. Max’s eyes grow wide as he hears the impending danger facing Magda.
Later that night, one of the older men in Max’s bunkhouse compliments Max on his efforts as he eyes the gold tooth that Max has delivered to him. “You might just save that girl of yours yet” he adds. Max asks how many grenades it will buy and if they have enough. The man bluntly admits that to fight the SS they’ll never have enough. Another man says they have some more time to collect them since the revolt has been postponed until August 15. A look of horror crosses Max’s face to the man’s surprise. He asks casually “What? It’s just two weeks.” The other replies “Two weeks too late for the girl.”
Later, Nurse Shulman leads Magda to an area where the men from the neighboring camp are. She tells her to just act normal but is surprised to see where they are. She sees Max and the two are able to speak briefly. He tells her that her camp is scheduled to be liquidated the next month. She says that they tried that in May but the gypsy men revolted and the SS backed down. Max says that since then, the strongest of the gypsy men were transferred and the rest fell sick. Max tells her that there will be one last train out beforehand that will take the relatives of frontline soldiers and her. Magda seems hesitant but Max continues. He tells her that if something goes wrong and she misses this train, she must hide herself in the corpse pile. He explains that he’s bribed the leichencommando and that they will bring her to him at the crematorium. He tells her that a revolt is planned and that he will get her out of there. Magda is quiet for a moment. Then she tells Max that she saw him at the carnal pits and what was happening there. She tells him she saw a Nazi scientist do something horrendous and that nobody did anything. Max tells her in no uncertain terms “You’re going to live. I swear it to you. No matter what it takes, just don’t give up.”
The next day, another shipment of new arrivals makes their way to their death. Max and the other Sonderkommando watch and one looks to the skies and sees an American plane. “Bomb us already” he says. Max sees the new arrivals and says “Oh God” to which the man replies “God’s not up there, Max. Just the Americans. And they don’t give a damn.”
Max tends to the fiery pit. The SS guard he has bribed informs him that Magda is on the transport as promised. “Happy?” the man asks. “Yes” is Max’s only reply as he hands the man more gold teeth. The guard smiles and says that he’s always happy to take his gold. He adds that the train will take her to Buchenwald and she and the other women will end up in Ravensbruck where they like to do funny experiments. “Before it’s over, she’ll curse your name. But then again, she’s probably not the only one” he adds as Max glances down at the pit full of smoldering corpses.
August 2, 1944 – “Zigeunernacht” or Gypsy Night – The Gypsy family camp is liquidated. 2,987 people are gassed and burned in the outdoor pits.
October 5, 1944 – In the barracks, the men argue over the impending revolt which has been delayed several times. Once again, the resistance has asked that the prisoners not fight back. The kapo says that they’ve already taken names from 300 Sonderkommando and they’ll all be dead soon and that this is the end. The man argues that if they revolt, the whole camp will suffer. Max scoffs at this. He tells the men how his father didn’t fight during Kristallnacht for fear that his family would be killed. How he didn’t gut a Nazi in the ghetto because he knew they’d kill a hundred Jews in retaliation. He tells them that two months ago he could have pushed the Hauptscharfuhrer into the fire pit but then they would have killed the entire work crew. He tells them that he did nothing and they killed them all anyway. The man asks Max if he’s saying they’re all going to die anyway. “It’s time” Max says simply. The kapo adds “Time to escape, Max. Not die.” And he outlines the plan to revolt two nights hence. The kapo knows there will be no night transport that evening so fewer guards present. He tells them to go about their normal work and wait for his signal sometime after dark. He tells them not to do anything stupid until then.
As he’s working the next day, Max sees Nurse Shulman. She signals to him and he draws close enough to speak quietly with her. She tells him that Magda and half of the gypsies transported out with her have been brought back and are now being starved to death. She says that she has done what she can but that soon they will all be heading over to him and the pits. Max is devastated. She tries to console him and says that he did everything he could and that that means something. She adds that his efforts and the gold he sent helped more people than he knows. He looks up and asks her if the corpse pile is still outside the sauna.
October 7, 1944 – The day of the planned revolt.
The Leichenkommando bring another shipment of corpses from the gypsy camp. As it passes, one of the men sees that Magda’s body is among them. He tries to keep Max away and tells him that he doesn’t want to see this but Max insists. He looks in and Magda’s eyes open. She calls out to him and he realizes that she’s alive, as does the man with him who is horrified at what this means. They take Magda to the men’s barracks and she explains that she did just what Max told her to. He tries to reassure her that it’s going to be all right. The men are fearful that her presence will upset their plans for revolt. One asks what they’ll do if the guards find her and Max replies “Kill them.” The man says that then the revolt will start early and they are supposed to wait for after dark. Max points out that they have only three guns, twelve bullets and some homemade grenades and that darkness won’t help much. The man protests and says they had rules and a plan. He suggests they turn Magda over to the guards and let them handle it. Max draws his knife and stands up to the man. “Just try” he says, with deadly seriousness. The man stares Max down and tells Max that that morning he stood by while the Nazis gassed a thousand women and now they’re supposed to risk themselves and their plan for the life of one girl!
The kapo steps in and tells the man to shut up. He realizes that right now they are preparing to kill the men at Crematoria IV and that someone there is having this very debate with himself. “How many people die now so the rest can live?” he muses just as the man in charge over there is pondering. The kapo says that they all know the answer and so does Max. But he is tired of the question and he refuses to drag an innocent girl downstairs and watch as the Nazis kill her. “We say no. Right, Max? Here at the end, we finally say---“The kapo’s brave words are cut short by a massive explosion from Crematorium IV. The men react just as the guards do and begin their own resistance efforts. The SS turn on them and begin to fire as they storm out of the barracks and attack. Max grabs Magda and guides her away from the gunfire. Other prisoners pry open the gates and Max and Magda make a ruin for it. As they flee, Max remembers his father’s words.
“Sometimes in this life, you get a moment. A time when everything lines up. When anything is possible. When suddenly, you can make things happen. God help us if we take that moment. And God forgive us if we don’t.”
Amidst the chaos, Max and Magda flee the camp into the woods surrounding it. Several others escape as well and the Nazi guards give chase.
Historical Overview – On October 7, 1944, the Sonderkommando at Crematorium II and IV rise up, destroying Crematoria IV, killing three SS men, and wounding a dozen more. 200 Sonderkommando are killed in the camp during and after the battle. Another 250 who escape the camp’s perimeters are shot and burned to death in a barn in Rajsko. Crematorium IV is never repaired. But on October 9, the killings resume. 4,000 Jews are killed in Crematoria II and V. And on October 10, the 800 Gypsies who had been transferred back to Auschwitz from Buchenwald are killed in Crematorium V. The Allies never bomb the death machinery of Auschwitz. But in November 1944, as the Red Army draws near, S.S. Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler orders the dismantling of the crematoria. January 26, 1945. The S.S. dynamite Crematorium V. January 27, 1945. The Red Army liberates the camp and the 7,000 prisoners who remain. Altogether, the Nazis systematically killed approximately 6 million Jews and many millions of other innocent civilians. At least a million people died at Auschwitz.
September, 1948 – From the letter of Max Eisenhardt:
“My name is Max Eisenhardt. To whoever finds this, I’m sorry. Because I’m dead... and now it’s up to you. Tell everyone who will listen. Tell everyone who won’t. Please. Don’t let this ever happen again.”
Max, dressed in a trench coat and fedora, digs among the ruins of a shattered wall at Auschwitz. He finds the container in which he concealed his letter and takes it out. He reads it quickly, clearly thinking back on that moment, that horrible chapter of his life. He looks to the skies, his eyes filled with the enormity of it all.