Mordechai Chechanover was born in Maków Mazowiecki, Poland in 1924, to Rachel (Ruchtche, nee Segal) and Meir Zvi Chechanover, the middle son between his sisters Rivka and Chana Hadassah. In September 1939, days after the German occupation of Maków Mazowiecki, he was sent to perform forced labor. In late 1940 the Jews of the town were forced into the Jewish quarter, and in late 1941 a ghetto was established. Mordechai was sent to several forced labor camps, and was then returned to the ghetto. On November 18, 1942 the ghetto was liquidated, and the Jews in it were sent to the Mława ghetto. On December 6, 1942 Mordechai was deported to Auschwitz, along with the rest of his family and the Jews of his town. Upon arrival, the women of the family were sent to the gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau, while Mordechai and his father were sent to the Buna-Monowitz camp (Auschwitz 3). His father's hands froze, he was taken to an infirmary, and his tracks vanished. Mordechai was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau to work as a roof repairman.
As the Sonderkommando uprising at Auschwitz was coalescing, Mordechai aided it by transporting packages and messages. On October 28, 1944 Mordechai was sent to the Stutthof camp, and later sent to the Dautmergen camp and finally to Bergen-Belsen, where he was liberated on April 15, 1945.
After liberation Mordechai reunited with his father at the Feldafing displaced persons' camp, and the two immigration to pre-state Israel in September 1945. He fought in Israel's War of Independence, in the Alexandroni Brigade. After being discharged he worked in the Israel's Employment Bureau. In 1950 he married Devorah, whom he met in his job.
Film length: 29:30
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