Song of the Murdered Jewish People

Yitshak Katzenelson

1944

Canto IX. To the Heavens

And thus it came to pass, and this was the beginning . . . Heavens tell me, why?1
Tell me, why this, O why? What have we done to merit such disgrace?
The earth is dumb and deaf, she closed her eyes. But you, heavens on high,
You saw it happen and looked on, from high, and did not turn your face.
You did not cloud your…
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Creator Bio

Yitshak Katzenelson

1885–1944

Yiddish and Hebrew poet and playwright Yitshak Katzenelson was born in Karelitz, Belorussia. His family moved to Łódź, where Katzenelson was a founder and director of private Hebrew schools; he also wrote textbooks and children’s books. In his poetic style and themes, he was strongly influenced by Bialik as well as by the works of Heine. He also founded several theater groups. In 1939, Katzenelson fled to Warsaw, where he continued to teach and to self-translate. He was sent by the Germans to the camp in Vittel and was then deported to Auschwitz. He kept a diary, found after the war, that exposed the conditions under Nazi rule. The Ghetto Fighter’s House and museum at Kibbutz Loḥamei Hageta’ot in Israel are dedicated to Katzenelson’s memory.

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