On April 17th, 2026, Janet Applefield, a Holocaust survivor, shared her experience during the “heinous” genocide with the students of Malden High. After enduring the Holocaust during most of the years of her childhood, Applefield emphasized to the crowd one of the most important lessons she learned: “I urge you to be mindful of the decisions that you make, and speak out whenever you see any injustice. The choices and decisions that we all make, even the smallest paths of kindness, is a ripple effect.”
Born on June 4th of 1935 in Krakow, Poland, Applefield recalled the memories of her childhood in which she was surrounded by her loving family. From going to the candy store, to motorcycle rides with her uncle Arthur Singer, and baking with her mother. Her life was simple and she was content. Her “wonderful childhood came to an abrupt end on September 1st, 1939,” the day Nazi Germany army forces attacked Poland.
“There was a segment of the Polish police called the Blue Police. They collaborated with the Nazis. So we were scared, and we started to run,” Applefield added.
Fear erupted in the families of Poland, the explosions from aerial bombs caused mass destruction and drove families away from their homes. Applefield’s family attempted to escape, though Nazi Germany rule infested several nations in Europe, and anti-semitism then followed wherever they went. They couldn’t find stable support anywhere, even with the Polish police who were supposed to protect them. Safety was never guaranteed.
Applefield talked about how the Blue Police had caught them, and beat them “with these long wooden clubs,” even though she and her parents had been crying and pleading. The inevitable danger of sticking together as a family was too risky. Her parents “had gone out of all options” with no place to hide, so they made an agonizing decision.” They sent Applefield away in hopes that she would be safer, ultimately separating the entire family when her parents split up.
Applefield’s mother, Maria Singer was taken to the Plaszow concentration camp after enduring a rough journey in a crowded boxcar, where diseases festered and toxic fumes killed people. She was murdered in a gas chamber upon arriving. Applefield’s father, Alexander Singer, was sent to a Krakow ghetto, where he was selected to do forced labor and experienced horrifying conditions.
Applefield often moved around; she first lived with her cousin’s nanny, Maria, and by the time she was seven years old, she lived with her cousin Lala Singer. It had been three years since Germany invaded Poland. Living with Lala required her to obtain a false christian identity, and her name became Krisha. It wasn’t long before Singer was taken by Polish authorities, leaving Applefield to fend for herself. She was then taken in by a woman, Alicia Golab, after lying about her background for her own safety.
She lived with the Golab family for two years, on their farm that “operated like a catholic church.” Applefield adapted to their lifestyle and was accustomed to living with them, until her uncle, who went by a christian identity, Dr. Anthony came to get her. By 1945, World War 2 ended and Poland was liberated by Russian forces. Although the war ended, concentration camps holding thousands of people remained.
After living with her uncle for a brief amount of time, he dropped her off at a Jewish Refugee Center, and she was forced to move again at ten years old. The center often moved around as well, since they were targeted by Polish men motivated by deep-rooted antisemitism. At the same time, Allied forces liberated concentration camps and those on death marches. Her father had survived and escaped, and he soon met up with her at an orphanage.
Applefield shared how even reuniting with her father after many years was unsettling because of the state he was in, and she felt she was just starting to live a decent life, so leaving again was difficult for her. “I always remember the reunion with my father because I was so scared of him, he was hugging and kissing me and telling me he was going to take me. I didn’t want to go, because for the first time, I had friends and Nina (orphanager keeper) was our mother.”
As her father recovered from his physical detriments, he gave Applefield two choices, the choice to live in America or Palestine. “I said, ‘I want to go to America,’ and he said ‘Why?’ and I said ‘I heard money grows on trees.’”
Applefield shared, “It wasn’t a simple matter of packing our bags and leaving, it took about two years for us.”
In March of 1947, Applefield and her father sailed on a marine transport boat and settled in Rowan, New Jersey. Applefield was almost 12 when her uncle Jack, registered her for an elementary school called “Franklin School.” It was then that she changed her name to Janet Applefield. Her father remarried to Sadie Ulmen shortly after. Soon after settling in America, she had a new stepmother, a new name, new appearance, and new friends. Applefield went on to commit to Rutgers University for her bachelors, and then Boston University for her masters degree in Social work. Married at nineteen years old, she had three children, and now five grandchildren.
Applefield’s life was changed more than once, and many times, in ways that no child should ever have to experience. Her first-hand experience in the Holocaust and her dedication to share her story allows hundreds of listeners to understand how hatred can eventually build-up to a cruel genocide. Applefield’s story poses as an insightful lesson for many, teaching about the importance of being an upstander in the face of blinding hate.
“I’ve often thought about the people that saved my life. They didn’t just save my life, they saved the lives of future generations. The Holocaust didn’t start with gas chambers, it started with words. It’s important for us to be proactive, speak out, and not be silent,” Applefield concluded.
To learn more about Janet Applefield’s experience during the Holocaust, read her book “Becoming Janet: Finding Myself in the Holocaust.”
About the Author
