apr 1, 1943 - Program: Ma'agal

Description:

The idea of this club was first created by the counsellors in charge of the 30 or so children of Room 28 "to keep us a little under control" (Evelina Merová) but quickly grew into a child-led project.

From the diary of Helga Pollak:
"Friday, 2 April 1943

Yesterday we had our first meetings in our blue and white outfits. Because things are so terrible in our room we have decided to start again, as if we had only just arrived. We are going to have a kind of parliament. The counsellors are the ministers, then there are deputies, consisting of two classes: the second class (lower house) and the first class (upper house) — that is our Ma'agal. Girls who are attentive, diligent, amicable and who set a good example are represented in Ma'agal. We also have our own badge with the inscription: VVBN, Věřím ti — věříš mi? Vím — jak víš, buď nezradíš —nezradím. (You trust me and I trust you. You know what I know. Whatever shall be, we never betray, the trust between you and me.)"
- Helga Pollak

Ma’agal (1943)
The Girls of Room 28

Věříš mi – věřím ti, víš a vím,
buď jak buď, nezradíš –nezradím.

My chceme jeden celek být
chceme se vesměs rádi mít
chceme a budem,
přišli jsme a půjdem,
chceme se domů navrátit.

My půjdem proti zlému
klestíme cestu dobrému,
my zlo zatratíme,
dřív se nevrátíme,
pak zazpíváme píseň svou:

Ma’agal musí zvítězit,
nás k dobré cestě obrátit,
ruce si podáme,
pak si zazpíváme
hymnu našeho domova.

Nun danket alle Gott
mit Herzen, Mund und Händen,
der uns von Mutterleib
und Kindesbeinen an

Ma’agal (Circle/Perfection)
The Girls of Room 28 (1943-1945)
Translation by Michael Wiener (2020)

You believe me – I believe you.
You know what I know,
Whatever may happen,
you won’t betray me –
I won’t betray you.

We want to be united,
To stand together, to like each other.
We have come here, but our hope,
A hope that shall come true,
Is to return home again.

We shall do battle with evil
And forge the path to the good.
We shall drive every evil away
And won’t go home until we have.
And then we shall sing:

Ma’agal (Circle/Perfection) must triumph
And bring us on the path to good.
We clasp each other’s hands
And sing
This anthem of our home.

Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
Who from our mothers’ love
and in their kind arms.

Photo of Anna Flach (Flaška) ca. 1939 and her musical notation of the anthem of Room 28.

Source: Brenner, Hannelore. Theresienstadt. The Girls of Room 28. Compendium 2017. Edition Room 28, an offshoot of Room 28 Projects, 2017.

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