Maria Ivanovna Stupko, whose real name is Sarah Beytsen, recounts her experience as a Jewish child during World War 2 in Ukraine. When German soldiers occupied her town, they arrested and killed anyone with a Jewish name. Her parents were taken away to a ditch and killed. A neighbor hid her and she prayed to God for protection. After the war, she was cared for by the neighbor under a new name. Every year on Victory Day, she visits the mass grave to honor the fallen soldiers and remembers her parents.

2. Today, the 9th of May, is Victory Day over the German
invaders. So everyone from young to old people go to the
Mass Graves in their cities to lay flowers and bow before
the liberators - the soldiers.

3. And I'm no exception. In the morning I put on my festive dress,
picked tulips in the front garden and went with another people to
honor the memory of the soldiers. There are more and more
people on the street. Everyone is moving in the same direction.

4. My name is Maria Ivanovna Stupko. This year I just turned 86
years old. But this is not my real name. In fact, I'm Sarah Beytsen.
I am Jewish.

5. My family lived in a small town in the south of Ukraine. The Jewish
community had almost half of the city's population. My parents and me
visited the synagogue. In autumn of 1941, I had to go to school because
I was 6 years old. Our numerous relatives lived in the city of Plovdiv and
my mother's cousin and her family intended to move to our city.

6. We got the letter from relatives in 1938 from Plovdiv where they had told
about the horror that happened to them on the night of November, 9th.
My aunt wrote: “Synagogues are burning in our city, Jewish’s houses
and shops are being destroyed. Neighbors were up in arms against us.
German soldiers bully the elderly and the young, and adults are killed.
No one can or wants to protect our families. The authorities are silent …

7. We still waited for the arrival of relatives, but after those events we did
not receive any message from them. My mother told me while visiting
the synagogue that there is a One who protects all Jews, his name is
Yahweh. If trouble comes to me, I have to turn to Him and ask for help.
Her words touched my heart.

8. The time came and the same trouble came to our small town. Her name
is fascism and war. German soldiers arrested anyone with a Jewish
name or surname. People were taken out of the city to a large ditch and
no one returned from there …

9. The next time when my parents were taken to the ditch, the last thing
that still rings in my ears is my mother's order: “Remember! His name is
Yahweh. He will protect you!” Our neighbors were Ukrainians, so my
mother gave me to them for hiding. I have never seen my mother since
then… And when the fascists came to the neighbors, they hid me
wherever they could: in basements, pits, hiding places between the
walls. And every time I trembled with fear, saying, “Yahweh, protect me!
Save me!”

10. Three years later, Soviet troops liberated our small town from invaders. It
was impossible to recognize its. It was almost completely destroyed. By
some miracle, our synagogue and my home remained almost
undestroyed.

11. There was no information about the parents. I was cared for by a
neighbor who gave me a new name, Maria Stupko. By this name I have
received my first documents. Every night I closed my eyes and saw my
parents. And the thought that Yahweh should protect all people from such
a distress did not leave me.

12. Only while studying at the institute that I’ve learned that in 1948 humanity
took a step towards understanding and proclaiming theirs rights and
freedoms - the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It contained
articles to protect people from disaster. The lives of many people have
become protected. Many years have passed since those events…

13. But every year, on the 9th of May, when I go to the Mass Grave with the
residents of the city, my memories come to life.
I put my tulips on the grave of an unknown soldier, stood in a moment of
silence, thanking for my safety. It's time to go home.

14. Children were running around me. Boys and girls were singing different
songs. Even none of them know what war is, destroyed houses, killed
parents. They will be in store for a completely different fate, better than
ours!