75 years after Auschwitz liberation, Holocaust survivor 'cannot keep quiet'

On the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Sonia Warshawski shares her story of tragic loss and survival.

The Holocaust survivor, who now lives in Overland Park, says she keeps speaking out in memory of those who did not survive.

LOWS AROUND 30.TUESDAY: LOW OVERCASTWITH MORNING FREEZINGFOG POSSIBLE.

HIGHS 30-35.TUESDAY NIGHT-WEDNESDAY: A CHANCEOF SNOW AFTERMIDNIGHT INTO EARLYWEDNESDAY WITH LOWS25-30 AND HIGHS 30-35.

ADUSTING TO 1" ISPOSSIBLE.TWO HUNDREDSURVIVORS RETURNED TOAUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAUTODAY.THEY WALKED ALONG THETRAIN TRACKS TO HONORTHE 75TH ANNIVERSARYOF THE LIBERATION OFTHE DEATH CAMP.SIX MILLION JEWS WEREKILLED IN THEHOLOCAUST.THE MIDWEST CENTERFOR HOLOCAUSTEDUCATION TELLS USABOUT ONE HUNDREDHOLOCAUST SURVIVORSLIVE IN KANSAS CITY.ONE OF THOSESURVIVORS SHARED HERSTORY WITH 41 ACTIONNEWS ANCHOR LINDSAYSHIVELY.MUSIC AND NATS OF SEWINGMACHININ HER TINY TAILORINGSHOP, THROUGH THENEEDLES AND THREAD,SONIA WITH CUSTOMERS94 YEAR OLD SONIAWARSHAWSKI WEAVESFRIENDSHIP WITHLESSONS FROM HER PAST.SONIAWhen I came out from thisterrible hell, I could not talkabout it for a long time.UNTIL ONE DAY - ON THERADIO -SHE HEARD ABOUTHOLOCAUST DENIAL -SONIA"like a thunder to my brainand saying Sonia!

This ithe reason you survived!you cannot keep quiet!AND SHE HASN'T - THISHOLOCAUST SURVIVORHAS SHARED THE HORRORSHE WITNESSED FORYEARS- FOR THOSE WHOCAN'T.soniathe SS was using the driedyou know, skulls,to playsoccer.yes.

Sir.

And this is a humanbeing?SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AGOON JANUARY 27TH.

THESOVIET ARMY LIBERATEDAUSCHWITZ - BIRKENAU,THE DEADLIEST OF THENAZI DEATH CAMPS WHEREMORE THAN ONE MILLIONWERE MURDERED.

SONIAWAS TAKEN THERE ONEDAY AFTER WATCHING HERMOTHER WALK TO HERDEATH-SONIA"the women were going tothe gas chambeand in the row, I recognizemy mom holding togetherwith another lady from myhometown.

This was the lasttime I saw my mom.AT AUSCHWITZ - SONIASAYS SHE NARROWLYESCAPED SELECTION FORTHE GAS CHAMBER TWICE- FROM JOSEF MENGELE -eachgirl when she knew thathe put down her numberthat she would be going tothe gas chamberTHE NAZI DOCTOR WASKNOWN AS THE ANGEL OFDEATH.SONIA"already had to take off yourclothes and hold your littlebundle of clothes.and i noticed one roomSONIAThere were bundles oclothes to the ceilingand I was -and I knew Iwould not go throughbecause the way already IlookedIn one split of a second, Irun into this room and i hidmyself real down to thebottom.SONIA SAYS A GUARDCAME LOOKING FOR HERAND OTHERS - DIGGING INTHE PILES OF CLOTHES -WITH A BAYONET.SONIA WARSHAWSKIAnd I tell you, it was by thatfar I could feel his bayonet.My heart was going as stillnever forget - like this.and he missed me.I have to believe in meant tobeAT THE NEXT SELECTION -THERE WAS NO PLACE TOHIi was putting you know, likethis, color on my face tolook like i still - and let metell you, here I'm holdingalready a barrel of myclothes.I was going and I face himand he holds me backyou can imagine a split of asecond, he was asking mehow old I am.SONIA SAID SHE LIED THATSHE WAS MUCHYOUNGER...AND HE LETHER THROUGH.Jessica Rockhold / MidwestCenterfor Holocaust EducationAuschwitz was the pinnacleof the nazi system.and it had the factory likkilling facitilies.WHEN AUSCHWITZ WASLIBERATED - SONIA ANDMOST OF THE OTHERPRISONERS HAD ALREADYBEEN SENT ON A DEATHMARCH TO ANOTHERCAMP.SONIAIt was a death march, believeme.

They were running us likecattle.

The bullets over usJESSICA ROCKHOLD / MIDWESTCENTER FOR HOLOCAUSTEDUCATION.they were in such a hurry toevacuate ahead of the sovietfront, that they grabbed thepeople they could and theyforced them out and they left.NATS - SPEAKINGSONIA CONTINUES TOSHARES HER STORY, NOTJUST FOR THE MURDEREDMILLIONS..BUT FOR OURFUTURE..

AS LONG AS SHECAN.JESSICA ROCKHOLDthere is a great deal ofconcern about what happenswhen the survivors are nothere to tell the storythemselvesSONIA WARSHAWSKI"It can happen agaiI shall never forget, I shallnever forgive, but I'll neverhate.LINDSAY SHIVELY 41ACTION NEWS.SONIA SURVIVED THREECAMPS.IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELLYOU EVERYTHING SHEWENT THROUGH, BUT WEHAVE EXTENDEDPORTIONS OF OURINTERVIEW WITH SONIAAND ANOTHER LOCALSURVIVOR ON K-S-H-B DOTCO