In researching my novel “The Nazi Housewife of Queens, New York” I went into the process feeling like I was very well versed in WWII and Holocaust history. I was not. I was astonished at the level and scope of the horror and cruelty. I have had feedback on my novel that some people were also shocked at what I chose to include. Looking back, I would have added a warning about the depictions of violence in the concentration camps. Sadly, all that I included was based on witness testimony. I was fortunate to find a documentary of the Majdanek trials in West Germany, in which many survivors shared their stories.
One of my hopes with the novel was that it would inspire people to learn about the real history of the Holocaust and WWII. I added many real events to anchor plot points in the novel. One of those events was “Operation Harvest Festival.” While the name evokes corn mazes, apple picking and autumn, it was actually one of the most horrific days in the history of the Holocaust.
Operation Harvest Festival took place on November 3, 1943. It was a killing day in several camps. In Majdanek, where part of my novel takes place, the day before the operation took place, prisoners were required to dig extensive zigzag trenches which they were told were defensive measures. Loud speakers were installed around the camp. On November 3 at 5:00 a.m., the prisoners were assembled and Jews were separated from non-Jewish prisoners. On the loud speakers marching band music played. The music was meant to drown out the sound of gunfire as Jewish prisoners were shot in the back of the head and fell into the trenches. The killing went on all day, and by the end of the day, 18,000 were murdered.
I was shocked by many things in researching Majdanek camp. I think this operation struck me for not only the scale of cruelty, but the seemingly sick name of “Harvest Festival” and the thought of marching band music blaring over the loudspeakers as thousands were killed. I knew I had to find a way to incorporate it into the book.
This event took place 83 years ago today. Very few people are still around with living memory of these events. As time makes events recede further into the past and they tend to fade from view. But some events are uniquely horrific in history. Operation Harvest Festival is one of those events. Never Forget.
